A Stand-Class Growth and Yield Model for Mexico’s Northern Temperate, Mixed and Multiaged Forests

The aim of this research was to develop a stand-class growth and yield model based on the diameter growth dynamics of Pinus spp. and Quercus spp. of Mexico's mixed temperate forests. Using a total of 2663 temporary, circular-sampling plots of 1000 m2 each, nine Weibull distribution techniques o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inForests Vol. 5; no. 12; pp. 3048 - 3069
Main Author Navar, Jose
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2014
Subjects
bias
Competition
Forest management
Forest products
Growth models
Maximum likelihood method
Parameter estimation
parameter variance
pines and oaks
Timber
Trees
Weibull pdf
Mexico
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The aim of this research was to develop a stand-class growth and yield model based on the diameter growth dynamics of Pinus spp. and Quercus spp. of Mexico's mixed temperate forests. Using a total of 2663 temporary, circular-sampling plots of 1000 m2 each, nine Weibull distribution techniques of parameter estimation were fitted to the diameter structures of pines and oaks. Statistical equations using stand attributes and the first three moments of the diameter distribution predicted and recovered the Weibull parameters. Using nearly 1200 and 100 harvested trees for pines and oaks, respectively, I developed the total height versus diameter at breast height relationship by fitting three non-linear functions. The Newnham model predicted stem taper and numerical integration was done to estimate merchantable timber volume for all trees in the stand for each diameter class. The independence of the diameter structures of pines and oaks was tested by regressing the Weibull parameters and projecting diameter structures. The model predicts diameter distributions transition from exponential (J inverse), logarithmic to well-balanced distributions with increasing mean stand diameter at breast height. Pine diameter distributions transition faster and the model predicts independent growth rates between pines and oaks. The stand-class growth and yield model must be completed with the diameter-age relationship for oaks in order to carry a full optimization procedure to find stand density and genera composition to maximize forest growth.
ISSN:1999-4907
1999-4907
DOI:10.3390/f5123048