Allometric equation for estimating aboveground biomass of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) to support REDD

One of the important aspects to support the success of REDD+ programme is the availability of a standard methodology and method to estimate carbon stock in forest or agroforestry land, which is recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This paper aims to describe and discuss a method to estimate the carbon stocks in agroforestry land in Hutumury Village, Ambon. The formulation of allometric equation for nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) is used to predict the aboveground biomass of nutmeg-based agroforestry land. The carbon mass equation model was constructed based on a significant relationship between carbon mass of nutmeg tree and its diameters at breast height and tree height. In order to analyse the biomass content, a destructive sampling technique was used. After felling, dimensional measurement was performed for each tree. The results of the study showed that the equation model for estimating aboveground biomass of nutmeg tree was allometric equation of Power, i.e., Y=134.353*(D**2.424) or ln (Y)=ln (134.353)+(2.424*ln (D)) with R-2 (adj)=0.977 and standard error (SE)=0.183. This allometric equation is a local allometric model and much needed to support REDD+ especially in Maluku Province. In addition, aboveground biomass predictors are easy to determine as only stem diameters are required to be measured mainly in dense forests.