Reconstructing structural development of even-aged larch stands in Siberia

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Osawa ◽  
Anatoly P Abaimov ◽  
Olga A Zyryanova

A method was proposed for quantitatively reconstructing structural development over time of even-aged monospecific forests and was applied to a larch (Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.) stand in Siberia. It relies on samples obtained at one-time observation and some simple assumptions considered general in even-aged stands. Tree-ring data taken from breast height of a group of the largest trees and those measured at various stem heights of several individuals representing the range of tree sizes in the plot are used for the estimation. Stand density and parameters of stem volume distribution at a given time in the past were calculated with the "stem slenderness index," and with an assumption of the -3/2 power distribution for the distribution function of stem size, respectively. By developing time-dependent allometric relationships for individual tree attributes, the whole-stand values of stem volume and its increment were reconstructed for several decades of stand development. Estimated history of the changes in stand density, total stem volume, and stem volume growth for the dense larch stand examined, mostly agreed with a separate estimation by the self-thinning assumption.

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 859-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. O'Hara

The growth of individual trees from four thinning treatments in a 64-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand was analyzed to determine desirable residual stand structures after thinning. Dominant and codominant trees had the highest individual tree stem volume growth rates over the previous 5 years, and accounted for most stand volume growth in thinned and unthinned stands. Two measures of growing space, crown projection area and sapwood basal area (a surrogate for leaf area), were used to measure how efficiently individual trees used their growing space. Crown classes were useful in characterizing growing space efficiency (volume growth per unit of growing space) only in the unthinned treatment. In thinned treatments, tall trees with medium-sized crowns were most efficient, while in the unthinned treatment, tall trees with relatively large crowns were most efficient. A large crown in an unthinned stand was comparable in size to a medium-sized crown in a thinned stand. Results suggest growing space is not limiting individual tree growth in thinned stands and that thinning to a particular stand structure is more appropriate than thinning to a particular level of stand density.


2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 910-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Osawa ◽  
Anatoly P Abaimov

Reconstruction of the size distribution of trees in stands provides critical information for assessing the effects of environmental changes on forests and for forest management. For furthering a method of such reconstruction, feasibility of estimating size distribution in stem volume from measurement of the largest trees was examined for even-aged pure stands of Pinus banksiana Lamb.and Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. We tested what percentage of the largest trees should be included in obtaining a frequency distribution in stem volume that is not statistically different from the observed size distribution patterns. The –3/2 power, beta-type, and adjusted beta-type distribution functions were applied. Comparison of the observed stem frequencies and those estimated from measurement of the largest trees in a stand suggested that (i) the –3/2 power distribution, beta-type distribution, or adjusted beta-type distribution may be used for reconstruction of stem size variation in pure stands, if the overall size variation could be approximated by one of these functions; (ii) we can be at least 95% sure that the tree size pattern be expressed successfully with the –3/2 power distribution with tree samples of only the largest 20% in the stand, or with the beta-type distribution with the largest 30% in the stand; and (iii) the reliability decreases somewhat for the adjusted beta-type distribution. The second observation implies that reconstruction of the temporal changes in stand structure may be reliable up to the time when the stand density was about five times that of the trees used for fitting the –3/2 power distribution curve. Reliability may be warranted up to the stand density of about three times as the number of trees used for fitting the beta-type distribution. Other considerations and limitations are also discussed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 1233-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A Maguire ◽  
John C Brissette ◽  
Lianhong Gu

Several hypotheses about the relationships among individual tree growth, tree leaf area, and relative tree size or position were tested with red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in uneven-aged, mixed-species forests of south-central Maine, U.S.A. Based on data from 65 sample trees, predictive models were developed to (i)estimate the amount of foliage held by individual trees from sapwood cross-sectional area and (ii)define the relationship between stem volume growth and three variables: total foliage area, relative position in the stand, and the degree of past suppression. A model that included variables representing tree size (or relative social position) and degree of past suppression (live branch whorls per unit crown length) indicated that stem volume growth first increased but later decreased over leaf area when other variables were held constant. Growth efficiency declined with increasing tree leaf area, although greater height and diameter enhanced growth efficiency and greater past suppression diminished growth efficiency. The decline in growth efficiency with greater leaf area likely is attributable to one or several of the factors previously identified as contributing to growth declines in mature, even-aged stands.


2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 852-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Dean ◽  
Scott D. Roberts ◽  
Robert S. Seymour

A general form for expressing gross volume increment in terms of stand density is derived and tested with data from spacing trials in red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.), and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The equation relates the stand sum of individual-tree volume increment per metre height increment to a power function of quadratic mean diameter times tree density. The proposed equation fit the data best when the model included an intercept. Within each species, the fits were unbiased with respect to the independent variables, plantation age, and site height, and with the exception of the youngest ages for red alder and loblolly pine, they were unbiased with respect to the plot sums of individual-tree volume increment divided by individual height increment. Exponents estimated for quadratic mean diameter for each species ranged from 1.58 to 1.80. The resulting equations indicate a linear relationship between the stand sum of individual-tree volume increment per metre height increment and stand density. Scattergrams of gross-volume increment per hectare per year and stand density can be recovered by multiplying the predicted values of the regressions by Lorey’s height. The regressions support the hypothesis that each metre of height growth produces consistent changes in stem size, regardless of initial tree size, age, or site quality, and implies that the change in stem size is a predictable power function of stem diameter for an individual tree or quadratic mean diameter for a stand.


Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ville Luoma ◽  
Ninni Saarinen ◽  
Ville Kankare ◽  
Topi Tanhuanpää ◽  
Harri Kaartinen ◽  
...  

Exact knowledge over tree growth is valuable information for decision makers when considering the purposes of sustainable forest management and planning or optimizing the use of timber, for example. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can be used for measuring tree and forest attributes in very high detail. The study aims at characterizing changes in individual tree attributes (e.g., stem volume growth and taper) during a nine year-long study period in boreal forest conditions. TLS-based three-dimensional (3D) point cloud data were used for identifying and quantifying these changes. The results showed that observing changes in stem volume was possible from TLS point cloud data collected at two different time points. The average volume growth of sample trees was 0.226 m3 during the study period, and the mean relative change in stem volume was 65.0%. In addition, the results of a pairwise Student’s t-test gave strong support (p-value 0.0001) that the used method was able to detect tree growth within the nine-year period between 2008–2017. The findings of this study allow the further development of enhanced methods for TLS-based single tree and forest growth modeling and estimation, which can thus improve the accuracy of forest inventories and offer better tools for future decision-making processes.


Author(s):  
Hospice A. Akpo ◽  
Gilbert Atindogbé ◽  
Maxwell C. Obiakara ◽  
Arios B. Adjinanoukon ◽  
Madaï Gbedolo ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent applications of digital photogrammetry in forestry have highlighted its utility as a viable mensuration technique. However, in tropical regions little research has been done on the accuracy of this approach for stem volume calculation. In this study, the performance of Structure from Motion photogrammetry for estimating individual tree stem volume in relation to traditional approaches was evaluated. We selected 30 trees from five savanna species growing at the periphery of the W National Park in northern Benin and measured their circumferences at different heights using traditional tape and clinometer. Stem volumes of sample trees were estimated from the measured circumferences using nine volumetric formulae for solids of revolution, including cylinder, cone, paraboloid, neiloid and their respective fustrums. Each tree was photographed and stem volume determined using a taper function derived from tri-dimensional stem models. This reference volume was compared with the results of formulaic estimations. Tree stem profiles were further decomposed into different portions, approximately corresponding to the stump, butt logs and logs, and the suitability of each solid of revolution was assessed for simulating the resulting shapes. Stem volumes calculated using the fustrums of paraboloid and neiloid formulae were the closest to reference volumes with a bias and root mean square error of 8.0% and 24.4%, respectively. Stems closely resembled fustrums of a paraboloid and a neiloid. Individual stem portions assumed different solids as follows: fustrums of paraboloid and neiloid were more prevalent from the stump to breast height, while a paraboloid closely matched stem shapes beyond this point. Therefore, a more accurate stem volumetric estimate was attained when stems were considered as a composite of at least three geometric solids.


2015 ◽  
Vol 166 (6) ◽  
pp. 389-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitte Rohner ◽  
Esther Thürig

Development of climate-dependent growth functions for the scenario model “Massimo” Tree growth is substantially influenced by climatic factors. In the face of climate change, climate effects should therefore be included in estimations of Switzerland's future forest productivity. In order to include climate effects in the growth functions of the “Massimo” model, which is typically applied to project forest resources in Switzerland, we statistically modelled climate effects on tree growth representatively for Switzerland by simultaneously considering further growth-influencing factors. First, we used tree ring data to evaluate how climate variables should be defined. This analyses showed that for modelling multi-year tree growth we should use averages of whole-year variables. Second, we fitted nonlinear mixed-effects models separately for the main tree species to individual-tree growth data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory. In these models, we combined climate variables defined according to the results of the tree ring study with various further variables that characterize sites, stands and individual trees. The quantified effects were generally plausible and explained convincingly the physiological differences between the species. The statistical growth models for the main tree species will now be included in the forest scenario model “Massimo”. This will allow for founded analyses of scenarios which assume changing climatic conditions.


Silva Fennica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petteri Seppänen ◽  
Antti Mäkinen

The purpose of this study was to prepare a comprehensive, computerized teak ( L.f) plantation yield model system that can be used to describe the forest dynamics, predict growth and yield and support forest planning and decision-making. Extensive individual tree and permanent sample plot data were used to develop tree-level volume models, taper curve models and stand-level yield models for teak plantations in Panama. Tree volume models were satisfactorily validated against independent measurement data and other published models. Tree height as input parameter improved the stem volume model marginally. Stand level yield models produced comparable harvest volumes with models published in the literature. Stand level volume product outputs were found like actual harvests with an exception that the models marginally underestimate the share of logs in very large diameter classes. The kind of comprehensive model developed in this study and implemented in an easy to use software package provides a very powerful decision support tool. Optimal forest management regimes can be found by simulating different planting densities, thinning regimes and final harvest ages. Forest practitioners can apply growth and yield models in the appropriate stand level inventory data and perform long term harvest scheduling at property level or even at an entire timberland portfolio level. Harvest schedules can be optimized using the applicable financial parameters (silviculture costs, harvesting costs, wood prices and discount rates) and constraints (market size and operational capacity).Tectona grandis


2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-48
Author(s):  
Toomas Frey

Stand structure links up canopy processes and forest management Above- and belowground biomass and net primary production (Pn) of a maturing Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forest (80 years old) established on brown soil in central Estonia were 227, 50 and 19.3 Mg ha correspondingly. Stand structure is determined mostly by mean height and stand density, used widely in forestry, but both are difficult to measure with high precision in respect of canopy processes in individual trees. However, trunk form quotient (q2) and proportion of living crown in relation to tree height are useful parameters allowing describe stand structure tree by tree. Based on 7 model trees, leaf unit mass assimilation activity and total biomass respiration per unit mass were determined graphically as mean values for the whole tree growth during 80 years of age. There are still several possible approaches not used carefully enough to integrate experimental work at instrumented towers with actual forestry measurement. Dependence of physiological characteristics on individual tree parameters is the missing link between canopy processes and forest management.


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