Bastin J. F. auteur aut IRD Barbier Nicolas auteur aut IRD Réjou-Méchain Maxime auteur aut IRD Fayolle A. auteur aut IRD Gourlet-Fleury S. auteur aut IRD Maniatis D. auteur aut IRD de Haulleville T. auteur aut IRD Baya F. auteur aut IRD Beeckman H. auteur aut IRD Beina D. auteur aut IRD Couteron Pierre auteur aut IRD Chuyong G. auteur aut IRD Dauby G. auteur aut IRD Doucet J. L. auteur aut IRD Droissart Vincent auteur aut IRD Dufrene M. auteur aut IRD Ewango C. auteur aut IRD Gillet J. F. auteur aut IRD Gonmadje C. H. auteur aut IRD Hart T. auteur aut IRD Kavali T. auteur aut IRD Kenfack D. auteur aut IRD Libalah M. auteur aut IRD Malhi Y. auteur aut IRD Makana J. R. auteur aut IRD Pélissier Raphaël auteur aut IRD Ploton Pierre auteur aut IRD Serckx A. auteur aut IRD Sonke B. auteur aut IRD Stevart T. auteur aut IRD Thomas D. W. auteur aut IRD De Canniere C. auteur aut IRD Bogaert J. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Large tropical trees and a few dominant species were recently identified as the main structuring elements of tropical forests. However, such result did not translate yet into quantitative approaches which are essential to understand, predict and monitor forest functions and composition over large, often poorly accessible territories. Here we show that the above-ground biomass (AGB) of the whole forest can be predicted from a few large trees and that the relationship is proved strikingly stable in 175 1-ha plots investigated across 8 sites spanning Central Africa. We designed a generic model predicting AGB with an error of 14% when based on only 5% of the stems, which points to universality in forest structural properties. For the first time in Africa, we identified some dominant species that disproportionally contribute to forest AGB with 1.5% of recorded species accounting for over 50% of the stock of AGB. Consequently, focusing on large trees and dominant species provides precise information on the whole forest stand. This offers new perspectives for understanding the functioning of tropical forests and opens new doors for the development of innovative monitoring strategies. specialized AFRIQUE CENTRALE CAMEROUN CENTRAFRIQUE GABON 082 076 5 13156 [8 ] 2015 2045-2322 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010064920 10.1038/srep13156 2045-2322 [F B010064920] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010064920 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers17-10/010064920.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2015-10-07 2021-06-10 fdi:010064920 fre