Abstract
A simple girth band for automatic measurement of short-term changes in stem diameter was developed and tested. Laboratory tests showed that the girth band is thermal insensitive and it can be used for measuring changes of the magnitude of 0.03 mm. Thus, daily swelling and shrinking of the stem can be monitored, as well as cumulative stem diameter increment. Year-round field tests showed that the girth bands were resistant against weather variations and mechanical damage, even though the measurement bias slightly increased in the long run. The durability, low price and automatic data collection make the instrument suitable for applications in growth studies. Online data transfer from the field to the office can be done using wireless telemetric techniques.
Submitted Version (
Free)
Published Version
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