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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415589
Research Project: Knowledge Systems and Tools to Increase the Resilience and Sustainability of Western Rangeland Agriculture

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Allometric relationships to calculate aboveground biomass for eight rangeland shrubs using the SageSTEP network

Author
item Harrison, Georgia
item BOURNE, ANDREA - University Of Idaho
item ELLSWORTH, LISA - Oregon State University
item SHAFF, SCOTT - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item HULET, APRIL - Brigham Young University
item STRAND, EVA - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: Rangeland Ecology and Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2026
Publication Date: 6/25/2026
Citation: Harrison, G.R., Bourne, A., Ellsworth, L.M., Shaff, S.E., Hulet, A., Strand, E.K. 2026. Allometric relationships to calculate aboveground biomass for eight rangeland shrubs using the SageSTEP network. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 108:35-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2026.05.004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2026.05.004

Interpretive Summary: Shrub biomass is a key indictor for rangelands, and can be measured using many techniques. One commonly used technique called allometric modeling requires developing a relationship between an intensively sampled technique and a less intensive technique. To apply these models, land managers require equations which accurately relate shrub size to shrub biomass. In this paper, we created such equations for eight shrub species sampled at 13 sitesion throughout the Great Basin. We created more generic species equations, as well as those catered to each location. We provide tools for translating field measured shrub size into total biomass, and mass within fuels classes. These equations can support the application of allometric modeling techniques.

Technical Abstract: Accurately estimating shrub biomass in sagebrush-dominated ecosystems is essential for understanding fire behavior, fire effects, and other ecological processes. Traditional destructive sampling methods, while highly accurate, are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Allometric equations employ a double sampling technique, which correlates destructively sampled biomass measurements with field-measured height and canopy size. However, allometric equations are limited by the species and location they represent. To create new allometric equations that encompass 8 shrubland species and span a range of site conditions, we sampled 631 shrubs of eight species at 13 sites in the Great Basin within the Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP) monitoring network. This effort generated both generalized species-specific and site-specific biomass equations through linear regression models. This dual modeling approach offers users the flexibility to apply general species relationships or tailor biomass estimation based on geographical location or species distribution. Additionally, our research provides biomass estimates within fuel size classes, enhancing the utility of these equations for future research and management applications in the Great Basin. Our equations are shared as R code and an spreadsheet, allowing users to implement these equations. By advancing the availability and precision of allometric equations for upland shrub species, our study contributes valuable tools for understanding shrub biomass dynamics in sagebrush shrubland ecosystems.