Preliminary estimates of biomass growth in the Tamaulipan thornscrub in north-eastern Mexico

The objective of this research was to estimate the biomass growth of 10 typical species of the Tamaulipan thornscrub in north-eastern Mexico. In total, eight biomass growth models of three parameters were tested. Parameter fitting was conducted by least square techniques in non-linear regression. The best model for each shrub species generated growth and increment of above-ground dry biomass. The results showed that the Logistic and Weibull models consistently fitted better the observed biomass growth for 60% of the studied shrub species. Models predict that Diospyros texana, Acacia berlandieri and Cordia boissieri have the largest growth rates of standing biomass in contrast to Helietta parvifolia, Acacia rigidula and Pithecellobium pallens. At the spatial scale, the Tamaulipan thornscrub produces a peak periodic biomass increment of 4•11 Mg ha−1year−1. However, this biome currently produces a periodic biomass increment of 1•67 Mg ha−1year−1. This report highlights the need to establish permanents sampling plots to observe and better model biomass growth at the stand level.