Forest litter was sampled from 1 x 1 m plots, weighed as W1 and a sub-sample was taken. The subsample was also considered as (W2) before being taken to the laboratory for oven drying. After the oven-dried, the subsample was weighed as the final weight (W3).
From the above, please how can I estimate the biomass?
To estimate the biomass of the forest litter, you can follow these steps based on the information you provided:
In your case, the biomass estimate would be the dry weight of the subsample divided by the area of the plot (1 m²), as you already have the dry weight of the subsample and the area of the plot.
However, keep in mind that this estimation assumes that the subsample accurately represents the entire plot's litter biomass. If the distribution of litter is uneven within the plot, using multiple subsamples or larger sampling areas might provide a more accurate representation of the biomass.
Additionally, if you're working with a larger area, you might need to scale up your biomass estimation accordingly.
Since the plots are so small, you can use all the litter in the plots. Just dry the litter and weigh and you have dry weight of biomass per plot. Then you can obtain the mean value across many plots :)
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