Do individual-tree growth models correctly represent height:diameter ratios of Norway spruce and Scots pine?

ABSTRACT: Height:diameter ratios are an important measure of stand stability. Because of the importance of height:diameter ratios for forest management, individual-tree growth models should correctly depict height:diameter ratios. In particular, (i) height:diameter ratios should not exceed that of very dense stands, (ii) height:diameter ratios should not fall below that of open-grown trees, (iii) height:diameter ratios should decrease with increasing spacing, (iv) height:diameter ratios for suppressed trees should be higher than ratios for dominant trees. We evaluated the prediction of height:diameter ratios by running four commonly used individual-tree growth models in central Europe: BWIN, Moses, Silva and Prognaus. They represent different subtypes of individual-tree growth models, namely models

SUBMITTER: Vospernik S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2987550 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature