Forest understory plants as predictors of lodgepole pine and white spruce site quality in west-central Alberta

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 1675-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L Strong ◽  
D. J. Pluth ◽  
G. H. La Roi ◽  
I. G. W. Corns
Keyword(s):  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Understory Species ◽  
Sources Of Error ◽  
Species Cover

The feasibility was explored of using cover estimates of a few understory species with high indicator value, rather than total species lists, to evaluate site quality for lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Loudon var. latifolia Engelm.) and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss). Analysis of 112 vascular and 7 nonvascular understory plant species from 211 lodgepole pine and white spruce dominated forests revealed that 39 and 30 of these species had significantly different percent cover among site-index classes for stem-analyzed pine and spruce, respectively. Individual species cover values were then used in simple and multiple linear regression equations to predict the site index (at 70 years) for pine and spruce in 60–90 year and 91–160 year stand age subsets. Equations for pine based on understory species cover explained 38% of the variance in site index in younger stands and 59% in older stands; comparable maxima for spruce were 42% in younger stands and 50% in older stands. These percentages may be too low for stand-alone predictions of site index. Several possible sources of error may cause the low explained variance, including crude field estimates and seasonal variations of cover. Many of these potential sources of error could be minimized, allowing better prediction of forest site quality.

Understory plant community classifications as predictors of forest site quality for lodgepole pine and white spruce in west-central Alberta

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 875-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
George H. La Roi ◽  
Wayne L Strong ◽  
Donald J. Pluth
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Minimum Variance ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Understory Species ◽  
West Central ◽  
Species Cover

Understory vegetation of 103 lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta Loudon var. latifolia Engelm.) and white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) stands, 70–150 years old, in a 16 000 km2 region of west-central Alberta was classified by 14 methods using species cover or log2 cover classes. Six classifications, including five selected by dendrogram and ordination elucidation of understory community types (UCTs), were evaluated by analysis of variance to identify UCTs with significantly different site indices of pine and spruce. Each classification consists of three to five UCTs, referable to two forest types, both levels distinguished by differences in constancy and cover of understory species. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in pine site index at 70 years occur between UCTs belonging to the same and different forest types, using divisive two-way indicator species analysis (TSL) and agglomerative furthest neighbour (FNL) and minimum variance (MVL) cluster analysis classifications, all based on log2 cover classes. Comparable differences between UCTs for spruce occur within one forest type, using FNL, MVL, and minimum variance cluster analysis based on raw percent cover (MVR). Ordination of stands based on understory species cover reveals that spatially segregated UCTs usually have significantly different site indices. If a single classification method is desired for both lodgepole pine and white spruce, MVL appears most suitable for predicting site indices in the region.

scholarly journals Growth Intercept Methods for Predicting Site Index in White Pine Plantations in the Glaciated Areas of Ohio

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 176-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Site Index ◽  
Growth Increment ◽  
Annual Growth ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Soil Horizon ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Growth Intercept ◽  
Annual Growth Increment

Abstract Growth intercept (GI) techniques were evaluated for estimating site quality in white pine stands planted on old-field sites in the Wisconsin-aged glaciated areas of northern and western Ohio. Correlations between growth of trees below the breast high (bh) annual growth increment andheight growth from bh and above were not statistically significant. Site index estimates were made using age at bh and height from the bh annual growth increment to the growing tip. Three-year and 5-year growth beginning 3 years above the bh annual increment and 10-year growth beginning oneinternode above bh were significantly more correlated with height than were intercepts beginning at bh. In multiple regression equations developed for predicting site index, 3-, 5- and 10-year intercepts, along with age at bh, accounted for 76, 77, and 80%, respectively, of the variationin tree heights and 35-year site indices varied from 60 to 83 ft. Combining clay content of the B2 soil horizon with GI and age increased the variation accounted for by 3-, 5-, and 10-year GI equations to 79, 78, and 81%, respectively, and the improvement in site index estimatesover those using GIs alone was not more than ±2 ft within any given GI measurement.

How well can we select undamaged site trees for estimating site index?

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1989-1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon D Nigh ◽  
Bobby A Love
Keyword(s):  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Sufficient Data ◽  
Terminal Bud ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Unbiased Estimates

The best estimates of site index, an indicator of site productivity, are obtained from site trees. Undamaged site trees should be sampled to obtain unbiased estimates of site index. Two juvenile height growth modelling projects provided us with sufficient data to assess our ability to select undamaged lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Dougl.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) site trees. The sample trees were split open to measure height growth from the terminal bud scars. Splitting the stems also revealed damage that was not visible from the outside of the tree. Over 50% of the lodgepole pine trees and 75% of the white spruce trees had damage, which was much higher than expected. Possible causes of damage are frost and insects. The damage does not significantly reduce the height of the spruce trees, but there is evidence that the heights of the lodgepole pine trees are reduced.

Site-Index Comparisons for Naturally Seeded Loblolly Pine and Shortleaf Pine

1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-91
Author(s):  
Constance A. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Shortleaf Pine ◽  
Southern States ◽  
Pinus Taeda L ◽  
Simple Regression

Abstract Site-index comparisons were made between loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata Mill.) based on 190 plots in 9 southern states. The relationship between site-index values for the two species appeared to be linear, with the mean difference in site index greateston poor sites and decreasing as site quality increased. Site-index prediction equations were developed for each species using site index of the other species or using site index plus one to three additional independent variables. The simple correlation between the site indexes of the two specieswas 0.855 (r² = 0.73). Somewhat higher correlation coefficients were obtained when elevation or slope was included as a second independent variable. Simple regression equations developed separately for plots east and west of the Mississippi River did not differ statistically. Separationof the plots into two groups, however, resulted in several multiple regression equations for each geographic division; these had slightly higher correlation coefficients than the simple regression equations. South. J. Appl. For. 11(2):86-91.

scholarly journals RELATIVE QUALITY OF THE MAJOR FOREST ASSOCIATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN B.C. INTERIOR FOR GROWTH OF LODGEPOLE PINE, ENGELMANN SPRUCE, DOUGLAS-FIR AND ALPINE FIR

1966 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Stanek
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Common Occurrence ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
Relative Quality

Height growth of lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir and alpine fir was investigated in the Douglas-fir and Engelmann Spruce-Alpine Fir Zones of the Interior of British Columbia. In the same forest association each species has a characteristic site index at the age of 100 years (SI/100). Regression equations were calculated for predicting SI/100 of several species in different associations. Regression equations were also developed for estimating SI/100 of Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir and alpine fir from known SI/100 of lodgepole pine. The latter species was selected because of its common occurrence in the two zones. In addition regression equation was calculated for predicting SI/100 of lodgepole pine from known SI/100 of Engelmann spruce. All regression equations apply to naturally established stands in the study area.

Growth intercepts for estimating site quality of young white spruce plantations in north central Ontario

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1385-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Thrower
Keyword(s):  
Average Length ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
North Central ◽  
Breast Height

Growth intercepts were used to estimate site index (defined as height of the trees 15 years after breast height (1.3 m) was attained) of dominant, planted white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) in north central Ontario. The growth intercepts were computed using four methods to select internode lengths from series of one through seven internodes, starting at each of eight heights from 0 to 3.0 m. Precision increased rapidly with more internodes and higher starting heights but quickly slowed to only marginal increases. Removing the smallest internode increased precision when growth intercepts started below 1.3 m. Removing the largest and both the smallest and largest internodes reduced precision from all starting heights. The most precise and practical growth intercepts used the average length of the first three, four, and five internodes above 2.0 m, explaining 83, 85, and 89% of the variation in site index, respectively.

A Method of Constructing Site-Index Curves from Stem Analyses

1968 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Heger
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Total Height ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Linear Regressions

Site-index curves were constructed from stem-analyses data with the help of linear regressions derived for relationships between site index (total height at BH age of 50 years, the independent variable) and total heights attained at the end of the previous nine 5-year periods. The method was tested for white spruce, black spruce, lodgepole pine and jack pine.

scholarly journals Lodgepole Pine and White Spruce Crown Fuel Weights Predicted from Diameter at Breast Height

1990 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 596-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen F. Johnson ◽  
Paul M. Woodard ◽  
Stephen J. Titus
Keyword(s):  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Allometric Model ◽  
Diameter At Breast Height ◽  
Size Classes ◽  
Breast Height ◽  
New Information ◽  
Diameter Classes ◽  
Prairie Provinces

Regression equations that predict the foliage and roundwood biomass by diameter classes: 0.0-0.5 cm, 0.5-1.0 cm, 1.0-3.0 cm, 3.0-5.0 cm, 5.0-7.0 cm and 7.0-10.0 cm given diameter at breast height (dbh) were developed for lodgepole pine and white spruce. Common to the Prairie Provinces the allometric model y = adbhb fit the data well for all component categories except the roundwood classes >3.0 cm. The r2 values generally exceed.80 and SEE were small. The larger size classes are best predicted by multiplying the number of trees affected by a constant. The management value of this new information is significant when viewed from an ecologic perspective.

Leaf area - sapwood area relations of lodgepole pine as influenced by stand density and site index

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Long ◽  
Frederick W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Forest Ecology ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sapwood Area ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Stand Conditions

Leaf area to sapwood area ratios for a given species are believed to vary with factors such as site quality, stand density, early stand growth rates, and crown class. Based on data from 55 mature lodgepole pine trees (Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Dougl.) from 10 plots in southeastern Wyoming, we conclude that putative density and site effects on leaf area - sapwood area relations are actually a consequence of the increase in the leaf area to sapwood area ratio with increasing sapwood area. When leaf area is estimated with a nonlinear model that includes tree size and distance to the live crown, the apparent effects of stand density and site index disappear. We consider a constant ratio of leaf area and sapwood cross-sectional area to be inappropriate for the estimation of leaf area aross the range of stand conditions included in most studies of forest ecology.

Biomass of understory species of Pinus halepensis Mill. forests in the Kassandra Peninsula - Chalkidiki

1998 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Smiris ◽  
F. Maris ◽  
K. Vitoris ◽  
N. Stamou ◽  
P. Ganatsas
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Quercus Ilex ◽  
Pinus Halepensis ◽  
Biomass Estimation ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Pistacia Lentiscus ◽  
Quercus Coccifera ◽  
Understory Species ◽  
Cistus Incanus

This  study deals with the biomass estimation of the understory species of Pinus halepensis    forests in the Kassandra peninsula, Chalkidiki (North Greece). These  species are: Quercus    coccifera, Quercus ilex, Phillyrea media, Pistacia lentiscus, Arbutus  unedo, Erica arborea, Erica    manipuliflora, Smilax aspera, Cistus incanus, Cistus monspeliensis,  Fraxinus ornus. A sample of    30 shrubs per species was taken and the dry and fresh weights and the  moisture content of    every component of each species were measured, all of which were processed  for aboveground    biomass data. Then several regression equations were examined to determine  the key words.

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