SITE QUALITY CURVES FOR AFRICAN MAHOGANY PLANTATIONS IN BRAZIL

Andressa Ribeiro,Margarida Tomé,Antonio Carlos Ferraz Filho,José Roberto Soares Scolforo

doi:10.1590/01047760201622042185

Andressa Ribeiro, Margarida Tomé + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/01047760201622042185

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Site quality estimation is an important tool in forest management since it is useful for modeling growth and yield for even-aged stands. Data from African mahogany (Khaya ivorensis A. Chev.) Brazilian plantations were used to develop a model to predict dominant height growth, comparing dynamic base-age invariant site index models with the guide curve method (static models). For the evaluation of the candidate models qualitative and quantitative criteria were used. We also verified the stability of the candidate models, preferring a model providing fewer site class changes when predicting site index from different ages. The Lundqvist-Korf function fitted with the guide curve method proved to be effective and accurate for site classification and dominant height predictions of African mahogany stands. The range of observed site index, at a reference age of 15, was between 17 and 33 meters.

Highlights

African mahogany, that includes the species Khaya ivorensis A
Similar strategies have been adopted by Paulo et al (2011) for Quercus suber stands in Portugal and Danquah (2012) for African mahogany species planted in Ghana, selecting 25 and 40 thickest trees per hectare, respectively, to calculate the average of dominant height
The Lundqvist-Korf model had a rather high asymptote (A=58 m), more realistic values were found in equations Lk and Richards (A≈35 m), Lemmens (2008) reported growth for K. ivorensis reaching 60 meters tall

Summary

Introduction

That includes the species Khaya ivorensis A. The recent cultivation of the species outside its native location is relatively new, starting in Brazil in 1976 at Pará state with five seedlings (FALESI; BAENA, 1999). These specimens yielded seeds which were used to start up plantations in other regions of the country (FRANÇA et al, 2016). The definition of an accurate prediction of site productivity is fundamental to predict timber yields and for meaningful simulation studies (VANCLAY, 1992; BRAVO; MONTERO, 2001). This concern is not new and the first land classification system of productivity is attributed to the roman Cato in 234-139 B.C. This concern is not new and the first land classification system of productivity is attributed to the roman Cato in 234-139 B.C. (TESCH, 1981) and several methods for evaluating forest site productivity have been studied (BURKHART; TOMÉ, 2012)

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