Estimation of Above-ground Biomass of Acacia Senegal (Willd) Stands in Skeikan Reserved Forest, North Kordofan State, Sudan, Using Remote Sensing, Dr Hassan Adam, Prof. Udo Schickhoff, FathAlrahman Elbashir

Dr Hassan Elnour Adam 
Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), University of Hamburg, Hamburg (Germany)
Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan (Sudan)
ORCID: 0000-0003-4451-8517
Professor Udo Schickhoff
Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN)
University of Hamburg
Hamburg
Germany
ORCID:  0000-0003-1502-936X
FathAlrahman Ahmed Mohamed Elbashir
National Forest Corporation (FNC), South Kordofan State
Kaduglei
Sudan
ORCID:

Purpose: The study aims to estimate the above-ground biomass (AGB) of Acacia senegal stands in Sheikan Reserved Forest, Sudan, using a combination of terrestrial inventory and remote sensing data, and to examine its relationship with tree growth parameters.
Methodology: A ground survey was conducted across 40 systematically distributed sample plots (0.09ha each), where tree measurements of diameter at breast height, height, and crown diameter were recorded. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were extracted from Landsat 8 imagery (2015) and analysed with field data using ERDAS and SPSS.
Findings: The results revealed a significant relationship (P = 0.02) between NDVI and AGB of Acacia senegal stands. A linear regression model (R² = 0.70) using NDVI was selected for biomass estimation. Strong correlations were found between AGB and tree volume (R² = 0.8) and tree density (R² = 0.9). Maximum tree volume was 1.3m³/ha, maximum AGB 8.22t/ha, and total biomass 10.53t/ha.
Value: This study provides a practical NDVI-based model for estimating above-ground biomass of Acacia senegal stands.
Keywords: Acacia Senegal; Biomass; Kordofan; Modelling; Remote Sensing.