Common allometric patterns have been reported across the tropics and good performance on independent data was retrieved for the most recent pantropical model predicting tree aboveground biomass (AGB) from stem diameter, wood density and total height. General models are undoubtedly useful for the estimation and monitoring of biomass and carbon stocks in tropical forests, however specific allometry, allocation, and traits, are at the core of many models of vegetation dynamics, and there is lack of such information for some regions and species. In this study, we specifically evaluated how size-dependent changes in above-ground biomass and biomass allocation to crown relate to other allometric and life-history traits for tropical tree species. We gathered destructive data available in eight terra firme forest sites across central Africa and the combined dataset consisted of 1,023 trees belonging to 54 tropical tree species phylogenetically dispersed, with only two congeneric species. A huge body of field and laboratory measurements was used for computing AGB and crown mass ratio (CMR) at the tree level, and to derive key allometric traits at the species level. For the latter, species-specific relationships between tree diameter and total height, crown exposure to light, wood density, and bark thickness were fitted for 50 species. Our results show interspecific variation in the relationships relating tree diameter to both AGB and CMR, and including species traits in a multi-specific AGB model confirmed that interspecific variation in biomass allometry is primarily determined by species wood density. We also showed that the allocation of biomass to crown increases linearly with tree diameter for most species, and that interspecific variation in the CMR model is associated with the species dispersal mode and maximum height. Trait covariations among our set of tropical tree species widespread and/or locally abundant in central Africa, revealed a continuum between large-statured species, which tended to be light-demanding, deciduous and wind-dispersed, and species with opposite attributes. Information on allometry, allocation, and traits provided here could further be used in comparative ecology and for parameterizing dynamic and succession models. Also importantly, the species-specific AGB models fitted for major tree species, including most timber species of central Africa, will help improve biomass estimates.

据报道，整个热带地区都有常见的异速生长方式，对于最近的泛热带模型，从茎直径，木材密度和总高度预测树木地上生物量（AGB），获得了独立数据的良好性能。毫无疑问，一般模型对于热带森林生物量和碳储量的估计和监测很有用，但是特定的异构，分配和性状是许多植被动态模型的核心，并且某些地区和地区缺乏此类信息。物种。在这项研究中，我们专门评估了地上生物量和冠生物量分配的大小相关变化如何与热带树种的其他异速生长和生活史特征相关。我们收集了整个非洲中部8个硬地森林地点的破坏性数据，合并后的数据集由1,054棵树组成，这些树属于54种热带树种，在系统发育上分散，只有两个同属树种。大量的现场和实验室测量数据用于在树级别计算AGB和树冠质量比（CMR），并在树种级别上得出关键的异形性状。对于后者，将树木直径与总高度，树冠暴露于光，木材密度和树皮厚度之间的物种特定关系拟合为50种。我们的结果表明，树径与AGB和CMR之间的关系存在种间差异，并且在多特异性AGB模型中包括物种特征，证实了生物量异速生长的种间差异主要由物种木材密度决定。我们还表明，大多数物种的树冠生物量分配随树径线性增加，而CMR模型中的种间变化与物种扩散模式和最大高度相关。我们在非洲中部广泛分布和/或局部丰富的一组热带树木物种之间的性状协方差揭示，在大型种群（倾向于轻度，落叶和风散性）和具有相反属性的种群之间存在连续性。此处提供的有关异构，分配和性状的信息可以进一步用于比较生态学以及参数化动态模型和演替模型。同样重要的是