Gabon Forest Aboveground Biomass Maps from LiDAR and Field Plots

Gridded aboveground biomass estimates for four forest and savannah sites in Gabon at 0.25-hectare resolution. The dataset integrates field measurements of tree diameter and height from 2010-2016 with airborne LiDAR-derived canopy height models. It was produced by ORNL_CLOUD using a regression model to map biomass from mean canopy height.

Use Cases

• Calibrating and validating regional or global satellite-based biomass and carbon stock estimates.
• Analyzing the relationship between LiDAR-derived canopy height metrics and ground-measured biomass for algorithm development.
• Studying spatial distribution of carbon stocks across different forest types and protected areas in Gabon.
• Supporting forest management and conservation planning with high-resolution biomass maps.

Strengths

• Integrates detailed field plot measurements (tree diameter, height) with high-resolution (1 m) LiDAR data.
• Covers four distinct sites representing forest, savannah, and disturbed landcover types from 2010 to 2016.
• Provides biomass estimates at a fine 0.25-hectare (50 m) spatial resolution.

Limitations

• Conflicting last updated dates: one source states 2026-03-13, another states 2016-03, creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided by any source.
• License is noted as 'other-license-specified' without explicit details.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Field plot biophysical measurements combined with airborne LiDAR scans to construct canopy height models and a biomass regression.

Time Range

2010 to 2016

Freshness

2026-03-13 18:47:21.310958

Geography

Four sites in Gabon: Lope National Park, Mabounie, Mondah Forest, and Rabi forest site.