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A generic model of thinning and stand density effects on forest growth, mortality and net increment

Un modèle générique des effets de l’éclaircie et de la densité des peuplements sur la croissance des forêts, la mortalité et l’accroissement net

Annals of Forest Science volume 66, page 815 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • For assessing forest thinning effects at large (i.e. continental) scale, data scarcity and technical limitations prevent the application of localized or individual-based thinning models.

  • • Here we present a simple general framework to analyze and predict the effects of thinning on growth and mortality, including the following stand density development. The effects are modeled in relative terms so that the model can be parameterized based on any thinning experiment that includes an unthinned control, regardless of site conditions and stand age.

  • • The model was tested against observed thinning effects on growth and mortality from five temperate and boreal species (all species pooled r 2 = 0.51). It predicted a maximum increase in net stem biomass increment of 16% and a reduction in density-related mortality of 75% compared to un-thinned conditions at stand densities of around 70% of the maximum (increment optimal density).

  • • A sensitivity analysis revealed overlapping ranges of near optimal density (net increment within 95% of optimal) among all tested species, suggesting that one thinning scenario can be used for many species. The simple and general formulation of thinning effects based on only five parameters allows easy integration with a wide range of generic forest growth models.

Résumé

  • • Pour évaluer les effets de l’éclaircie en forêt à une large échelle (c’est-à-dire continentale), la rareté des données et des limitations techniques empêchent l’application de modèles d’éclaircie localisés ou individuels.

  • • Ici, nous présentons un simple cadre général pour analyser et prédire les effets de l’éclaircie sur la croissance et la mortalité, y compris le développement suivant de la densité du peuplement. Les effets sont modélisés en termes relatifs, de sorte que le modèle peut être paramétré sur la base de n’importe quelle expérience d’éclaircie qui inclut un témoin non éclairci, indépendamment des conditions du site et de l’âge du peuplement.

  • • Le modèle a été testé contre les effets de l’éclaircie observés sur la croissance et la mortalité de cinq espèces tempérées et boréales (r 2 = 0,51) pour toutes les espèces mises en pool). Il a prédit une augmentation maximale de l’accroissement net de la biomasse des troncs de 16 % et une réduction de la mortalité liée à la densité de 75 % par rapport aux conditions de non éclaircie de densité de peuplement de l’ordre de 70 % du maximum (densité de l’accroissement optimal).

  • • Une analyse de sensibilité a révélé des écarts de chevauchements près de la densité optimale (accroissement net dans 95 % de l’optimal) entre toutes les espèces testées, suggérant que un scénario d’éclaircie peut être utilisé pour de nombreuses espèces. La simple et générale formulation des effets de l’éclaircie basée sur seulement cinq paramètres permet une intégration facile avec une large gamme de modèles génériques de croissance des forêts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IIASA International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, 2361, Laxenburg, Austria

    Oskar Franklin & Kentaro Aoki

  2. Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Peter Jordan Straße 82, 1190, Wien, Austria

    Rupert Seidl

Authors
  1. Oskar Franklin
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  2. Kentaro Aoki
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  3. Rupert Seidl
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Correspondence to Oskar Franklin.

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Franklin, O., Aoki, K. & Seidl, R. A generic model of thinning and stand density effects on forest growth, mortality and net increment. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 815 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009073

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X