Globally Harmonized Carbon Storage Data using a Simple Decision Tree Approach

Abstract This paper presents methods and results that combine multiple carbon storage (or above-ground biomass) datasets using a simple decision tree approach. The data are converted to similar units and reprojected to a 30 arcsecond grid before application of the decision tree. The benefits of this dataset are that it combines the positive attributes of the multiple input datasets in order to have global, high-resolution extent while utilizing the best statistical methods where possible. Visual inspection shows very different spatial configurations of carbon storage between the results and the input data, suggesting that combination of methods can improve estimates. The summation of the decision tree result was 336.55 petagrams while the summation of a dataset based on the IPCC Tier 1 method was 502.38 petagrams (49.27% higher than the results from the decision tree).