NON-DESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT SYSTEM AND TREE GROWTH PARAMETERS

ABSTRACT The productivity of Eucalyptus at plantations is increasing and has undergone a variety of research studies. Most research is dealing with simple dendrometric variables like the DBH (diameter at breast height) and tree height, or more complex variables including crown parameters or variables concerning photosynthesis. The root systems, however, have not been well analyzed yet. The objective of the study was to analyze the root system with a non-destructive method and to evaluate possible correlations with dendrometric variables of the tree (DBH, height, crown expansion). A small experimental plantation with 39 even-aged, 6-year-old trees of Eucalyptus grandis x urophylla has been investigated within this study. The results of the study show the highest correlation of the root areas with the crown expansion. In general, the root area shows a significantly bigger expansion in the eucalypt plantation than the tree crown, with a more homogeneous development.

Download Full-text

Tree crown size as a measure of tree biosocial position in 135-year-old oak (Quercus L.) stand

Folia Forestalia Polonica ◽

10.1515/ffp-2016-0004 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 31-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Katarzyna Kaźmierczak ◽

Bogna Zawieja

Keyword(s):

Principal Component ◽

Tree Height ◽

Projection Area ◽

Tree Crown ◽

Diameter At Breast Height ◽

Breast Height ◽

Crown Length ◽

Pca Method ◽

Crown Projection Area

AbstractThe paper presents an attempt to apply measurable traits of a tree – crown projection area, crown length, diameter at breast height and tree height for classification of 135-year-old oak (QuercusL.) trees into Kraft classes. Statistical multivariate analysis was applied to reach the aim. Empirical material was collected on sample plot area of 0.75 ha, located in 135-year-old oak stand. Analysis of dimensional traits of oaks from 135-year-old stand allows quite certain classification of trees into three groups: pre-dominant, dominant and co-dominant and dominated ones. This seems to be quite promising, providing a tool for the approximation of the biosocial position of tree with no need for assessment in forest. Applied analyses do not allow distinguishing trees belonging to II and III Kraft classes. Unless the eye-estimation-based classification is completed, principal component analysis (PCA) method provided simple, provisional solution for grouping trees from 135-year-old stand into three over-mentioned groups. Discriminant analysis gives more precise results compared with PCA. In the analysed stand, the most important traits for the evaluation of biosocial position were diameter at breast height, crown projection area and height.

Download Full-text

Occurrence, proportion, and vertical distribution of red heartwood in paper birch

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x08-043 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (7) ◽

pp. 1996-2002 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Guillaume Giroud ◽

Alain Cloutier ◽

Jérôme Alteyrac

Keyword(s):

Vertical Distribution ◽

Tree Height ◽

Tree Age ◽

Quebec City ◽

Betula Papyrifera ◽

Breast Height ◽

Birch Trees ◽

Paper Birch ◽

Thick Disks ◽

Old Trees

Normal paper birch ( Betula papyrifera Marsh.) wood has a clear and uniform color. However, some paper birch trees contain reddish-brown-, discolored wood known as red heartwood. Its occurrence, proportion, and vertical distribution were investigated. One hundred and fifty trees were randomly sampled from three stands located at the Montmorency Forest, 75 km north of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. A subsample of 18 trees showing occurrence of red heartwood at stump height were felled, and 5 cm thick disks were cut at every 0.5 m of height. Red heartwood volume, proportion, and vertical distribution were determined from the disks. Trees with larger diameter at breast height and lower tree height had a higher probability of red heartwood occurrence. Red heartwood starts occurring in 40-year-old trees on average in the stands studied. The volume of red heartwood was positively correlated with tree age, and the proportion of red heartwood was positively related to tree age, and negatively related to the amount of sunlight on the live crown. Red heartwood proportion was 13.3% of the tree merchantable volume, mostly located under the live crown.

Download Full-text

Assessing specific gravity of young Eucalyptus plantation trees using a resistance drilling technique

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf-2016-0058 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 71 (2) ◽

pp. 137-145 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

José Tarcísio da Silva Oliveira ◽

Xiping Wang ◽

Graziela Baptista Vidaurre

Keyword(s):

Specific Gravity ◽

Eucalyptus Grandis ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Eucalyptus Plantation ◽

Breast Height ◽

Average Resistance ◽

Drilling Technique ◽

Resistance Drilling ◽

Old Trees ◽

The Relationship

Abstract The resistance drilling technique has been in focus for assessing the specific gravity (SG) of young Eucalyptus trees from plantations for pulpwood production. Namely, the data of 50 34-month-old and 50 62-month-old trees from Eucalyptus grandis×Eucalyptus urophylla clonal plantations was evaluated, while the relative resistance profiles were collected with the amplitude in a scale from 0 to 100% of each tree at the breast height. For laboratory determination of SG and moisture content (MC), 3-cm-thick disks were taken at breast height. The average resistance amplitude of a full drill penetration or a half-diameter penetration showed weak correlations with SG for both 34-month-old and 62-month-old trees. However, when the two age classes were combined, the strength of the relationship was improved significantly, with a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.71 to 0.77 with respect to SG determined from strip samples and from 0.59 to 0.72 with respect to SG determined from wedge samples. The drill penetration depth had a significant effect on the relationship between average amplitude and SG. A clear trend of weakening correlation was observed with increasing drill penetration. As a result, the average resistance amplitude of a half-diameter drilling (from bark-to-pith) is more advantageous for assessing the SG of young Eucalyptus trees than a whole-diameter drilling.

Download Full-text

Influence of the applied pressure of the transducer on the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave in wood

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf-2020-0272 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Edgar V.M. Carrasco ◽

Rejane C. Alves ◽

Mônica A. Smits ◽

Vinnicius D. Pizzol ◽

Ana Lucia C. Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wave Propagation ◽

Applied Pressure ◽

Pressure Gauge ◽

Eucalyptus Grandis ◽

Propagation Speed ◽

Ultrasonic Waves ◽

Ultrasonic Speed ◽

Wave Propagation Speed ◽

Propagation Technique ◽

Non Destructive

Abstract The non-destructive wave propagation technique is used to estimate the wood’s modulus of elasticity. The propagation speed of ultrasonic waves is influenced by some factors, among them: the type of transducer used in the test, the form of coupling and the sensitivity of the transducers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of the contact pressure of the transducers on the ultrasonic speed. Ninety-eight tests were carried out on specimens of the species Eucalyptus grandis, with dimensions of 120 × 120 × 50 mm. The calibration of the pressure exerted by the transducer was controlled by a pressure gauge using a previously calibrated load cell. The robust statistical analysis allowed to validate the experimental results and to obtain consistent conclusions. The results showed that the wave propagation speed is not influenced by the pressure exerted by the transducer.

Download Full-text

Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Wood Yield Selection Index in a Clonal Trial of Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis) in Northeastern China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084167 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4167

Author(s):

David Kombi Kaviriri ◽

Huan-Zhen Liu ◽

Xi-Yang Zhao

Keyword(s):

Selection Index ◽

Tree Height ◽

Stem Volume ◽

Korean Pine ◽

Branch Number ◽

Basal Diameter ◽

Diameter At Breast Height ◽

Breast Height ◽

Stem Straightness ◽

Clonal Trial

In order to determine suitable traits for selecting high-wood-yield Korean pine materials, eleven morphological characteristics (tree height, basal diameter, diameter at breast height, diameter at 3 meter height, stem straightness degree, crown breadth, crown height, branch angle, branch number per node, bark thickness, and stem volume) were investigated in a 38-year-old Korean pine clonal trial at Naozhi orchard. A statistical approach combining variance and regression analysis was used to extract appropriate traits for selecting elite clones. Results of variance analysis showed significant difference in variance sources in most of the traits, except for the stem straightness degree, which had a p-value of 0.94. Moderate to high coefficients of variation and clonal repeatability ranged from 10.73% to 35.45% and from 0.06% to 0.78%, respectively. Strong significant correlations on the phenotypic and genotypic levels were observed between the straightness traits and tree volume, but crown breadth was weakly correlated to the volume. Four principal components retaining up to 80% of the total variation were extracted, and stem volume, basal diameter, diameter at breast height, diameter at 3 meter height, tree height, and crown height displayed high correlation to these components (r ranged from 0.76 to 0.98). Based on the Type III sum of squares, tree height, diameter at breast height, and branch number showed significant information to explain the clonal variability based on stem volume. Using the extracted characteristics as the selection index, six clones (PK105, PK59, PK104, PK36, PK28, and K101) displayed the highest Qi values, with a selection rate of 5% corresponding to the genetic gain of 42.96% in stem volume. This study provides beneficial information for the selection of multiple traits for genetically improved genotypes of Korean pine.

Download Full-text