EU volume, increment, aboveground biomass and BCEF libraries

This collection includes, for each EU-27 Member State (excluded Malta and Cyprus) the following database:

1. Volume and increment database (Volume_increment_databse) reporting the merchantable standing volume (in m3 ha-1 under bark)  and the net merchantable volume increment (in m3 ha-1 yr-1 under bark)  of the main forest types identified at country level.

2. Aboveground biomass and BCEF data (Volume_biomass_bcef_databse) reporting the total aboveground dry biomass (in t ha-1) of the main forest types identified at country level. The total aboveground dry biomass is further distinguished between stem (i.e., merchantable wood biomass excluding bark), bark, branches (including both main and small branches) and foliages.  The database also reports the Biomass Conversion and Expansion factors (BCEF, adimensional) derived as the ratio between the merchantable volume associated to each record and the corresponding total aboveground biomass.

3. Ancillary data (Volume_biomass_selection) reporting  detailed information on the parameters defining the allometric equations applicable to each forest type and country specific combinations of classifiers. A second file (vol_to_biomass_best_match) reports the RMSE values and the proportion of stemwood to total aboveground biomass associated to the allometric equation associated to each forest type and group of classifiers.

All previous data were further scaled, when possible, at sub-national level, and distinguished between forest types (FT, defined according to the leading species reported by National Forest Inventories), management types (MT, mostly distinguishing high-forests and coppices) and management strategies (MS, eventually distinguishing even-aged and uneven-aged forest stands).  All data, derived from countries' National Forest Inventory or other public datasources available at country level, were preliminarily harmonized according to a common definition of volume and increment.