Allometric equations to estimate total aboveground alive biomass (B) or crown projection area (C) of ten caatinga species based on plant height (H) and/or stem diameter at ground level (DGL) or at breast height (DBH) were developed. Thirty plants of each species, covering the common range of stem diameters (3 to 50 cm), were measured (C, H, DGL, DBH), cut at the base, separated into parts, weighted and subsampled to determine dry biomass. Wood density (p) of the stem and the largest branches was determined. B, C, H and p ranged from 1 to 500 kg, 0.2 to 112 m², 1.3 to 11.8 m, and 0.45 to 1.03 g cm-3. Biomass of all 10 species, separately or together (excluding one cactus species), could be estimated with high coefficients of determination (R²) using the power equation (B = aDGLb) and DGL, DBH, H or combinations of diameter, height and density. Improvement by multiplying H and/or p to DGL or DBH was small. The mixed-species equation based only on DBH (valid up to 30 cm) had a = 0.173 and b = 2.295, similar to averages of these parameters found in the literature but slightly lower than most of those for humid tropical vegetation. Crown area was significantly related to diameter, height and biomass.
stem diameter; height; crown area; wood density
