Abstract
Diameter distributions of juvenile loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were characterized utilizing a two-parameter Weibull distribution to aid in forecasting and simulation of young stands. Juvenile diameter distributions were studied to gain insight into the effects of various stand-level factors. Results show that diameter distributions in juvenile loblolly pine stands can be successfully characterized with the two-parameter Weibull function. Repeated measures analysis detected significant planting density, age, and age by planting density interaction effects for the scale and shape parameter estimates from the two-parameter Weibull distribution. Using parameter recovery techniques, estimated diameter distributions were derived from easily attainable stand-level characteristics (i.e. basal area per hectare, planting density, age, and quadratic mean diameter). A thorough understanding of juvenile diameter distributions should prove especially useful for operational planning of stands on short rotations that require estimates of productivity at early ages.
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Bullock, B.P., Burkhart, H.E. Juvenile diameter distributions of loblolly pine characterized by the two-parameter Weibull function. New Forest 29, 233–244 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-005-5651-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-005-5651-5