ABSTRACT It is presented the theme additivity of biomass of tree components. To evaluate and discuss this context, experimental information collected in forests of Acacia mearnsii De Wild. was used. Equations for components (stem and crown) and total biomass were fitted by means of two procedures: 1) generalized nonlinear least squares and 2) weighted-nonlinear seemingly unrelated regressions. Analyzing the performance of the estimators, it can be concluded that the two tested procedures are equivalent. On the other hand, this conclusion differs when evaluated the consistency and efficiency of the estimators. Fitting equations for the components and for the total biomass by an independent way is not realistic, because from a biological point of view the estimates of biomass are inconsistent, i.e., are not additive. The biomass estimates of the components and of the total, resulting from equations adjusted by means of systems of equations, provided narrower confidence intervals in relation to the equations adjusted independently, and is therefore more efficient. The second procedure presents better biological properties and statistics to estimate allometric equations for biomass of the components and for the total when compared with the independent estimation, thus it should be the method to be used.

Biomass yield is a function of the conversion efficiency of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted in photoassimilates and varies depending on the conditions in which a plant is grown. Thus, this study sought to quantify the conversion efficiency of solar radiation intercepted by photosynthetically active biomass (εb) in black wattle stands (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.). A study was therefore conducted in 1-7 year-old stands of the species in two sites (to span one plantation cycle), in which intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PARi), leaf area index, light extinction coefficient and biomass yield were determined. A system of equations is proposed, therefore, as photosynthetic radiation is intercepted and assimilates are converted, the system of equations estimates biomass yield, and at the same time predicts the biomass partition within the tree. The biomass yield of black wattle was linearly related to PARi and the εb of the total biomass of black wattle is 0.0021 kg MJ-1.

El rendimiento en biomasa es una función de la eficiencia de conversión de radiación fotosintéticamente activa interceptada en fotoasimilados y varía, dependiendo de las condiciones en que se cultiva una planta. Este estudio cuantificó la eficiencia de conversión de la radiación solar interceptada por la biomasa fotosintéticamente activa (εb) en rodales acacia negra (Acacia mearnsii). Se realizó un estudio en rodales de 1-7 años de edad en dos sitios (para abarcar el ciclo completo de cultivo de la especie), en que se determinaron la radiación fotosintéticamente activa interceptada (PARI), el índice de área foliar, el coeficiente de extinción de la luz y el rendimiento de biomasa. Se propuso un sistema de ecuaciones que expresó como la radiación fotosintética es interceptada y los asimilados se convierten. El sistema de ecuaciones estima el rendimiento de biomasa y al mismo tiempo predice la partición de la biomasa dentro del árbol. El rendimiento en biomasa de acacia negra se relacionó linealmente con RFAi y la εb de la biomasa total de acacia negra fue 0,0021 kg MJ"¹.