Modeling Dominant Height Growth: Eucalyptus Plantations in Portugal

Abstract

Abstract Difference forms of the well-known Chapman-Richards and Lundqvist-Korf biological growth models are derived for use in modeling dominant height growth using data from remeasured permanent plots. The performance of these models is compared with the performance of the McDill-Amateis difference model for describing dominant height growth of eucalyptus plantations in Portugal. The final model is a difference form of the Chapman-Richards equation with the m shape parameter constrained by initial stand conditions. The model is regional in that there are different estimated parameter values for highly productive sites in the coastal region of Portugal compared to lower productivity sites in the interior. The effect of using overlapping or nonoverlapping measurement intervals in the estimation process is examined with independent data; there appears to be little difference in the predictive ability of the resulting models. For. Sci. 44(1):37-46.