Estimation of Aboveground Biomass of Acacia senegal (Willd) Stands in Sheikan Reserved Forest, North Kordofan State, Sudan Using Remote Sensing, Dr Hassan Adam, Prof. Udo Schickhoff, FathAlrahman Mohamed

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
National Forest Corporation (FNC), South Kordofan State
Kaduglei
Sudan

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 (0.09 ha 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 analyzed 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 1.3 m³/ha, maximum AGB 8.22 t/ha, and total biomass 10.53 t/ha.
Value: This study provides a practical NDVI-based model for estimating aboveground biomass of Acacia senegal stands.
Keywords: Acacia Senegal, Biomass, Kordofan, Modelling, Remote Sensing.