scholarly journals Stem Taper and Volume of Managed Red Alder

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hibbs ◽  
Andrew Bluhm ◽  
Sean Garber

Abstract Ataper equation and a volume table are presented for red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) trees grown in plantations. Fourteen diameter measurements from each of 234 trees were collected from nine plantations throughout the Pacific Northwest. Diameter inside bark (dib) along the stemwas fitted to a variable exponent model form. Individual tree merchantable volume was then estimated as volume inside bark by integrating the taper function from 6 in. (stump height) to the height at a 5-in. (diameter outside bark) top. Incorporating two easily measured tree variables—dbhand total tree height—provided an accurate fit. Model results and the use of an independent evaluation data set of plantation-grown trees indicated that the model presented here was a better predictor of dib in managed stands than previously published red alder taper equations. Thisequation provides reliable dib and merchantable volume predictions and is an improvement over previous red alder volume and taper equations.

FLORESTA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 1518
Author(s):  
Marcos Behling ◽  
Henrique Soares Koehler ◽  
Alexandre Behling

A system of equations widely used in Forest Engineering by the international community of researchers consists of a combination of a volumetric function and a taper function, with the purpose of making volume estimates compatible. When using the volume function and the taper function in a system, the result of the volume estimated by the two functions should be compatible, meaning that the volume estimated by the volumetric function should not differ from the volume obtained by integrating the taper function. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to develop and present the procedures of a system of equations to make volume estimates from both volume and taper equations compatible, and then compare it to the traditional approach, which is used in forestry companies. The procedures proposed were applied to a data set on the Acacia mearnsii De Wild. (black wattle) at sites where the plantation of this species is concentrated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The data set included 343 trees ranging from 5 to 10.75 years of age. It was noted that the lack of volume compatibility, in absolute terms, grows exponentially with the size of the tree. The quality of the estimates using the system of compatible equations did not differ from those obtained from the traditional model, therefore, the former is preferable. Furthermore, it was noted that the residuals from the volume and taper equations are correlated, which suggests that the system of equations be fitted simultaneously.


Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Hyeyoung Woo ◽  
Bianca N. I. Eskelson ◽  
Vicente J. Monleon

The United States national inventory program measures a subset of tree heights in each plot in the Pacific Northwest. Unmeasured tree heights are predicted by adding the difference between modeled tree heights at two measurements to the height observed at the first measurement. This study compared different approaches for directly modeling 10-year height increment of red alder (RA) and ponderosa pine (PP) in Washington and Oregon using national inventory data from 2001–2015. In addition to the current approach, five models were implemented: nonlinear exponential, log-transformed linear, gamma, quasi-Poisson, and zero-inflated Poisson models using both tree-level (e.g., height, diameter at breast height, and compacted crown ratio) and plot-level (e.g., basal area, elevation, and slope) measurements as predictor variables. To account for negative height increment observations in the modeling process, a constant was added to shift all response values to greater than zero (log-transformed linear and gamma models), the negative increment was set to zero (quasi-Poisson and zero-inflated Poisson models), or a nonlinear model, which allows negative observations, was used. Random plot effects were included to account for the hierarchical data structure of the inventory data. Predictive model performance was examined through cross-validation. Among the implemented models, the gamma model performed best for both species, showing the smallest root mean square error (RSME) of 2.61 and 1.33 m for RA and PP, respectively (current method: RA—3.33 m, PP—1.40 m). Among the models that did not add the constant to the response, the quasi-Poisson model exhibited the smallest RMSE of 2.74 and 1.38 m for RA and PP, respectively. Our study showed that the prediction of tree height increment in Oregon and Washington can be improved by accounting for the negative and zero height increment values that are present in inventory data, and by including random plot effects in the models.


2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1484-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
M M Amoroso ◽  
E C Turnblom

We studied pure and 50/50 mixtures of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) plantations to compare attained total yields between mixed-species stands as opposed to monocultures of equal densities. Whether overall stand density influences this outcome has not been adequately investigated, and to address this we included three density levels (494, 1111, and 1729 trees/ha) in the analysis. At age 12, as components of the mixed stands, Douglas-fir exhibited greater height, diameter, and individual-tree volume than western hemlock at all densities. At 494 and 1111 trees/ha the monocultures had a higher volume per hectare than the mixed stand, but at 1729 trees/ha the mixed stand appeared to be just as productive as the pure stands. The increase in productivity by the mixture at high densities seems to have resulted from the partial stratification observed and most likely also from better use of the site resources. Because of this, less interspecific competition was probably experienced in the mixed stand than intraspecific competition in the pure stands. This study shows the important role density plays in the productivity of mixed stands and thus in comparing mixed and pure stands.


2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 1218-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen D Stone ◽  
Joseph A Cook

Phylogeographic study across codistributed taxa provides temporal and spatial perspectives on the assemblage of communities. A repeated pattern of intraspecific diversification within several taxa of the Pacific Northwest has been documented, and we contribute additional information to this growing data set. We analyzed variation in two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and control region) for the black bear (Ursus americanus) and expand previous analyses of phylogeographic variation. Two lineages (coastal and continental) exist; the coastal lineage extends along the Pacific coast from the Takhin River north of Glacier Bay National Park, southeast Alaska, to northern California, whereas the continental lineage is more widespread, occurring from central Alaska to the east coast. Both lineages occur along the coast of southeast Alaska, where interlineage divergence ranged from 3.1 to 3.6% (uncorrected p distances). Multiple lineages of other species have also been identified from southeast Alaska, indicating a complex history for the assembly of biotic communities along the North Pacific coast. The overlapping of the distributions of the black bear lineages with those of other birds and mammals suggests comparable routes of colonization.


1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 1930-1939 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Ager ◽  
P. E. Heilman ◽  
R. F. Stettler

Genetic variation was examined within and among populations of red alder (Alnusrubra Bong.) from elevational gradients in four river drainages of the Pacific Northwest. Wind-pollinated progenies of 120 trees were grown for 3 years in a common garden environment and measured for growth and shoot phenology. Variation in top weight, bud flush, and leaf abscission was analyzed in relation to native climate and elevation and compared with sympatric species. Strong geographic patterns of variation were observed for all measured traits, apparently reflecting adaptations to highly variable climates within the region studied. Growth traits were correlated with temperature amplitude and length of growing season. Growth rhythm in bud flushing and growth cessation was related to two important environmental cues, spring thermal sums and fall frost dates. Overall levels of variation in red alder appeared to be similar to several sympatric conifers, although variation within populations of red alder was lower. The latter finding may be due to the demography of the riparian populations sampled, or perhaps a characteristic of the species and its colonizing life history.


2012 ◽  
Vol 277 ◽  
pp. 98-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Cortini ◽  
P.G. Comeau ◽  
T. Wang ◽  
D.E. Hibbs ◽  
A. Bluhm

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1008-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Hibbs ◽  
Luc Bouvarel ◽  
Eric Teissier Du Cros

We report on a series of 7- and 8-year-old genetic trials of red alder (Alnusrubra Bong.) planted in France as an initial exploration of its growth potential and genetic needs. Red alder is native to the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. Seed for the French plantings was collected in four Pacific Northwest river drainages (Santiam, Nisqually, Nooksack, and Hoh), which cover a wide latitudinal and elevational range.Of the four sites at which the red alder seed was planted, the best growth was observed at Rouvray in northwestern France, a site with deep sandy soil and adequate summer precipitation. Growth here was above average for red alder in its native habitat. Poor soil drainage at the other three test sites resulted in much poorer performance. Trees from Santiam River seed sources were generally the poorest performers at all test sites; the source river(s) for the best performing trees, however, varied by test site. Comparing performance of trees from the same source drainage, elevation of seed collection location correlated at best only weakly with growth; the level of nonsys-tematic variation was high. Regression on principal components derived from seed collection location environmental variables indicated that the best growth performance was associated with seed sources from warmer areas with low moisture demands. In general, this combination of climate conditions exists in low-elevation coastal areas; in this study, all seed collection locations fitting this description were in northwestern Washington state.


1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1295-1301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shongming Huang ◽  
Stephen J. Titus

This study presents an individual tree height prediction model for white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.) grown in boreal mixed-species stands in Alberta. The model is based on a three-parameter Chapman–Richards function fitted to data from 164 permanent sample plots using the parameter prediction method. It is age independent and expresses tree height as a function of tree diameter, tree basal area, stand density, species composition, site productivity, and stand average diameter. This height-prediction model was fitted by weighted nonlinear regression for spruce and unweighted nonlinear regression for aspen. Almost all estimates of parameters were significant at α = 0.05 and model R2-values were high (0.9192 for white spruce and 0.9087 for aspen). No consistent underestimate or overestimate of tree heights was evident in plots of studentized residuals against predicted heights. The model was also tested on an independent data set representing the population on which the model was to be used. Results showed that the average prediction biases were not significant at α = 0.05 for either species, indicating that the model appropriately described the data and performed well when predictions were made.


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