Limpopo MODIS Above Ground Herbaceous Biomass (gC/sq.m)

Above Ground Herbaceous Biomass (AGBherb) (MODIS version) is predominantly grasses, but also forbs, restios, sedges. It is based on the relationship between biomass (dry matter) and the leaf area index (LAI) using field data collected in the Lowveld region. The power empirical model based on LAI explained about 62% of variation and the model is as follows;

ABGherb (gC/sq.m) = 264.37 x LAI^0.6374

The first step was to determine the maximum or peak productivity, as determined by the maximum biomass values in the month of January and February, based on the 13 year MODIS time series biomass data generated by CSIR. Finally, the ABGherb was determined by deriving the half of the averaged computed biomass, and to determine herbaceous carbon content (gC/sq.m, resulting biomass values were multiplied by 0.5.
Units: gram of biomass (herbaceous) per square meter at 500m x 500m resolution