Journal article
Using Reineke’s model to quantify the maximum density of a tree stand
Academia Letters
18/05/2021
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Abstract
The density of trees in a forest stand (a uniform forest area usually described by measurement of
a plot of about 0.01-0.1 ha in size, or perhaps larger in the more complex, mixed-species forests)
may be defined as the degree of crowding of the trees within it. As the trees grow larger,
crowding increases until it reaches a maximum for the site on which they are growing. Then,
smaller trees start to die as a result of competition from larger trees to obtain the resources from
the site necessary for growth (light, water and nutrients). Substantial study of many forest types
has confirmed the theory [1] that when a forest stand reaches its maximum density, the stocking
density (number per unit area) of the remaining trees is related to their average size through a
simple power law that remains unchanged for the rest of the life of the stand. The present work
considers how existing theoretical methods that are based on this phenomenon might be applied
to quantify stand density from simple tree measurements made at two ages, a few years apart,
after competition-induced mortality of smaller trees in the stand has started.
Details
- Title
- Using Reineke’s model to quantify the maximum density of a tree stand
- Creators
- Philip West - Southern Cross University, Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Publication Details
- Academia Letters
- Publisher
- Academia.edu
- Identifiers
- 991013003698802368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article