Biomass equations for shrub species of Tamaulipan thornscrub of North-eastern Mexico

Nine additive allometric equations for computing above-ground, standing biomass were developed for the plant community and for each of 18 single species typical of the Tamaulipan thornscrub of north-eastern Mexico. Equations developed using additive procedures in seemingly unrelated linear regression provided statistical efficiency in total biomass estimates at the scales of both individual species and at the plant community. A single equation for each species improves efficiency in biomass estimates by 12.5% in contrast to using a single equation for the plant community. Therefore, additive equations developed in seemingly unrelated linear regression of parameter estimation are recommended to compute biomass components and total biomass for the species described. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.