Mapping aboveground carbon density (ACD) in tropical forests can enhance large-scale ecological studies and
support CO2 emissionsmonitoring. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has proven useful for estimating carbon
density patterns outside of field plot inventory networks. However, the accuracy and generality of calibrations
between LiDAR-assisted ACD predictions (EACDLiDAR) and estimated ACD based on field inventory techniques
(EACDfield) must be increased in order to make tropical forest carbon mapping more widely available. Using a
network of 804 field inventory plots distributed across a wide range of tropical vegetation types, climates and
successional states, we present a general conceptual and technical approach for linking tropical forest EACDfield
to LiDAR top-of-canopy height (TCH) using regional-scale inputs of basal area and wood density. With this
approach, we show that EACDLiDAR and EACDfield reach nearly 90% agreement at 1-ha resolution for a wide
array of tropical vegetation types. We also show that Lorey's Height – a common metric used to calibrate
LiDAR measurements to biomass – is severely flawed in open canopy forests that are common to the tropics.
Our proposed approach can advance the use of airborne and space-based LiDAR measurements for estimation
of tropical forest carbon stocks.