Estimating the tree bole volume of Brutian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) using paracone and centriod methods in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, the most suitable methods for estimating tree bole volume were tested on seventy-six Brutian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and fourty-five Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) trees. The volume of each tree bole was predicted by utilizing Paracone model, Centroid sampling, Huber formula, and local volume table (LVT) for Brutian pine and Taurus cedar. Volume predictions were then evaluated with “true” volume of every tree that was calculated through summing up the volumes of sub-sections (approximately one meter in length) using Smalian’s formula. The mean errors of Paracone model estimation of the tree bole volumes were not significant for both Brutian pine and Taurus cedar and less than those obtained from the Centroid sampling, Huber’s formula, and LVT. When four formulas were compared, the Paracone method valuation was clearly more accurate, and mean error of Paracone method was not significant at 0.05 confidence level.