FlorNExT®, a cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands in Northeastern Portugal

Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez,Luis Nunes,Ângelo Sil,João Azevedo

doi:10.5424/fs/2016252-08975

Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez, Luis Nunes + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2016252-08975

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Journal: Forest Systems	Publication Date: Jul 20, 2016
Citations: 7	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Polytechnic Institute of Bragança

Abstract

Aim of the study: To introduce and describe FlorNExT®, a free cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) even-aged stands in the Northeast of Portugal (NE Portugal).Area of study: NE Portugal.Material and methods: FlorNExT® implements a dynamic growth and yield modelling framework which integrates transition functions for dominant height (site index curves) and basal area, as well as output functions for tree and stand volume, biomass, and carbon content.Main results: FlorNExT® is freely available from any device with an Internet connection at: http://flornext.esa.ipb.pt/.Research highlights: This application has been designed to make it possible for any stakeholder to easily estimate standing volume, biomass, and carbon content in maritime pine stands from stand data, as well as to estimate growth and yield based on four stand variables: age, density, dominant height, and basal area. FlorNExT® allows planning thinning treatments. FlorNExT® is a fundamental tool to support forest mobilization at local and regional scales in NE Portugal.Keywords: forest management; maritime pine; forest modelling; knowledge transfer tool.

Highlights

The ability to predict growth and yield is a fundamental requirement for forest management and planning, of utmost importance for the forest sector in any country or region
Forest growth is usually approached through mathematical modelling at the individual tree or forest stand level, according to a specific period of time and the silvicultural practices followed (Bravo et al, 2011)
There are no tools to facilitate the use of regionally adjusted forest growth and yield models for managers and stakeholders in general

Summary

Introduction

The ability to predict growth and yield is a fundamental requirement for forest management and planning, of utmost importance for the forest sector in any country or region. Forest growth equations are difficult to apply in practice when the end user lacks adequate knowledge or experience in forest modelling. There are no tools to facilitate the use of regionally adjusted forest growth and yield models for managers and stakeholders in general. Most of them have been developed as desktop tools, e.g., ModisPinaster for maritime pine in the Tâmega river valley (Fonseca, 2004), GesMO for several species in Galicia (Diéguez-Aranda et al, 2009), there are platforms that take advantage of the available cloud computing capabilities that enhance data update and potentiate real time interactions with users, such as Web-Globulus 3.0 (Palma, 2016). Azevedo computing application (FlorNExT®) to make forest growth and yield simulations accessible to any forest manager or stakeholder in northeastern Portugal to support management and to stimulate forest supply regionally. There are Portuguese, Spanish and English versions of the application

Structure and models

Input data

Stand structure

Final considerations