Allometric relationships for estimating the aboveground phytomass and leaf area of mangrove Kandelia candel (L.) Druce trees in the Manko Wetland, Okinawa Island, Japan

Allometric relationships for estimating the phytomass of aboveground organs (stem, branches, leaves and their sum) and the leaf area in the mangrove Kandelia candel (L.) Druce were investigated. The variable (D0.1H)-H-2 (D-0.1 stem diameter at a height of H/10, H tree height) showed better accuracy of estimation than D-2 (D, DBH) or (DH)-H-2. A moderate relationship was found when the branch weight, leaf weight and leaf area were plotted against D-B(2) (D-B stem diameter at a height of clear bole length). A strong linear relationship was found between leaf area and leaf weight (R-2=0.979). The aboveground weight (w(T)) showed a strong relationship when plotted against (D0.1H)-H-2 (R-2=0.958), but very weak relationships were obtained against D-2 (R-2=0.300) and (DH)-H-2 (R-2=0.316). The w(T) also showed a proportional relationship (R-2=0.978) to (D0.1H)-H-2 with a proportional constant of 0.04117 kg cm(-2) m(-1) supercript stop (R-2=0.978). Taking into account the allometric relationships of the weight of aboveground organs or leaf area per tree to different dimensions, such as D-2, (DH)-H-2, D-B(2) and (D0.1H)-H-2, a standard procedure for estimating the biomass and leaf area index in the K. candel stand, including the shorter trees, is proposed.