Species-independent estimation of dipterocarp wood density using drilling resistance: implications for carbon accounting

doi:10.3832/ifor4894-019

Species-independent estimation of dipterocarp wood density using drilling resistance: implications for carbon accounting

Jacqueline Joseph⁽¹⁾, Rhema Debully Maripa⁽²⁾, Wilson Vun Chiong Wong⁽²⁾, Alexius Korom⁽¹⁾, Mui-How Phua⁽²⁾

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, Volume 19, Issue 5, Pages 369-375 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor4894-019
Published: Sep 12, 2026 - Copyright © 2026 SISEF

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Nature-based carbon credit markets are crucial for climate change mitigation in tropical regions. Accurate estimates of aboveground biomass (AGB) in these forests depend on wood density (WD), typically sourced from global databases that do not account for local variability, introducing substantial uncertainties in carbon stock assessments. This study evaluates the resistograph as a novel tool for improving WD predictions in dipterocarp forests of northern Borneo, addressing critical gaps in current carbon stock estimation methodologies. Using multiple linear regression, we developed a two-variable model linking WD to drilling resistance (DR) variables. The optimal model, incorporating the standard deviation of DR (DR_StD) and the slope of DR (DR_Slope), produced the best predictions (adjusted R² = 0.604, RMSE = 0.083 g cm^-3) and showed no significant difference from field WD. Log-transformed models were also tested as a robustness check and yielded lower prediction errors, but the final model was selected for its higher explanatory power and direct interpretability. By comparison, database WD values significantly overestimated field WD and resulted in inflated AGB estimates (RMSE = 32.260%) compared to those derived from the resistograph-based model (RMSE = 25.933%). Our findings demonstrate that the resistograph-based methodology accurately predicts field WD. As a non-destructive and portable tool, it has large potential to enhance the credibility of biomass quantification for nature-based carbon credit projects in Southeast Asia. Further work should expand geographical and species coverage to support broader application across tropical forest landscapes.

Keywords

Resistogram, Dipterocarpaceae, Aboveground Biomass, Voluntary Carbon Markets, Borneo

Authors’ address

(1)

0000-0003-2648-3808
0000-0001-7164-6392
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sabah, 88997, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Malaysia)

(2)

0000-0003-1965-7363
0000-0001-7285-3908
0000-0002-1205-3105
Faculty of Tropical Forestry, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Malaysia)

Corresponding author

Mui-How Phua
pmh@ums.edu.my

Citation

Joseph J, Maripa RD, Wong WVC, Korom A, Phua M-H (2026). Species-independent estimation of dipterocarp wood density using drilling resistance: implications for carbon accounting. iForest 19: 369-375. - doi: 10.3832/ifor4894-019

Academic Editor

Paola Cetera

Paper history

Received: May 06, 2025
Accepted: May 08, 2026

First online: Sep 12, 2026
Publication Date: Oct 31, 2026
Publication Time: 4.23 months

Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

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