A growth model based on the self-thinning rule

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. Smith ◽  
D. W. Hann

A two-staged stand growth model is developed to describe the relationship between biomass or volume and numbers of stems in even-aged, monospecific plant populations undergoing self-thinning. The model is tested on red alder (Alnusrubra Bong.) seedlings and red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.) stands grown over a range of site qualities and initial spacings. First, survival rate is modelled as a Weibull distribution. This is then fit to an analytical size–density model to give growth estimates. Crown closure is estimated to occur at a relative density of 0.09 for red alder, while initial mortality is estimated to occur at a relative density of 0.12 for red pine. Net stand growth rates peaked at a relative density of 0.54 for red alder biomass and from relative densities from 0.40 (widest initial spacing) to 0.55 (densest initial spacing) for red pine total stem volume. Site quality merely shifted the magnitude of these relationships. The model adds a dynamic component to the self-thinning rule and also generalizes and extends the rule to stand development between crown closure and the self-thinning asymptote.

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 990-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. Smith

A growth model is developed to describe the relationship between any measure of size and number of stems in even-aged, monospecific plant populations during self-thinning. The model is tested on red alder (Alnusrubra Bong.) seedlings and red pine (Pinusresinosa Ait.) stands grown over a range of site qualities and initial spacings. Allometric relationships between plant dimensions are shown to change over time, finally approaching a stable value defined by a generalized self-thinning rule. Because of unique intraspecific plant geometry, allometric relationships appear to be more consistent within than between species. The priorisation for red alder biomass allocation with stand development was as follows (P < 0.05): branches > stem ≥ leaves ≥ root ≥ 2 nodules. For red pine the slope and intercept of the maximum size–density line were greater (P < 0.05) for merchantable versus total stem volume. A new approach for constructing stand density programs is presented.


1981 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 310-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda Moeur ◽  
Alan R. Ek

A distance-independent, individual tree based growth model (the multipurpose forest projection system (MFPS)) was used to project changes in stand structure on aspen, red pine, and jack pine cover types in northern Minnesota for 37 years. Individual 0.058-ha plot projections, projections of plots aggregated within stands, and projections of plots aggregated within cover types were compared with each other and with observed plot conditions. Actual plot observations were available for up to 17 years. Individual plot, stand, and cover-type aggregations produced very similar projections in terms of number of trees, average diameter, basal area, and biomass. Plot by plot projections were most accurate in comparison with observed conditions, followed by stand and then cover-type aggregations. Differences from actual values and among projections generally increased with longer projections.


1981 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
George L. Martin ◽  
Alan R. Ek

An individual tree based stand growth model was analyzed, via dynamic programming, for thinning and final harvest strategies leading to maximum physical yields. Optimal density yield tables, indicating maximum yields and corresponding strategies, were constructed from the solution of the dynamic programming networks. Maximum yields averaged 25 – 30% higher than comparable yields reported previously for periodically thinned red pine plantations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. McClain ◽  
D. M. Morris ◽  
S. C. Hills ◽  
L. J. Buse

A spacing trial was established near Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1950. This trial consisted of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.), and red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) each established at three different spacings: 1.8 m, 2.7 m, and 3.6 m. This study examines the differences in growth and crown development as attributed to initial spacing, after 37 years. In addition, a benefit/cost analysis was performed to evaluate the economic efficiency of the various species/spacing combinations. Diameter at breast height, live crown length, and crown width, all exhibited significant (P < 0.001) increases as initial spacing increased, irrespective of species, but, height demonstrated a decreasing trend (P < 0.020). Gross total and merchantable stem volume per tree increased for all species as initial spacing increased; however, volume production per unit area decreased significantly for all species as spacing increased. The shift to higher-valued products from the wider-spaced plantations appeared to provide the best economic return. As a result of both greater merchantable volumes and greater percentages of these volumes available as a higher-valued product, benefit/cost ratios for red pine (0.995 to 1.337) were greater than those for the spruces (0.595 to 0.866). Although red pine currently represents less than 4% of Ontario's total regeneration effort, the results from this study suggest it deserves further consideration on some boreal sites. Key words: spacing trial, plantation growth, crown development, black spruce, white spruce, red pine, benefit/cost ratio


1994 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo H. Bustamante ◽  
Wayne M. Getz ◽  
George M. Branch
Keyword(s):  

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 100-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.G. Pitt ◽  
Andrée E. Morneault ◽  
Philip Bunce ◽  
F.Wayne Bell

Abstract Five years of data on vegetation dynamics and succession are provided for six operational release treatments applied to three 2- to 4-yr-old jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) plantations in central Ontario. Treatments included 3 yr of annual noncrop vegetation removal, conventional aerial spray with glyphosate (1.42 kg ae/ha), ground application of glyphosate with a mist blower, basal-bark application of triclopyr, motor-manual cutting (brush saw), and no treatment. Conventional aerial spraying and annual removal resulted in the greatest jack pine crop growth, with trees exceeding 90% crown closure, 7 cm in groundline diameter, and 3 m in height (stem volume index = 5.1 dm³) after 5 growing seasons. The cover of herbaceous plants was highest (30–50%) in the aerial spray plots during the observation period. Deciduous tree, shrub, and fern species remained well represented on these plots, although total cover and height were low (≤ 35% and 1 m, respectively). Mist-blower and brush-saw plots contained mid-sized pine (3.5 dm³) with 69% crown closure. In contrast, untreated and basal-bark plots contained the smallest pine (2.3 dm3 and 31% crown closure), likely caused by heavy competition and herbicide damage, respectively. On mist-blower and basal-bark plots, good height growth was observed on untreated deciduous trees; low-shrub and fern cover remained high (46 and 30%, respectively); and herbaceous cover increased gradually to 22%. On brush-saw plots, recovery of woody cover was rapid, but height growth was relatively slow. Deciduous trees and tall shrubs dominated untreated sites (> 70% cover) by the end of the fifth growing season. Successional trends suggest that aerial spray and annual removal treatments will produce pure jack pine stands at maturity; mist blower, basal bark, and brush-saw treatments may produce mixedwood stands; and untreated plots will likely be dominated by hardwoods. North. J. Appl. For. 17(3):100–109.


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lichun Jiang ◽  
John R. Brooks

Abstract Compatible taper, volume, and weight equations were developed for planted red pine in West Virginia. The data were based on stem analysis of 26 trees from West Virginia University Research Forest, located in northern West Virginia. A commonly used segmented polynomial taper equation was chosen because of its balance between prediction accuracy and ease of use. Seemingly unrelated regression was used to simultaneously fit the system of equations for inside and outside bark data. When compared with existing total stem volume equations developed by Fowler (Fowler, G.W., 1997, Individual tree volume equations for red pine in Michigan, North. J. Appl. For. 14:53–58) and by Gilmore et al. (Gilmore, D.W., et al., 2005, Thinning red pine plantations and the Langsaeter hypothesis: A northern Minnesota case study. North, J. Appl. For. 22:19–25), a positive bias was evident that increased directly with stem diameter for trees from this region.


1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 113-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Hibbs ◽  
Gary C. Carlton

Abstract Stocking guides based on Reineke's stand density index concept (diameter vs stem density) and on the self-thinning rule (volume vs stem density) are currently in use in the western United States. A self-thinning rule-based guide has been developed for red alder (Alnus rubra). In this paper, we develop a Reineke-type guide for red alder and compare the growth of thinned and self-thinning stands in both systems. Stand density appears to be defined differently in the two systems, leading to differences in density management prescriptions. West. J. Appl. For. 4(4):113-115, October 1989.


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