Deriving Growth and Yield Functions for Uneven-Aged Forest Stands

Publisher： Society of American Foresters

ISSN： 0015-749X

Source： Forest Science, Vol.15, Iss.2, 1969-06, pp. : 183-188

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Abstract

Traditional yield tables are being replaced by yield functions which are obtained from the mathematical integration of growth-rate equations, expressed primarily as a function of stand age. In the uneven-aged stand, stand age has nebulous meaning which imposes difficulty in applying the above technique. The present study proposes use of a growth-rate equation expressed as a function of a measurable size characteristic of the quantity under investigation. Solution of the growth-rate equation provides a yield function expressed in terms of elapsed time from a given initial condition. As an illustration, survivor basal area growth-rate and volume growth-rate data are fitted to empirical differential equations. Integration provides basal area and volume yield prediction functions. Results indicate that compatible growth-rate and yield functions for the uneven-aged stand can be derived from permanent plot data.