A study of the relationship between heights and diameters at breast height in tree stands of Scots pine in the Training and Experimental Forestry of the Leningrad region

Abstract

The relationships between heights and diameters at breast height of trees are widely used in determining of growing stock and assortment structure of stands. Numerous mathematical models are used to describe them. A comparative analysis of the accuracy of six models on the example of tree stands of Scots pine in the Training and Experimental Forestry of the Leningrad region showed the close accuracy of each of them. For different sample plots, however, the highest accuracy was showed by different models. This necessitates further research on this topic in order to identify the most applicable mathematical models for different tree species, ages and habitat conditions. In practice are often used the tables, compiled taking into account the ratios of heights and diameters at breast height in tree stands, the main of which are tables of volumes of trees by height ranks and assortment tables. Within the framework of the study, it was found that the actual relationships between tree heights and diameters at breast height differ from those given in the tables, which is due to the individual features of the stand structure and habitat conditions. For this reason, the height ranks, determined for individual diameter classes often differ from those found for the average tree stand height and diameter at breast height. This leads to discrepancies in the growing stocks of tree stands, found taking into account these two approaches, as well as the yield and cost of assortments in them. Although the differences are insignificant, they highlight the need for further research in order to improve the accuracy of determining the inventory parameters of tree stands.