High-resolution observations of cambial phenology and intra-annual growth dynamics are useful approaches for understanding the response of tree growth to climate and environmental change. During the past two decades, ...High-resolution observations of cambial phenology and intra-annual growth dynamics are useful approaches for understanding the response of tree growth to climate and environmental change. During the past two decades, rapid socioeconomic development has increased the demand for water resources in the oases of the middle reaches of the Heihe River in northwestern China, and the lower reaches of the Heihe River have changed from a perennial river to an ephemeral stream with a decreased and degraded riparian zone. Tamarisk（Tamarix ramosissima） is the dominant shrub species of the desert riparian forest. In this study, the daily and seasonal patterns of tamarisk stem diameter growth, including the main period of tree ring formation, were examined. Observations concerning the driving forces of growth changes, along with implications for the ecology of the dendrohydrological area and management of desert riparian forests in similar arid regions, are also presented. The diurnal-seasonal activity of stem diameter and the dynamics of growth ring formation were studied using a point dendrometer and micro-coring methods during the 2012 growing season in shrub tamarisk in a desert riparian forest stand in the lower reaches of the Heihe River in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia of northwestern China. Generally, the variation in diurnal diameter of tamarisk was characterized by an unstable multi-peak pattern, with the cumulative stem diameter growth over the growing season following an S-shaped curve. The period from late May to early August was the main period of stem diameter growth and growth-ring formation. Among all of the hydroclimatic factors considered in this study, only groundwater depth was significantly correlated with stem diameter increment during this period. Therefore, for the dendrochronological study, the annual rings of the tamarisk can be used to reconstruct processes that determine the regional water regime, such as river runoff and fluctuations in groundwater depth. For the management of desert riparian forests, suitable groundwater depths must be maintained in the spring and summer to sustain tree health and a suitable stand structure.展开更多
Water stress effects on stem diameter variations （SDV） were studied in a pot experiment on cotton （Gossypium hirustum L. Meimian99B）. Water restriction was imposed at the flowering stage and were compared with a w...Water stress effects on stem diameter variations （SDV） were studied in a pot experiment on cotton （Gossypium hirustum L. Meimian99B）. Water restriction was imposed at the flowering stage and were compared with a well-watered control treatment. The volumetric soil water content （0v） and SDV were monitored continuously. The objective was to determine the feasibility of using the parameters derived from stem diameter measurements, including maximum daily stem shrinkage （MDS）, maximum daily stem diameter （MXSD）, and minimum daily stem diameter （MNSD） as indicators of plant water stress. The different behavior of SDV was founded at different growth stages. At stem-maturing stage, MDS increased and MNSD decreased in deficit-irrigated plants compared with the control plants, therefore, it appeared that MDS and MNSD ccould be used as available indicators of plant water status. At stem growth stage, there were no significant differences in MDS values between treatments but MXSD and MNSD responded sharply to soil water deficits. Thus, for rapidly growing cotton, the course of MXSD or MNSD with time offered a consistent stress indicator. SDV was also closely related to atmospheric factors, solar radiation （Rs） and vapor pressure deficit （VPD） were found to be the predominant factors affecting MDS, followed by the relative humidity （RH）, while air temperature （Ta） and wind velocity had the least effect. A good linear relationship was founded （r^2 = 0.921） between MDS and environmental variables （Rs, VPD, RH, and θv）, which can be used to establish a reference value for detecting plant water stress based on the MDS patterns.展开更多
Accurate and efficient estimation of forest growth and live biomass is a critical element in assessing potential responses to forest management and environmental change. The objective of this study was to develop mode...Accurate and efficient estimation of forest growth and live biomass is a critical element in assessing potential responses to forest management and environmental change. The objective of this study was to develop models to predict longleaf pine tree diameter at breast height （dbh） and merchantable stem volume （V） using data obtained from field measurements. We used longleaf pine tree data from 3,376 planted trees on 127 permanent plots located in the U.S. Gulf Coastal Plain region to fit equations to predict dbh and V as functions of tree height （H） and crown area （CA）. Prediction of dbh as a function of H improved when CA was added as an additional independent variable. Similarly, predic- tions of V based on H improved when CA was included. Incorporation of additional stand variables such as age, site index, dominant height, and stand density were also evaluated but resulted in only small improvements in model performance. For model testing we used data from planted and naturally-regenerated trees located inside and outside the geographic area used for model fitting. Our results suggest that the models are a robust alternative for dbh and V estimations when H and CA are known on planted stands with potential for naturally-regenerated stands, across a wide range of ages. We discuss the importance of these models for use with metrics derived from remote sensing data.展开更多
The variety "Aifeng" was used as experimental material,and the stem diameter,plant height,the number of leaves and yield of P. vulgaris under three ways of ridge culture (bedding,high ridge and M ridge) were...The variety "Aifeng" was used as experimental material,and the stem diameter,plant height,the number of leaves and yield of P. vulgaris under three ways of ridge culture (bedding,high ridge and M ridge) were observed and detected to study the effects of different ridge cultures on the growth and yield. The results showed that the stem diameter,plant height,the number of leaves and yield under M ridge culture were higher than that of bedding and high ridge.展开更多
Current techniques of forest inventory rely on manual measurements and are slow and labor intensive.Recent developments in computer vision and depth sensing can produce accurate measurement data at significantly reduc...Current techniques of forest inventory rely on manual measurements and are slow and labor intensive.Recent developments in computer vision and depth sensing can produce accurate measurement data at significantly reduced time and labor costs.We developed the ForSense system to measure the diameters of trees at various points along the stem as well as stem straightness.Time use,mean absolute error(MAE),and root mean squared error(RMSE)metrics were used to compare the system against manual methods,and to compare the system against itself(reproducibility).Depth-derived diameter measurements of the stems at the heights of 0.3,1.4,and 2.7 m achieved RMSE of 1.7,1.5,and 2.7 cm,respectively.The ForSense system produced straightness measurement data that was highly correlated with straightness ratings by trained foresters.The ForSense system was also consistent,achieving sub-centimeter diameter difference with subsequent measures and less than 4%difference in straightness value between runs.This method of forest inventory,which is based on depth-image computer vision,is time efficient compared to manual methods and less computationally and technologically intensive compared to Structure-from-Motion(SFM)photogrammetry and ground-based LiDAR or terrestrial laser scanning(TLS).展开更多
We studied the habitat use of mountain nyala Tragelaphus buxtoni in the northern edge of the Bale Mountains Na- tional Park, Ethiopia. The aims of this study were to： （1） measure and quantify habitat-specific stem ...We studied the habitat use of mountain nyala Tragelaphus buxtoni in the northern edge of the Bale Mountains Na- tional Park, Ethiopia. The aims of this study were to： （1） measure and quantify habitat-specific stem bite diameters of mountain nyala foraging on common natural plant species in two major habitat types （i.e. grasslands versus woodlands）, and （2） quantify the bite rates （number of bites per minute） and the activity time budgets of mountain nyala as functions of habitat type and sex-age category. We randomly laid out three transects in each habitat type. Following each transect, through focal animal obser- vations, we assessed and quantified stem diameters at point of browse （dpb）, bite rates, and time budgets of mountain nyala in grasslands versus woodlands. Stem dpb provide a measure of natural giving-up densities （GUDs） and can be used to assess fora- ging costs and efficiencies, with greater stem dpb corresponding to lower costs and greater efficiencies. The results showed that stem dpb, bite rates, induced vigilance, and proportion of time spent in feeding differed between habitats. In particular, mountain nyala had greater stem dpb, higher bite rates, and spent a greater proportion of their time in feeding and less in induced vigilance in the grasslands. In addition, adult females had the highest bite rates, and the browse species Solanum marginatum had the greatest stem dpb. Generally, grasslands provide the mountain nyala with several advantages over the woodlands, including of- fering lower foraging costs, greater safety, and more time for foraging. The study advocates how behavioural indicators and natural GUDs are used to examine the habitat use of the endangered mountain nyala through applying non-invasive techniques. We conclude that the resulting measures are helpful for guiding conservation and management efforts and could be applicable to a number of endangered wildlife species including the mountain nyala .展开更多
Little is known of the tree and stand dynamics of varied species of planted Paulownia left unmanaged until harvest in the southeastern United States.We sought to remedy this lack of information needed by land managers...Little is known of the tree and stand dynamics of varied species of planted Paulownia left unmanaged until harvest in the southeastern United States.We sought to remedy this lack of information needed by land managers to make informed decisions by investigating diff erences in survivorship,attained diameter breast height(DBH),diameter at ground level,total height,tree volume and standlevel volume yields of planted P.elongata,P.fortunei,and P.tomentosa in the cool-moist environment of the southern Appalachian Mountains.After 9 years,combined-species survivorship was only 27.3%.Low survivorship was likely related to several inclement weather events.P.fortunei was signifi cantly smaller in DBH and total height.Three combined-species stem(bole)volume models were developed as functions of(1)DBH squared,(2)the product DBH squared and total height,and(3)the product diameter ground line squared and total height.Mean total volume production of unmanaged stands was greatest for P.elongata and P.fortunei 4 years after planting;by the 9th year,total volume of P.elongata was greater than the other two species.Results of our study provide managers information on productivity of three species of Paulownia that can be used for estimating plantation yields.展开更多
This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of six stem taper models on four tropical tree species,namely Celtis luzonica(Magabuyo),Diplodiscus paniculatus(Balobo),Parashorea malaanonan(Bagtikan),and Swieteni...This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of six stem taper models on four tropical tree species,namely Celtis luzonica(Magabuyo),Diplodiscus paniculatus(Balobo),Parashorea malaanonan(Bagtikan),and Swietenia macrophylla(Mahogany)in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve(MMFR),Philippines using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics.Four statistical criteria were used in this study,including the standard error of estimate(SEE),coefficient of determination(R^2),mean bias(E),and absolute mean difference(AMD).For the lack-offit statistics,SEE,E and AMD were determined in different relative height classes.The results indicated that the Kozak02 stem taper model offered the best fit for the four tropical species in most statistics.The Kozak02 model also consistently provided the best performance in the lack-of-fit statistics with the best SEE,E and AMD in most of the relative height classes.These stem taper equations could help forest managers and researchers better estimate the diameter of the outside bark with any given height,merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumes of standing trees belonging to the four species of thetropical forest in MMFR.展开更多
This study was conducted to fit the diameter-height data of Quercusglaucain Jeju Island, South Korea to the four commonly used stem taper equations andto evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models using fo...This study was conducted to fit the diameter-height data of Quercusglaucain Jeju Island, South Korea to the four commonly used stem taper equations andto evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models using four statistical criteria： Fit index （FI）, root mean square error （RMSE）, bias （）,and absolute mean difference （AMD）. Results showed that the Kozak02stem taper equation provided the best FI（0.9847）, RMSE（1.5745）,（-0.0030 cm） and AMD （1.0990 cm） whileMax and Burkhart model had the poorest performance among the four stem taper models based on the four evaluation statistics （FI ： 0.9793,RMSE ： 1.8272, ： 0.3040 cm and AMD ： 1.3060 cm）. These stem taper equations can serve as a useful tool for forest managers in estimating the diameter outside bark at any given height, merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumesof the standing trees of Quercusglaucain theGotjawal forests located in Mount Halla, Jeju Island, South Korea.展开更多
This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models on Camellia japonica in Jeju Island, Korea using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics. The five statistical criteria that were us...This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models on Camellia japonica in Jeju Island, Korea using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics. The five statistical criteria that were used in this study were standard error of estimate(SEE), mean bias( E), absolute mean difference(AMD), coefficient of determination(R2), and root mean square error(RMSE). Results showed that the Kozak model 02 stem taper had the best performance in all fit statistics(SEE: 3.4708, E : 0.0040 cm, AMD : 0.9060 cm, R2 : 0.9870, and RMSE : 1.2545). On the other hand, Max and Burkhart stem taper model had the poorest performance in each statistical criterion(SEE: 4.2121, E : 0.2520 cm, AMD : 1.1300 cm, R2 : 0.9805, and RMSE: 1.5317). For the lack-of-fit statistics, the Kozak model 02 also provided the best performance having the best AMD in most of the relative height classes for diameter outside bark prediction and in most of the DBH classes for total volume prediction while Max and Burkhart had the poorest performance. These stem taper equations could help forest managers to better estimate the diameter outside bark at any given height, merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumes of the standing trees of Camellia japonica in the forests of Jeju Island, Korea.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40971032, 91125026)
文摘High-resolution observations of cambial phenology and intra-annual growth dynamics are useful approaches for understanding the response of tree growth to climate and environmental change. During the past two decades, rapid socioeconomic development has increased the demand for water resources in the oases of the middle reaches of the Heihe River in northwestern China, and the lower reaches of the Heihe River have changed from a perennial river to an ephemeral stream with a decreased and degraded riparian zone. Tamarisk（Tamarix ramosissima） is the dominant shrub species of the desert riparian forest. In this study, the daily and seasonal patterns of tamarisk stem diameter growth, including the main period of tree ring formation, were examined. Observations concerning the driving forces of growth changes, along with implications for the ecology of the dendrohydrological area and management of desert riparian forests in similar arid regions, are also presented. The diurnal-seasonal activity of stem diameter and the dynamics of growth ring formation were studied using a point dendrometer and micro-coring methods during the 2012 growing season in shrub tamarisk in a desert riparian forest stand in the lower reaches of the Heihe River in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia of northwestern China. Generally, the variation in diurnal diameter of tamarisk was characterized by an unstable multi-peak pattern, with the cumulative stem diameter growth over the growing season following an S-shaped curve. The period from late May to early August was the main period of stem diameter growth and growth-ring formation. Among all of the hydroclimatic factors considered in this study, only groundwater depth was significantly correlated with stem diameter increment during this period. Therefore, for the dendrochronological study, the annual rings of the tamarisk can be used to reconstruct processes that determine the regional water regime, such as river runoff and fluctuations in groundwater depth. For the management of desert riparian forests, suitable groundwater depths must be maintained in the spring and summer to sustain tree health and a suitable stand structure.
文摘Water stress effects on stem diameter variations （SDV） were studied in a pot experiment on cotton （Gossypium hirustum L. Meimian99B）. Water restriction was imposed at the flowering stage and were compared with a well-watered control treatment. The volumetric soil water content （0v） and SDV were monitored continuously. The objective was to determine the feasibility of using the parameters derived from stem diameter measurements, including maximum daily stem shrinkage （MDS）, maximum daily stem diameter （MXSD）, and minimum daily stem diameter （MNSD） as indicators of plant water stress. The different behavior of SDV was founded at different growth stages. At stem-maturing stage, MDS increased and MNSD decreased in deficit-irrigated plants compared with the control plants, therefore, it appeared that MDS and MNSD ccould be used as available indicators of plant water status. At stem growth stage, there were no significant differences in MDS values between treatments but MXSD and MNSD responded sharply to soil water deficits. Thus, for rapidly growing cotton, the course of MXSD or MNSD with time offered a consistent stress indicator. SDV was also closely related to atmospheric factors, solar radiation （Rs） and vapor pressure deficit （VPD） were found to be the predominant factors affecting MDS, followed by the relative humidity （RH）, while air temperature （Ta） and wind velocity had the least effect. A good linear relationship was founded （r^2 = 0.921） between MDS and environmental variables （Rs, VPD, RH, and θv）, which can be used to establish a reference value for detecting plant water stress based on the MDS patterns.
基金supported by the U.S.Department of Defense,through the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program(SERDP)
文摘Accurate and efficient estimation of forest growth and live biomass is a critical element in assessing potential responses to forest management and environmental change. The objective of this study was to develop models to predict longleaf pine tree diameter at breast height （dbh） and merchantable stem volume （V） using data obtained from field measurements. We used longleaf pine tree data from 3,376 planted trees on 127 permanent plots located in the U.S. Gulf Coastal Plain region to fit equations to predict dbh and V as functions of tree height （H） and crown area （CA）. Prediction of dbh as a function of H improved when CA was added as an additional independent variable. Similarly, predic- tions of V based on H improved when CA was included. Incorporation of additional stand variables such as age, site index, dominant height, and stand density were also evaluated but resulted in only small improvements in model performance. For model testing we used data from planted and naturally-regenerated trees located inside and outside the geographic area used for model fitting. Our results suggest that the models are a robust alternative for dbh and V estimations when H and CA are known on planted stands with potential for naturally-regenerated stands, across a wide range of ages. We discuss the importance of these models for use with metrics derived from remote sensing data.
基金Supported by Water-saving and Efficient Model Research of Dry Land Vegetable Planting (2007BAD88B03-3-2)
文摘The variety "Aifeng" was used as experimental material,and the stem diameter,plant height,the number of leaves and yield of P. vulgaris under three ways of ridge culture (bedding,high ridge and M ridge) were observed and detected to study the effects of different ridge cultures on the growth and yield. The results showed that the stem diameter,plant height,the number of leaves and yield under M ridge culture were higher than that of bedding and high ridge.
基金funded in part by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service,Northern Research Station,USDA Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration CenterUSDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture McIntire Stennis project (IND011523MS)。
文摘Current techniques of forest inventory rely on manual measurements and are slow and labor intensive.Recent developments in computer vision and depth sensing can produce accurate measurement data at significantly reduced time and labor costs.We developed the ForSense system to measure the diameters of trees at various points along the stem as well as stem straightness.Time use,mean absolute error(MAE),and root mean squared error(RMSE)metrics were used to compare the system against manual methods,and to compare the system against itself(reproducibility).Depth-derived diameter measurements of the stems at the heights of 0.3,1.4,and 2.7 m achieved RMSE of 1.7,1.5,and 2.7 cm,respectively.The ForSense system produced straightness measurement data that was highly correlated with straightness ratings by trained foresters.The ForSense system was also consistent,achieving sub-centimeter diameter difference with subsequent measures and less than 4%difference in straightness value between runs.This method of forest inventory,which is based on depth-image computer vision,is time efficient compared to manual methods and less computationally and technologically intensive compared to Structure-from-Motion(SFM)photogrammetry and ground-based LiDAR or terrestrial laser scanning(TLS).
文摘We studied the habitat use of mountain nyala Tragelaphus buxtoni in the northern edge of the Bale Mountains Na- tional Park, Ethiopia. The aims of this study were to： （1） measure and quantify habitat-specific stem bite diameters of mountain nyala foraging on common natural plant species in two major habitat types （i.e. grasslands versus woodlands）, and （2） quantify the bite rates （number of bites per minute） and the activity time budgets of mountain nyala as functions of habitat type and sex-age category. We randomly laid out three transects in each habitat type. Following each transect, through focal animal obser- vations, we assessed and quantified stem diameters at point of browse （dpb）, bite rates, and time budgets of mountain nyala in grasslands versus woodlands. Stem dpb provide a measure of natural giving-up densities （GUDs） and can be used to assess fora- ging costs and efficiencies, with greater stem dpb corresponding to lower costs and greater efficiencies. The results showed that stem dpb, bite rates, induced vigilance, and proportion of time spent in feeding differed between habitats. In particular, mountain nyala had greater stem dpb, higher bite rates, and spent a greater proportion of their time in feeding and less in induced vigilance in the grasslands. In addition, adult females had the highest bite rates, and the browse species Solanum marginatum had the greatest stem dpb. Generally, grasslands provide the mountain nyala with several advantages over the woodlands, including of- fering lower foraging costs, greater safety, and more time for foraging. The study advocates how behavioural indicators and natural GUDs are used to examine the habitat use of the endangered mountain nyala through applying non-invasive techniques. We conclude that the resulting measures are helpful for guiding conservation and management efforts and could be applicable to a number of endangered wildlife species including the mountain nyala .
基金The authors appreciate the diligent eff orts of Virginia Gibbs,Tracy Roof,Julia Kirschman and Jacqui Adams during fi eld measurements.We thank Dr.David Loftis for his thoughtful advice during study establishment.Soil properties were from an associated study by Anne Suratt while she was a research intern at Bent Creek Experimental Forest.
文摘Little is known of the tree and stand dynamics of varied species of planted Paulownia left unmanaged until harvest in the southeastern United States.We sought to remedy this lack of information needed by land managers to make informed decisions by investigating diff erences in survivorship,attained diameter breast height(DBH),diameter at ground level,total height,tree volume and standlevel volume yields of planted P.elongata,P.fortunei,and P.tomentosa in the cool-moist environment of the southern Appalachian Mountains.After 9 years,combined-species survivorship was only 27.3%.Low survivorship was likely related to several inclement weather events.P.fortunei was signifi cantly smaller in DBH and total height.Three combined-species stem(bole)volume models were developed as functions of(1)DBH squared,(2)the product DBH squared and total height,and(3)the product diameter ground line squared and total height.Mean total volume production of unmanaged stands was greatest for P.elongata and P.fortunei 4 years after planting;by the 9th year,total volume of P.elongata was greater than the other two species.Results of our study provide managers information on productivity of three species of Paulownia that can be used for estimating plantation yields.
基金support from Kongju National University Research Grant(2014)
文摘This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of six stem taper models on four tropical tree species,namely Celtis luzonica(Magabuyo),Diplodiscus paniculatus(Balobo),Parashorea malaanonan(Bagtikan),and Swietenia macrophylla(Mahogany)in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve(MMFR),Philippines using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics.Four statistical criteria were used in this study,including the standard error of estimate(SEE),coefficient of determination(R^2),mean bias(E),and absolute mean difference(AMD).For the lack-offit statistics,SEE,E and AMD were determined in different relative height classes.The results indicated that the Kozak02 stem taper model offered the best fit for the four tropical species in most statistics.The Kozak02 model also consistently provided the best performance in the lack-of-fit statistics with the best SEE,E and AMD in most of the relative height classes.These stem taper equations could help forest managers and researchers better estimate the diameter of the outside bark with any given height,merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumes of standing trees belonging to the four species of thetropical forest in MMFR.
基金the support of the Korea Forest Science and Warm Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center,Korea Forest Research Institute
文摘This study was conducted to fit the diameter-height data of Quercusglaucain Jeju Island, South Korea to the four commonly used stem taper equations andto evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models using four statistical criteria： Fit index （FI）, root mean square error （RMSE）, bias （）,and absolute mean difference （AMD）. Results showed that the Kozak02stem taper equation provided the best FI（0.9847）, RMSE（1.5745）,（-0.0030 cm） and AMD （1.0990 cm） whileMax and Burkhart model had the poorest performance among the four stem taper models based on the four evaluation statistics （FI ： 0.9793,RMSE ： 1.8272, ： 0.3040 cm and AMD ： 1.3060 cm）. These stem taper equations can serve as a useful tool for forest managers in estimating the diameter outside bark at any given height, merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumesof the standing trees of Quercusglaucain theGotjawal forests located in Mount Halla, Jeju Island, South Korea.
基金support of the Warm Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute
文摘This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the four stem taper models on Camellia japonica in Jeju Island, Korea using fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics. The five statistical criteria that were used in this study were standard error of estimate(SEE), mean bias( E), absolute mean difference(AMD), coefficient of determination(R2), and root mean square error(RMSE). Results showed that the Kozak model 02 stem taper had the best performance in all fit statistics(SEE: 3.4708, E : 0.0040 cm, AMD : 0.9060 cm, R2 : 0.9870, and RMSE : 1.2545). On the other hand, Max and Burkhart stem taper model had the poorest performance in each statistical criterion(SEE: 4.2121, E : 0.2520 cm, AMD : 1.1300 cm, R2 : 0.9805, and RMSE: 1.5317). For the lack-of-fit statistics, the Kozak model 02 also provided the best performance having the best AMD in most of the relative height classes for diameter outside bark prediction and in most of the DBH classes for total volume prediction while Max and Burkhart had the poorest performance. These stem taper equations could help forest managers to better estimate the diameter outside bark at any given height, merchantable stem volumes and total stem volumes of the standing trees of Camellia japonica in the forests of Jeju Island, Korea.
