Allometric relationships for surface area and dry mass of young Norway spruce aboveground organs

Abstract

Tree-level allometric functions for a precise predicting of stem, branch and leaf mass and surface area of three needle-shoot age classes were estimated from measurements of crown and stem dimensions in 34 harvested Norway spruce (<I>Picea abies</I> [L.] Karst.) trees. Trees were grown within a 16-years-old stand in the Beskids Mountains. The results showed stem parameters (stem diameter at breast height – dbh, stem volume – Vs and stem sapwood area – SA) to be highly correlated (<I>r</I> > 0.98) with stem mass/area and total aboveground mass of tree. Crown parameters – volume (Cv) and surface area (Ca) were the best predictors for individual branch and needle age-classes mass (<I>r</I> > 0.92) or area (<I>r</I> > 0.85), specifically for mass and surface areas of young branches and needles. dbh most correctly predicted the branch and leaf mass/surface area of older (> 2 years) shoots. The measured parameters: dbh, SA, tree height, crown length, Ca and Cv showed a high dependence on the tree position within the stand (<I>r</I> > –0.81). Thus, these parameters could be modified by silviculture.