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Silva Fennica vol. 40 | 2006

Category : Research article

article id 323, category Research article

Simo Kyllönen, Alfred Colpaert, Hannu Heikkinen, Mikko Jokinen, Jouko Kumpula, Mika Marttunen, Kari Muje, Kaisa Raitio. (2006). Conflict management as a means to the sustainable use of natural resources. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 323. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.323

Keywords: sustainability; conflict management; resource management; deliberative participation; frame analysis; assurance game; prisoner’s dilemma

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Democratic societies’ emphasis on individual rights and freedoms inevitably opens them up to political disputes. Conflict management should thus be seen as an integral part of democratic institutional design. The evolution and management of policy disputes concerning the use of different natural resources in Finland is analysed by using the theoretical models of frame analysis and strategic interaction. The studied disputes include lake fisheries, watercourse regulation, reindeer herding, and forestry. The institutional design in the case studies varies. Despite the differences, many common features are identified that could explain their successes or difficulties in achieving sustainable and cooperative use of the resources. Among these are problems involving complex and uncertain knowledge, differences in frames held by multiple users of a resource, and distrust between the users and other parties. The analysis concludes with preliminary conclusions on how various disputes related to sustainable resource use could be managed. These include addressing the knowledge and frame problems in order to initiate a learning process; establishing sub-processes in which mutual trust between the parties – including a managing authority or a third party – can emerge; giving explicit roles and a clear division of entitlement to the parties; and providing a credible alternative for co-operation that affects the parties’ payoff assessments during the process. Finally, the conflict management process shouldn’t be regarded as a distinct phase of dispute resolution, but as an essential aspect of ongoing co-management practices of resource use.

Kyllönen, Department of Social and Moral Philosophy, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: simo.kyllonen@helsinki.fi
Colpaert, University of Joensuu, Department of Geography, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: ac@nn.fi
Heikkinen, Taida, P.O. Box 1000, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Finland E-mail: hh@nn.fi
Jokinen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Kolari Research Unit, Muoniontie 21 A, FI-95900 Kolari, Finland E-mail: mj@nn.fi
Kumpula, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Reindeer Research Station, Toivoniementie 246, FI-99910 Kaamanen, Finland E-mail: jk@nn.fi
Marttunen, Finnish Environment Institute, P.O. Box 140, FI-00251 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mk@nn.fi
Muje, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland E-mail: km@nn.fi
Raitio, Department of Social and Policy, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: kr@nn.fi

article id 322, category Research article

Jaakko Repola. (2006). Models for vertical wood density of Scots pine, Norway spruce and birch stems, and their application to determine average wood density. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 322. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.322

Keywords: Norway spruce; Scots pine; silver birch; wood density; downy birch; mixed models

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The purpose of this study was to investigate the vertical dependence of the basic density of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and birch stems, and how such dependence could be applied for determining the average stem wood density. The study material consisted of 38 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), 39 Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and 15 birch (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens) stands located on mineral soil sites in southern Finland. The stem material mainly represented thinning removal from stands at different stages of development. The linear mixed model technique, with both fixed and random effects, was used to estimate the model. According to the fixed part of the model, wood density was dependent on the vertical location along the stem in all three tree species. Wood density in pine decreased from the butt to the top, and the gradient in wood density was steep at the butt but decreased in the upper part of the stem. The vertical dependence was similar in birch, but the density gradient was much smaller. For spruce the vertical dependence of the basic density was moderate. The model can be calibrated for a tree stem when one or more sample disks are measured at freely selected heights. Using treewise calibrated predictions of the vertical density dependence and measured stem diameters, almost unbiased estimates, and lower prediction errors than with traditional methods, were obtained for the average stem wood density. The advantages of the method were greater for pine with a strong vertical dependence in basic density, than for spruce and birch.

Repola, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, Eteläranta 55, FI-96300 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: jaakko.repola@metla.fi

article id 321, category Research article

Jori Uusitalo, Anne Puustelli, Veli-Pekka Kivinen, Tapio Nummi, Bikas K. Sinha. (2006). Bayesian estimation of diameter distribution during harvesting. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 321. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.321

Keywords: diameter distribution; Bayesian statistics; tree harvesting

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This research aims to combine two different data sets with Bayesian statistics in order to predict the diameter distribution of trees at harvest. The parameters of prior distribution are derived from the forest management plans supplemented by additional ocular information. We derive the parameters for the sample data from the first trees harvested, and then create the posterior distribution within the Bayesian framework. We apply the standard normal distribution to construct diameter (dbh) distributions, although many other theoretical distributions have been proved better with dbh data available. The methodology developed is then tested on nine mature spruce (Picea abies) dominated stands, on which the normal distribution seems to work well in mature spruce stands. The tests indicate that prediction of diameter distribution for the whole stand based on the first trees harvested is not wise, since it tends to give inaccurate predictions. Combining the first trees harvested with prior information seems to increase the reliability of predictions.

Uusitalo, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano unit, FI-39700 Parkano, Finland E-mail: jori.uusitalo@metla.fi
Puustelli, University of Tampere, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Philosophy, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland E-mail: ap@nn.fi
Kivinen, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: vpk@nn.fi
Nummi, University of Tampere, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Philosophy, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland E-mail: tn@nn.fi
Sinha, Stat-Math Division, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B.T. Road, Kolkata - 700 108, India E-mail: bks@nn.in

article id 320, category Research article

Saija Huuskonen, Jari Hynynen. (2006). Timing and intensity of precommercial thinning and their effects on the first commercial thinning in Scots pine stands. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 320. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.320

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; Scots pine; growth and yield; precommercial thinning; growth modelling; first commercial thinning; diameter development

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The effects of the timing and intensity of precommercial thinning on the stand diameter development and wood production in Scots pine stands was addressed. A model was developed in order to assess the thinning response of the stand diameter development. The effect of precommercial and first commercial thinning on the stand volume and the thinning removal at first commercial thinning were also modelled. The models were developed to be applicable for forest management planning purposes. The results are based on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trials (13 experiments and 169 plots) located in Southern and Central Finland. Precommercial thinning considerably enhanced the diameter development. Precommercial thinning (at Hdom 3 m to 2000 trees per hectare) increased the mean diameter by 15% at the first commercial thinning stage (Hdom 14 m) compared to the unthinned stand (3000 trees ha–1). Early and intensive precommercial thinning resulted in the strongest response in diameter development. Wide spacing also enhanced the diameter increment. In naturally regenerated stands the diameter development was ca 13% slower than that in seeded stands. The total volume at the time of first commercial thinning was affected by the timing of thinning and the stand structure. The volume of merchantable thinning removal depended on the timing and intensity of precommercial and first commercial thinnings. Delaying the first commercial thinning from 12 meters (Hdom) to 16 meters increased the volume of thinning removal by ca.70%. The early and light precommercial thinning (Hdom 3 m, to density of 3000 trees per hectare) increased the thinning removal by 40% compared to the late and intensive precommercial thinning (at 7 meters to the density of 2000 trees per hectare).

Huuskonen, University of Helsinki, Dept. of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: sh@nn.fi
Hynynen, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: jh@nn.fi

article id 319, category Research article

Ulises Diéguez-Aranda, José Antonio Grandas-Arias, Juan Gabriel Álvarez-González, Klaus von Gadow. (2006). Site quality curves for birch stands in north-western Spain. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 319. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.319

Keywords: site quality; Betula pubescens; generalized algebraic difference approach; base-age invariant dynamic equation; Hossfeld model; Galicia

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

A model for predicting the height growth of even-aged, birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) dominated stands in Galicia (north-western Spain) was developed. Data from stem analysis of 214 trees were used for model construction. Two dynamic site equations derived with the generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) were tested, which combine compatible site index and height models in one common equation. Both equations are base-age invariant and directly estimate height and site index from any height and age. The fittings were done in one stage using the base-age-invariant dummy variables method. A second-order continuous-time autoregressive error structure was used to correct the inherent autocorrelation of the longitudinal data used in this study. Cieszewski’s model best described the data. This model is therefore recommended for height growth prediction and site classification of birch stands in Galicia.

Diéguez-Aranda, Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Escuela Politécnica Superior, Campus universitario, 27002 Lugo, Spain E-mail: udieguez@lugo.usc.es
Grandas-Arias, Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Escuela Politécnica Superior, Campus universitario, 27002 Lugo, Spain E-mail: jaga@nn.es
Álvarez-González, Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Escuela Politécnica Superior, Campus universitario, 27002 Lugo, Spain E-mail: jgag@nn.es
Gadow, Institut fur Waldinventur und Waldwachstum, George-Auguts-Universität Göttingen. Büsgenweg 5, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany E-mail: kg@nn.de

article id 318, category Research article

Sofia Backéus, Peder Wikström, Tomas Lämås. (2006). Modeling carbon sequestration and timber production in a regional case study. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 318. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.318

Keywords: boreal forest; carbon sequestration; optimization; forest biofuel; forest management planning

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Forests make up large ecosystems and by the uptake of carbon dioxide can play an important role in mitigating the greenhouse effect. In this study, mitigation of carbon emissions through carbon uptake and storage in forest biomass and the use of forest biofuel for fossil fuel substitution were considered. The analysis was performed for a 3.2 million hectare region in northern Sweden. The objective was to maximize net present value for harvested timber, biofuel production and carbon sequestration. A carbon price for build-up of carbon storage and for emissions from harvested forest products was introduced to achieve an economic value for carbon sequestration. Forest development was simulated using an optimizing stand-level planning model, and the solution for the whole region was found using linear programming. A range of carbon prices was used to study the effect on harvest levels and carbon sequestration. At a zero carbon price, the mean annual harvest level was 5.4 million m³, the mean annual carbon sequestration in forest biomass was 1.48 million tonnes and the mean annual replacement of carbon from fossil fuel with forest biofuel was 61 000 tonnes. Increasing the carbon price led to decreasing harvest levels of timber and decreasing harvest levels of forest biofuel. Also, thinning activities decreased more than clear-cut activities when the carbon prices increased. The level of carbon sequestration was governed by the harvest level and the site productivity. This led to varying results for different parts of the region.

Backéus, SLU, Dept. of Forest Resource Management and Geomatics, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: sofia.backeus@resgeom.slu.se
Wikström, SLU, Dept. of Forest Resource Management and Geomatics, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: pw@nn.se
Lämås, SLU, Dept. of Forest Resource Management and Geomatics, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: tl@nn.se

article id 317, category Research article

Erik Eriksson, Tord Johansson. (2006). Effects of rotation period on biomass production and atmospheric CO2 emissions from broadleaved stands growing on abandoned farmland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 317. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.317

Keywords: biomass; biofuel; carbon stock; abandoned farmland; atmospheric CO2; broadleaved trees; MAI

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The growth rates and carbon stocks of unthinned young and mature stands of broadleaved trees growing on abandoned farmland were determined to assess whether their management regimes should involve short (15-year) or long (45-year) rotations to maximize biomass production and reductions of CO₂ emissions. Dry mass production and mean annual increment (MAI) were calculated for 28 young stands and 65 mature stands of European aspen (Populus tremula L.), common alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) ranging in latitude from 57° to 63° N in Sweden. The potential for using biomass from the stands to replace coal as a fuel and to store carbon was then evaluated both in short and long rotation scenarios. The results indicate that long rotations are beneficial if the objective is to maximize the average carbon stock in biomass. If, on the other hand, the intention is to optimize reductions in atmospheric CO₂ emissions, rotations should be short for aspen, silver birch and grey alder stands. For downy birch and common alder, the MAI was higher for the mature stands than the young stands, indicating that in these species the mature stands are superior for both storing carbon and replacing fossil fuel. Stands of broadleaved trees grown to produce biofuel on abandoned farmland should be established on fertile soils to promote high MAI. If the MAI is low, the rotation period should be long to maximize the average carbon stock.

Eriksson, SLU, Dept of Bioenergy, P.O. Box 7061, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: ee@nn.se
Johansson, SLU, Dept of Bioenergy, P.O. Box 7061, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: tj@nn.se

article id 316, category Research article

Sonja Vospernik. (2006). Probability of bark stripping damage by red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Austria. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 316. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.316

Keywords: logistic regression; bark stripping; red deer

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Bark stripping by red deer (Cervus elaphus) causes considerable damage to Austrian forests, however, the incidence of bark stripping was never examined from large scale survey data. In this manuscript we present a logistic regression model for bark stripping damage (static model) and a model for recent (5-year period) bark stripping damage to previously undamaged trees (dynamic model) developed from Austrian National Forest Inventory data. Both models showed bark stripping damage to be most frequent in core red deer habitat areas and less frequent in less suitable habitat. Damage was concentrated at elevations of 400–1200 m and in alluvial forests (only static model). Norway spruce (Picea abies), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) and Sorbus spp. had 11–12 times more injuries than all the other species. Red deer preferred the smallest trees with a breast height diameter of 5 cm for bark stripping and damage probability decreased rapidly for trees with a breast height diameter greater than 25 cm. Our static model showed a maximum of bark stripping damage in stands with a mean height of 20 m. In the dynamic model the probability for bark stripping damage decreased with decreasing mean height. Also, in the static model the probability for bark stripping damage increased with increasing spruce proportion and with increasing stand density whereas in the dynamic model the proportion of previous bark stripping damage was a good predictor. Goodness of fit and discrimination of both models were good. In combination with forest growth models, the bark stripping models can be used to predict the risk of damage associated with different forest and habitat management options.

Vospernik, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Institute of Forest Growth Research, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Peter-Jordan-Stra§e 82, A-1190 Vienna, Austria E-mail: sonja.vospernik@boku.ac.at

article id 315, category Research article

Lauri Korhonen, Kari T. Korhonen, Miina Rautiainen, Pauline Stenberg. (2006). Estimation of forest canopy cover: a comparison of field measurement techniques. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 315. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.315

Keywords: canopy cover; forest canopy; canopy closure; Cajanus tube; line intersect sampling; spherical densiometer; digital photographs

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Estimation of forest canopy cover has recently been included in many forest inventory programmes. In this study, after discussing how canopy cover is defined, different ground-based canopy cover estimation techniques are compared to determine which would be the most feasible for a large scale forest inventory. Canopy cover was estimated in 19 Scots pine or Norway spruce dominated plots using the Cajanus tube, line intersect sampling, modified spherical densiometer, digital photographs, and ocular estimation. The comparisons were based on the differences in values acquired with selected techniques and control values acquired with the Cajanus tube. The statistical significance of the differences between the techniques was tested with the nonparametric Kruskall-Wallis analysis of variance and multiple comparisons. The results indicate that different techniques yield considerably different canopy cover estimates. In general, labour intensive techniques (the Cajanus tube, line intersect sampling) provide unbiased and more precise estimates, whereas the estimates provided by fast techniques (digital photographs, ocular estimation) have larger variances and may also be seriously biased.

Korhonen, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 68, FI-68101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: lauri.korhonen@joensuu.fi
Korhonen, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 68, FI-68101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: ktk@nn.fi
Rautiainen, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 68, FI-68101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: mr@nn.fi
Stenberg, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 68, FI-68101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: ps@nn.fi

article id 314, category Research article

Yuhua Wang, Helena Korpelainen, Chunyang Li. (2006). Microsatellite polymorphism in the edaphic spruce, Picea asperata, originating from the mountains of China. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 314. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.314

Keywords: genetic diversity; microsatellite polymorphism; micro-geographic differentiation; natural selection; mutation

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Microsatellite variation of Picea asperata Mast. originating from the mountains of China was investigated by analyzing variation at seven SSR loci in 250 individuals representing ten populations. A fair degree of genetic diversity and considerable population subdivision occurred with the mean gene diversity (H) of 0.707, and genetic distances among populations varying between 0.121 and 0.224 (F_ST) and between 0.100 and 0.537 (R_ST). However, inter-population genetic distances showed no correlation with geographic distances between the population sites. This ruled out a simple isolation by distance model and suggested that migration does not have a great impact. In fact, the amount of gene flow, detected using private alleles, was very low, equaling only 0.753. Allele permutation tests revealed that stepwise-like mutations, coupled with genetic drift, could contribute to population differentiation. Moreover, significant genetic differences between populations were detected at most loci. The results indicate that natural selection, presumably through environmental stress, may be one of the main factors causing micro-geographical differentiation in the genetic structure of P. asperata. Based on SSR genotypes, 70% of the 250 individuals were correctly classified into their sites of origin. This suggests that microsatellites (SSRs) are effective in distinguishing genotypes of P. asperata originating from diverse eco-geographical sites in China.

Wang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, China; Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China E-mail: yw@nn.cn
Korpelainen, Department of Applied Biology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: hk@nn.fi
Li, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, China E-mail: licy@cib.ac.cn

article id 476, category Research article

Ignazio Monteleone, Diana Ferrazzini, Piero Belletti. (2006). Effectiveness of neutral RAPD markers to detect genetic divergence between the subspecies uncinata and mugo of Pinus mugo Turra. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 476. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.476

Keywords: molecular markers; population differentiation; genetic diversity; Pinus mugo; mountain pine; dwarf mountain pine

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Fifteen populations of Pinus mugo subsp. mugo (shrub) and Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata (erect), located in the Alps, were investigated through genetic variation scored at 64 polymorphic RAPD loci. In addition, morphological traits of the female cones were analysed. According to AMOVA most of the genetic variation was found within populations (83.39%), and only 1.25% of it between subspecies. Populations differed in terms of their internal genetic variation, with Nei’s gene diversity ranging from 0.227 to 0.397. Morphological data showed differences between subspecies, although none of the populations showed full accordance with expectations. Significant correlation was found between matrices for geographical and morphological distances, while genetic distances were not correlated with any other aspect. The efficacy of morphological and RAPD markers in discriminating between subspecies, and the contribution of the results in relation to the preservation of biodiversity, are discussed.

Monteleone, DI.VA.P.R.A., Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Turin, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy E-mail: im@nn.it
Ferrazzini, DI.VA.P.R.A., Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Turin, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy E-mail: df@nn.it
Belletti, DI.VA.P.R.A., Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Turin, via Leonardo da Vinci 44, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy E-mail: piero.belletti@unito.it

article id 336, category Research article

Ann Hedlund. (2006). The attractiveness of the work is affected when production of handcrafted log houses moves indoors. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 336. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.336

Keywords: log house building; attractive work; indoor; outdoor; work environment

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Viewed from a historical perspective, a shift has occurred within the forestry and wood sector towards indoor work. In Sweden, the production of handcrafted log houses has now also begun to move indoors. With a point of departure in development processes within the log house sector involving working indoors, education, work attractiveness, between 2001–2005, the aim of this study was to compare indoor work with outdoor work, based on log house builders’ experience of working on handcrafted log houses. Methods used in the interactive development project involving apprentices, experienced log house builders and researchers, were participation with continuous documentation of experiences and opinions; questions; interviews; and measurement of the work environment. The Attractive Work Model has been used in order to analyse perceptions and values. The changes, 15 out of 22 areas, were perceived both negatively and positively. Therefore, it can not be said that working on traditional, handcrafted log houses becomes more attractive if it is moved indoors. The majority wanted to work both outdoors and indoors, while most of the others only wanted to work outdoors. The results indicate that there is scope for developing more attractive work indoors by utilising experiences from log house builders and closely related activities such as the forestry and wood sector. Changes made within one area of work attractiveness affect other areas. Further research is needed both with regard to comparisons between indoor and outdoor work and regarding the interaction between the areas that are identified in the Attractive Work Model.

Hedlund, Dalarna University, SE-781 88 Borlänge, Sweden E-mail: ahd@du.se

article id 335, category Research article

Markus Holopainen, Mervi Talvitie. (2006). Effect of data acquisition accuracy on timing of stand harvests and expected net present value. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 335. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.335

Keywords: forest inventory; laser scanning; digital aerial photographs; digital photogrammetry; net present value; expected net present value loss

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Modern remote sensing provides cost-efficient spatial digital data that are more accurate than before. However, the influence of increased accuracy and cost-efficiency on simulations of forest management planning has not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to analyse the effect of data acquisition accuracy on standwise forest inventory by comparing the accuracy and cost of traditional compartmentwise inventory methods with 2D and 3D measurements of digital aerial photographs and airborne laser scanning. Comparison was based on the expected net present value (NPV), i.e. economic losses that consisted of the inventory costs and incorrect timings of treatments. The reference data, totalling 700 ha, were measured from Central Park in the city of Helsinki, Finland. The data were simulated to final cut with a MOTTI simulator, which is a stand-level analysis tool that can be used to assess the effects of alternative forest management practices on growth and timber yield. The results showed that when inventory costs were not considered there were no significant differences between the expected NPV losses in 3D measurements of digital aerial photographs, laser scanning and the compartmentwise method. When inventory costs were taken into account, the compartmentwise method was still the most efficient inventory method in the study area. Forest inventories, however, are usually directed to larger areas when the costs per hectare of remote-sensing methods decrease. As a result of better accuracies, 3D and compartmentwise methods always produce better results than the 2D method when NPV losses are accounted. Simulations of this type are based on the accuracies and costs of the 3D data available today, assuming that the data can be used in tree-level measurements.

Holopainen, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: markus.holopainen@helsinki.fi
Talvitie, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mt@nn.fi

article id 334, category Research article

Jouni Siipilehto. (2006). Linear prediction application for modelling the relationships between a large number of stand characteristics of Norway spruce stands. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 334. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.334

Keywords: Picea abies; stand characteristics; prediction; calibration estimation; interdependence

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The aim was to produce models for a large number of stand characteristics of Norway spruce dominated stands. A total of 227 national forest inventory based permanent stand plots, dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies), were used in modelling eight stand variables as a function of the stand mean biological age and site characteristics. The basic models were able to characterize the average development of the modelled stand variables, but resulted in a relatively high RMSE. Basal area (G) and stem number (N) were the most inaccurate, having a RMSE of 34–41%, while that of mean diameter and height characteristics varied between 16–20%. The expectations and error variances of the basic models were calibrated with known stand variables using linear prediction theory. The best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) with a single stand variable used for calibration proved to be ineffective for unknown G and N, but relatively effective for the unknown mean characteristics. However, calibration with one sum and one mean characteristic proved to be effective, and additional calibration variables enhanced the precision only marginally. The BLUP method provided a flexible approach when characterizing the relationships between a large number of stand variables, thus enabling multiple use of these models because they were not fixed to a specific inventory system.

Siipilehto, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: jouni.siipilehto@metla.fi

article id 333, category Research article

Lauri Mehtätalo, Matti Maltamo, Annika Kangas. (2006). The use of quantile trees in the prediction of the diameter distribution of a stand. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 333. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.333

Keywords: stand structure; inventory; percentile; order statistics

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

This study deals with the prediction of the basal area diameter distribution of a stand without using a complete sample of diameters from the target stand. Traditionally, this problem has been solved by either the parameter recovery method or the parameter prediction method. This study uses the parameter prediction method and the percentile based diameter distribution with a recent development that makes it possible to improve these predictions by using sample order statistics. A sample order statistic is a tree whose diameter and rank at the plot are known, and is referred to in this paper as a quantile tree. This study tested 13 different strategies for selection of the quantile trees from among the trees of horizontal point sample plots, and compared them with respect to RMSE and the bias of four criterion variables in a dataset of 512 stands. The sample minimum was found to be the most promising alternative with respect to RMSE, even though it introduced a rather large amount of bias in the criterion variables. Other good and less biased alternatives are the second and third smallest trees and the tree closest to the plot centre. The use of minimum is recommended for practical inventories because its rank is probably easiest to determine correctly in the field.

Mehtätalo, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 205 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA E-mail: lauri.mehtatalo@metla.fi
Maltamo, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: mm@nn.fi
Kangas, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resources Management, P.O.Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ak@nn.fi

article id 332, category Research article

Marc Palahí, Timo Pukkala, Antoni Trasobares. (2006). Calibrating predicted tree diameter distributions in Catalonia, Spain. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 332. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.332

Keywords: calibration estimation; Weibull function; parameter prediction

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Several probability density functions have been used in describing the diameter distributions of forest stands. In a case where both the stand basal area and number of stems per hectare are assessed, the fitted or predicted distribution is scaled using only one of these variables, with the result that the distribution often gives incorrect values for the other variable. Using a distribution that provides incorrect values for known characteristics means wasting information. Calibrating the distribution so that it is compatible with the additional information on stand characteristics is a way to avoid such wasting. This study examined the effect of calibration on the accuracy of the predicted diameter distributions of the main tree species of Catalonia. The distributions were calibrated with and without considering the prediction errors of the frequencies of diameter classes. When prediction errors were assumed, the calibration was done with and without making allowance for estimation errors in the stand level calibration variables. Calibrated distributions were more accurate than non-calibrated in terms of sums of different powers of diameters. The set of calibration variables that gave the most accurate results included six stand variables: number of trees per hectare, stand basal area, basal-area-weighted mean diameter, non-weighted mean diameter, median diameter, and basal area median diameter. Of the tested three-variable combinations the best was: number of trees per hectare, stand basal area, and basal-area-weighted mean diameter. Means were more useful calibration variables than medians.

Palahí, Centre Tecnológic Forestal de Catalunya. Passeig Lluis Companys, 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain E-mail: marc.palahi@ctfc.es
Pukkala, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: tp@nn.fi
Trasobares, Foreco Technologies, Av. Diagonal 416, Estudio 2, Barcelona 08037, Spain E-mail: at@nn.es

article id 331, category Research article

Jouni Siipilehto. (2006). Height distributions of Scots pine sapling stands affected by retained tree and edge stand competition. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 331. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.331

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; retention; height distribution; Weibull function; percentile prediction; edge effect

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The paper focused on the height structure of Scots pine saplings affected by (1) retained solitary pine trees or (2) a pine-dominated edge stand. The study material in (1) and (2) consisted of ten separate regeneration areas in southern Finland. In (1) 2-m radius study plots were located at 1, 3, 6 and 10 m distances from 10 systematically selected, solitary retained trees in each stand. In (2) the study plots were systematically located within 20 m from the edge stand. Competition of the individual trees was modelled using ecological field theory. The 24th and 93rd sample percentiles were used for estimating the height distribution using the two-parameter Weibull function. The models incorporated the effect of varying advanced tree competition on the predicted percentiles. Competition free dominant height was used as a driving variable for the developmental phase. Competition resulted in retarded height development within a radius of about 6 m from the retained tree, while it extended up to roughly half of the dominant height of the edge stand. The height distribution without external competition was relatively symmetrical, but increasing competition resulted in a more peaked and skewed distribution. Slight differences were found between northern sunny and southern shaded stand edges, while the least retarded height occurred at the north-western edge receiving morning sunlight. Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit tests showed acceptable and equal fit for both data sets; 2% and 8% of the distributions did not pass the test at the alpha 0.1 level when the Weibull distribution was estimated with the observed or predicted percentiles, respectively.

Siipilehto, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: jouni.siipilehto@metla.fi

article id 330, category Research article

Benoit Lapointe, Robert Bradley, William Parsons, Suzanne Brais. (2006). Nutrient and light availability to white spruce seedlings in partial and clearcut harvested aspen stands. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 330. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.330

Keywords: foliar nutrients; DIFN light; Picea glauca; soil mineral nitrogen; vector analysis

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Lapointe, Université de Sherbrooke, Département de biologie, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1K 2R1 E-mail: bl@nn.ca
Bradley, Université de Sherbrooke, Département de biologie, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1K 2R1 E-mail: robert.bradley@usherbrooke.ca
Parsons, Université de Sherbrooke, Département de biologie, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1K 2R1 E-mail: wp@nn.ca
Brais, UQAT, 445 boulevard Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada J9X 5E4 E-mail: sb@nn.ca

article id 329, category Research article

Vesa Juntunen, Seppo Neuvonen. (2006). Natural regeneration of Scots pine and Norway spruce close to the timberline in northern Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 329. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.329

Keywords: Norway spruce; regeneration; Scots pine; timberline; tree line; seed maturity; seedling mortality

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Two different datasets were analyzed in order to clarify the factors that affect regeneration success of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the climatically extreme areas in northern Finland. First, pine seed maturity and the number of cones in the trees were investigated at five pairs of study sites during the period 1997–2003. Secondly, the rate of seedling establishment and seedling survival of Scots pine and Norway spruce were monitored and compared among three different timberline zones (forest zone, timberline, tree line) in 13 localities during the period 1983–1999. The first study showed that both cone production (bud formation) and seed maturity may be limiting factors for successful reproduction in the climatically marginal habitats. Seed maturity correlated well with the temperature sum of the summer, but variation in the number of cones had a periodic component rather than strictly following the temperature sum of the summer of bud formation. Monitoring surveys since 1983 showed that pine and spruce regenerated more or less regularly in all the zones during 1983–1999. However, seedling mortality of pines was much higher compared to spruce. In general, initially small sized seedlings showed higher mortality compared with larger ones. The results suggest that besides restrictions in reproduction, stand dynamics in the timberline habitats are strongly controlled by seedling mortality due to a variety of causes.

Juntunen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Kolari Research Unit, Muoniontie 21, FI-95900 Kolari, Finland E-mail: vesa.juntunen@metla.fi
Neuvonen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: sn@nn.fi

article id 328, category Research article

Pedro J. Aphalo, Markku Lahti, Tarja Lehto, Tapani Repo, Aino Rummukainen, Hannu Mannerkoski, Leena Finér. (2006). Responses of silver birch saplings to low soil temperature. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 328. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.328

Keywords: biomass; Betula pendula; photosynthesis; electrical impedance; mineral nutrients; soil temperature; stomatal conductance; water relations

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Two-year-old silver birch (Betula pendula) saplings were grown for a third growing season in controlled-environment rooms (dasotrons) at three soil temperatures (5, 10, and 20 °C). All trees grew the first flush of leaves, but the growth of the second flush was almost completely inhibited at the two lower temperatures. The dry weight of the second-flush leaves was 50 times larger at 20 °C than at 5 and 10 °C, with about 100 times more nitrogen. Root growth was less affected than shoot growth. Chlorophyll content, net assimilation rate and stomatal conductance were lower at low soil temperatures. The value of the cytoplasm resistance estimated from the electric impedance spectra was lower at 5 °C than at 10 or 20 °C. Leaf water potential was highest at the lowest soil temperature, and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration was only slightly lower in saplings growing in cooler soil. We conclude that the effect of long-term exposure to cold soil on net assimilation and growth was not caused by stomatal closure alone. It is likely to be additionally mediated by the limited nitrogen acquisition at the low soil temperatures, and perhaps additionally by some other factor. As the growth depression of aboveground parts in response to low soil temperature was more significant in silver birch than what has earlier been found in conifers, the relative changes in air and soil temperature may eventually determine whether birch will become more dominant in boreal forests with climate change.

Aphalo, University of Helsinki, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences E-mail: pja@nn.fi
Lahti, The Finnish Forest Research Institute E-mail: ml@nn.fi
Lehto, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: tarja.lehto@joensuu.fi
Repo, The Finnish Forest Research Institute E-mail: tr@nn.fi
Rummukainen, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: ar@nn.fi
Mannerkoski, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: hm@nn.fi
Finér, The Finnish Forest Research Institute E-mail: lf@nn.fi

article id 327, category Research article

Gong Zhang, Guang-ming Zeng, Yi-min Jiang, Chun-yan Du, Guo-he Huang, Jia-mei Yao, Mei Zeng, Xi-lin Zhang, Wei Tan. (2006). Seasonal dry deposition and canopy leaching of base cations in a subtropical evergreen mixed forest, China. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 327. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.327

Keywords: throughfall; bulk precipitation; dry deposition; canopy exchange; base cations; evergreen forest

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

We evaluated the dry deposition and canopy leaching fluxes of base cations in the growing and the dormant seasons using the Na-ratio method based on the 4-year (2000–2003) monitoring data in Shaoshan subtropical evergreen mixed forest, China. The dry deposition of base cations in the growing seasons was lower than that in the dormant seasons, while the canopy leaching of base cations was higher in the growing seasons than that in the dormant seasons. The precipitation quantity and H⁺ significantly impacted the canopy leaching processes. The annual canopy leaching of K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ accounted for 88, 46 and 38% of net throughfall flux, respectively. The canopy retention of proton (H⁺ and NH₄⁺) is close to the canopy leaching of base cations calibrated by weak acids, indicating that the canopy cations leaching is neutralizing acid precipitation.

Zhang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China; Hunan Environmental Protection Bureau, Hunan Province, Changsha, 410076, P.R. China E-mail: gz@nn.cn
Zeng, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: zgming@hnu.cn
Jiang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China; Hunan Environmental Protection Bureau, Hunan Province, Changsha, 410076, P.R. China E-mail: ymj@nn.cn
Du, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: cyd@nn.cn
Huang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: ghh@nn.cn
Yao, Xiangya Hospital, Central-south University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410008, P.R. China E-mail: jmy@nn.cn
Zeng, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: mz@nn.cn
Zhang, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: xlz@nn.cn
Tan, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410082, P.R. China E-mail: wt@nn.cn

article id 326, category Research article

Xuejiang Zhang, Helena Korpelainen, Chunyang Li. (2006). Microsatellite variation of Quercus aquifolioides populations at varying altitudes in the Wolong Natural Reserve of China. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 3 article id 326. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.326

Keywords: genetic differentiation; genetic variation; altitudinal gradients; microsatellites; Quercus aquifolioides

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Genetic variation and differentiation were investigated among five natural populations of Quercus aquifolioides occurring along an altitudinal gradient that varied from 2000 to 3600 m above sea level in the Wolong Natural Reserve of China, by analyzing variation at six microsatellite loci. The results showed that the populations were characterized by relatively high intra-population variation with the average number of alleles equaling 11.33 per locus and the average expected heterozygosity (H_E) being 0.779. The amount of genetic variation varied only little among populations, which suggests that the influence of altitude factors on microsatellite variation is limited. However, there is a significantly positive correlation between altitude and the number of low-frequency alleles (R² = 0.97, P < 0.01), which indicates that Q. aquifolioides from high altitudes has more unique variation, possibly enabling adaptation to severe conditions. F statistics showed the presence of a slight deficiency of heterozygosity (F_IS = 0.136) and a low level of differentiation among populations (F_ST = 0.066). The result of the cluster analysis demonstrated that the grouping of populations does not correspond to the altitude of the populations. Based on the available data, it is likely that the selective forces related to altitude are not strong enough to significantly differentiate the populations of Q. aquifolioides in terms of microsatellite variation.

Zhang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China; Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, P. R. China E-mail: xz@nn.cn
Korpelainen, Department of Applied Biology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: hk@nn.fi
Li, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China E-mail: licy@cib.ac.cn

article id 477, category Research article

Pete Bettinger, Jianping Zhu. (2006). A new heuristic method for solving spatially constrained forest planning problems based on mitigation of infeasibilities radiating outward from a forced choice. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 477. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.477

Keywords: forest management; integer decision variables; integer programming

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

A new heuristic method to mitigate infeasibilities when a choice is forced into a solution was developed to solve spatially constrained forest planning problems. One unique aspect of the heuristic is the introduction of unchosen decision choices into a solution regardless of the resulting infeasibilities, which are then mitigated by selecting next-best choices for those spatial units that are affected, but in a radiating manner away from the initial choice. As subsequent changes are made to correct the affected spatial units, more infeasibilities may occur, and these are corrected as well in an outward manner from the initial choice. A single iteration of the model may involve a number of changes to the status of the decision variables, making this an n-opt heuristic process. The second unique aspect of the search process is the periodic reversion of the search to a saved (in computer memory) best solution. Tests have shown that the reversion is needed to ensure better solutions are located. This new heuristic produced solutions to spatial problems that are of equal or comparable in quality to traditional integer programming solutions, and solutions that are better than those produced by two other basic heuristics. Three small hypothetical forest examples illustrate the performance of the heuristic against standard versions of threshold accepting and tabu search. In each of the three examples, the variation in solutions generated from random starting points is smaller with the new heuristic, and the difference in solution values between the new heuristic and the other two heuristics is significant (p<0.05) when using an analysis of variance. However, what remains to be seen is whether the new method can be applied successfully to the broader range of operations research problems in forestry and other fields.

Bettinger, Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA E-mail: pbettinger@forestry.uga.edu
Zhu, Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA E-mail: jz@nn.us

article id 347, category Research article

Gordon M. Hickey, John L. Innes. (2006). Monitoring and information reporting through regulation: an inter-jurisdictional comparison of forestry-related hard laws. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 347. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.347

Keywords: forest legislation; grounded theory; constant comparison; Europe; North America

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

In most jurisdictions, the rule of law has been the core instrument used to implement rules, regulations and restrictions relating to forests. The results of this approach have relied on the effectiveness of the system for regulating through monitoring and reporting. Despite the obvious differences in the wider operating environment of forestry internationally, issues related to globalization have increased the need for comparison. The potential impact of certain social, economic and environmental differences on the nature of monitoring and information reporting is, therefore, important to forest policy and management. The analysis presented here considered data associated with forestry-related monitoring and information reporting to provide a comparative description of certain hard-law requirements in a sample of jurisdictions. This was done to shed light on the potential for coordinated monitoring and information reporting objectives to be mandated through inter-jurisdictional hard law. Our research suggests that further comparative analysis of hard law monitoring and information reporting requirements could form a central theme in defining the ‘ground rules’ of a global forest law.

Hickey, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Resources Management, 2045, 2424 Main Mall, UBC, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z4 E-mail: ghickey@interchange.ubc.ca
Innes, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Resources Management, 2045, 2424 Main Mall, UBC, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z4 E-mail: jli@nn.ca

article id 346, category Research article

Tuomo Nurminen, Heikki Korpunen, Jori Uusitalo. (2006). Time consumption analysis of the mechanized cut-to-length harvesting system. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 346. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.346

Keywords: cutting; time study; forest haulage; single-grip harvester; forwarder; work phase

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The time consumption and productivity of harvesting are dependent on stand conditions, the operators’ skills, working techniques and the characteristics of the forestry machinery. Even if the basic methods and machine types of the cut-to-length harvesting system have not changed significantly in 10 to 15 years, improvements in the operators’ competence, technical solutions in forest machinery and changes in the working environment have undoubtedly taken place. In this study, the objective was to discover the special characteristics in the time consumption of mechanized cutting and forest haulage in Finnish conditions. The empirical time study was conducted with professional operators and medium-sized single-grip harvesters and forwarders in final fellings and thinnings in easy terrain in central Finland. The models for effective time consumption in the work phases and total productivity were formed. Stem size, tree species and bucking affected the cutting, whereas timber density on the strip road, the average driving distance, load capacity, wood assortment and the bunching result of the harvester operator had an effect on the forest haulage performance. The results may be used in simulations, cost calculations and education.

Nurminen, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: tuomo.nurminen@joensuu.fi
Korpunen, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: hk@nn.fi
Uusitalo, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano Research Unit, Kaironiementie 54, FI-39700 Parkano, Finland E-mail: ju@nn.fi

article id 345, category Research article

Pekka Hyvönen, Perttu Anttila. (2006). Change detection in boreal forests using bi-temporal aerial photographs. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 345. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.345

Keywords: forest inventory; discriminant analysis; change detection; aerial photography; continuous updating

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Increased need for timely forest information is leading to continuous updating of stand databases. In continuous updating, stand attributes are estimated in the field after an operation and stored in databases. To find the changes caused by operations and forest damage, a semi-automatic method based on bi-temporal aerial photographs was developed. The test data were classified into three classes: No-change (952 stands), Moderate-change (163 stands) and Considerable-change (44 stands). The aerial photographs were acquired in years 2001 and 2004 with almost the same image specifications. Altogether 110 features at stand level were extracted and used in change detection analysis. The test data were classified with stepwise discriminant analysis. The overall accuracy of classification varied between 75.3 and 84.7%. The considerable changes were found without error, whereas the Moderate-change and No-change classes were often confused. However, 84.2% of thinned stands were classified correctly. The best accuracy in classification was obtained by using the histogram and textural features extracted from the original, uncorrected images. Radiometric correction did not improve the accuracy of classification. Soil type, characteristics of the growing stock and the location of a stand in an image were found to affect the change detection. Before the method can be applied operationally, issues related to, e.g., confusion between No-change and Moderate-change must be solved.

Hyvönen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: pekka.hyvonen@metla.fi
Anttila, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: pa@nn.fi

article id 344, category Research article

Juha Lappi. (2006). Smooth height/age curves from stem analysis with linear programming. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 344. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.344

Keywords: height growth; spline; ring counts; second order difference; Issa

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Stem analysis data defines a range of possible heights for each age. A smooth stem/age curve is obtained with linear programming (LP) when the sum of the absolute second differences of heights is minimized subject to constraints obtained from the stem analysis. The method is analogous to cubic splines. A LP problem can include additional constraints that are based on the assumption that the crosscut is randomly located within the annual height increment. The method produces smoother height curves than Issa method which is utilizing second order differences of ring counts. It was found using simulated data that the method provides better results than earlier methods for short bolts if height growth is sufficiently regular.

Lappi, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki Research Unit, Juntintie 154, FI-77600 Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: juha.lappi@metla.fi

article id 343, category Research article

Karin Vestlund, Tomas Nordfjell, Lars Eliasson, Anders Karlsson. (2006). A decision support system for selective cleaning. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 343. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.343

Keywords: forestry; pre-commercial thinning; automation; practical cleaning

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Cleaning (pre-commercial thinning) costs have increased relative to logging and regeneration costs, creating a desire for rationalisation. Cleaning with robots may be a solution, but automating stem selections requires a decision support system (DSS) capable of rendering acceptable results. The aims were to develop a DSS for automation of individual stem selections in practical cleaning, and to test, using simulations, if it renders acceptable results. Data on 17 young forest stands were used to develop a DSS that selects stems by species, position (including distance and density parameters), diameter, and damage. Six simulations were run, following the DSS, with different target settings for density, percentage of deciduous stems and minimum distance between stems. The results depend on the initial state of the stands, but generally met the requested targets in an acceptable way. On average, the density results deviated by –20% to +6% from the target values, the amount of deciduous stems shifted towards the target values, and the proportion of stems with defined damaged decreased from initially 14–90% to 4–13%. The mean diameter at breast height increased and the minimum allowed distance between stems was never violated. The simulation results indicate that the DSS is operational. However, for implementation in robotics a crucial problem is to automatically perceive the selected attributes, so additional simulations with erroneous data were run. Correct measurements of diameters are less crucial than to find the majority of the trees and the majority of trees with damages.

Vestlund, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Silviculture, P.O. Box 7060, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: karin.vestlund@ssko.slu.se
Nordfjell, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Resource Management and Geomatics, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: tn@nn.se
Eliasson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Silviculture, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: le@nn.se
Karlsson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Silviculture, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ak@nn.se

article id 342, category Research article

Jaana Luoranen, Juha Lappi, Gang Zhang, Heikki Smolander. (2006). Field performance of hybrid aspen clones planted in summer. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 342. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.342

Keywords: survival; Populus; growth; hybrid aspen; micropropagation; planting date; root cutting; root egress; survivalgrowth

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

We investigated the possibility to plant clonal hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x tremuloides) during the summer of propagation when the plants are 20–25 cm tall and only a few months old. In four experiments carried out in years 1998–2001, survival of summer-planted hybrid aspens was at least as high as that of hybrid aspen planted in autumn and spring. In all experiments, compared to planting in September or the following May, height growth was greater with planting in July and early August. Root egress of hybrid aspens planted in July and August was also greater than that of aspens planted in autumn or the following spring. Summer planting was thus possible both with plants produced by micropropagation and with those produced from root cuttings.

Luoranen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki Research Unit, Juntintie 154, FI-77600 Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: jaana.luoranen@metla.fi
Lappi, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki Research Unit, Juntintie 154, FI-77600 Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: lj@nn.fi
Zhang, College of Horticulture, Agricultural University of Hebei, Baoding, Hebei, China E-mail: gz@nn.cn
Smolander, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Suonenjoki Research Unit, Juntintie 154, FI-77600 Suonenjoki, Finland E-mail: hs@nn.fi

article id 341, category Research article

Sanni Raiskila, Pekka Saranpää, Kurt Fagerstedt, Tapio Laakso, Mia Löija, Riitta Mahlberg, Leena Paajanen, Anne-Christine Ritschkoff. (2006). Growth rate and wood properties of Norway spruce cutting clones on different sites. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 341. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.341

Keywords: Norway spruce; density; growth rate; mechanical strength; modulus of elasticity; modulus of rupture

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The effect of growth rate on weight density and strength properties of three Norway spruce cutting clones growing on three different sites in different geographic locations was studied. The purpose was to follow variation in wood physical and mechanical properties and in quality between fast-growing clones grown in environments differing in nutritional and soil properties and climate within the boreal zone. The cloned trees had been selected on grounds of good growth, health and quality. The cuttings were collected from three-year-old seedlings and rooted. The rooted cuttings were planted in the 1970’s and they were on average 26 years old at a time of felling. The variation of weight density was studied within the annual ring and within the stem between the juvenile and mature wood from the pith to the bark with an X-ray densitometric method. The average annual ring width (and latewood proportion, %) varied between the clones from 2.92±1.36 mm (15.34%) to 3.30±1.25 mm (11.80%) and between the sites from 2.76±1.07 mm (14.71%) to 3.70±1.22 mm (13.29%). The mean weight density was 0.461±0.077 g cm–3 and latewood density 0.750±0.125 g cm–3 in this material. The mean modulus of elasticity was 9.88±1.43 GPa, modulus of rupture 67.51±11.50 MPa and weight density of the test samples (ρ12) 414±44 kg m–3 in mature wood. The parameters studied showed clearly that the environment had a large effect while the three clones differed from each other similarly in the different sites, e.g. the fastest growing clone was fastest on all sites.

Raiskila, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: sr@nn.fi
Saranpää, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: pekka.saranpaa@metla.fi
Fagerstedt, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Plant Biology, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: kf@nn.fi
Laakso, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: tl@nn.fi
Löija, VTT Building and Transport, P.O. Box 1806, FI-02044 VTT, Finland E-mail: lm@nn.fi
Mahlberg, VTT Building and Transport, P.O. Box 1806, FI-02044 VTT, Finland E-mail: rm@nn.fi
Paajanen, VTT Building and Transport, P.O. Box 1806, FI-02044 VTT, Finland E-mail: lp@nn.fi
Ritschkoff, VTT Building and Transport, P.O. Box 1806, FI-02044 VTT, Finland E-mail: acr@nn.fi

article id 340, category Research article

Petteri Muukkonen, Raisa Mäkipää, Raija Laiho, Kari Minkkinen, Harri Vasander, Leena Finér. (2006). Relationship between biomass and percentage cover in understorey vegetation of boreal coniferous forests. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 340. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.340

Keywords: upland soils; peatlands; biomass models; ground vegetation

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

In the present study, the aboveground biomass of the understorey vegetation of boreal coniferous forests was modelled according to the percentage cover. A total of 224 observations from 22 stands in upland forests and 195 observations from 14 different studies in peatland forests were utilized for the present analyses. The relationships between biomass and percentage cover can be used in ecosystem and carbon-cycle modelling as a rapid nondestructive method for estimation of the aboveground biomass of lichens, bryophytes, herbs and grasses, and dwarf shrubs in upland forests and bottom and field layers in peatland forests.

Muukkonen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: petteri.muukkonen@metla.fi
Mäkipää, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Unioninkatu 40 A, FI-00170 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: rm@nn.fi
Laiho, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 24, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: rl@nn.fi
Minkkinen, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 24, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: km@nn.fi
Vasander, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 24, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: hv@nn.fi
Finér, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: lf@nn.fi

article id 339, category Research article

John W. McCarthy, Gordon Weetman. (2006). Age and size structure of gap-dynamic, old-growth boreal forest stands in Newfoundland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 339. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.339

Keywords: boreal forests; old-growth forests; gap dynamics; age and size structure; rotated sigmoid; Newfoundland

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The age and size structure of trees in old Abies-Picea-Betula forests on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula were examined. It was hypothesized that the size and age structure of both the tree and regeneration “strata” of these stands display the complex structural heterogeneity characteristic of classic, self-regenerating, uneven-aged old-growth stands, and that the development and dynamics of such structures occur over long periods of time. With all tree species combined, dbh (diameter at breast height) and height distributions exhibited a strong reverse-J character, with well-defined, semi-logarithmic rotated sigmoid height and size frequencies. Seedling height and basal diameter frequency distributions were reverse-J in character. Live tree ages for all species, except white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh), ranged from 25 to 269 years, and were characterized by all-age frequency distributions. Tree age and size were poorly correlated. On average, balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) required 62 years to reach breast height (1.3 m), with black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) requiring 40 and 48 years, respectively. Total age of dead standing trees ranged from 45 to 232 years. Reverse-J age frequencies characterized the seedling bank, with balsam fir seedlings present in nearly all age classes up to 110, 120 and 85 years in three sample stands. Seedling size (height and basal diameter)-age relationships were characteristic of decades-long suppression. The combination of tree and seedling bank size and age structure provide strong evidence of quasi-equilibrium, small-scale, gap dynamic old-growth boreal forest stands.

McCarthy, University of British Columbia, Forest Sciences Department, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z4 E-mail: jmccarthy@jesuits.ca
Weetman, University of British Columbia, Forest Sciences Department, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z4 E-mail: gw@n.ca

article id 338, category Research article

Andrea Vajda, Ari Venäläinen, Pekka Hänninen, Raimo Sutinen. (2006). Effect of vegetation on snow cover at the northern timberline: a case study in Finnish Lapland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 338. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.338

Keywords: climate; snow; forest-tundra; Lapland; radar; tree-line; wind modelling

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The presence of permanent snow cover for 200–220 days of the year has a determining role in the energy, hydrological and ecological processes at the climate-driven spruce (Picea abies) timberline in Lapland. Disturbances, such as forest fires or forest harvesting change the vegetation pattern and influence the spatial variation of snow cover. This variability in altered snow conditions (in subarctic Fennoscandia) is still poorly understood. We studied the influence of vegetation on the small-scale spatial variation of snow cover and wind climate in the Tuntsa area that was disturbed by a widespread forest fire in 1960. Radar was applied to measure snow thickness over two vegetation types, the spruce-dominant fire refuge and post-fire treeless tundra. Wind modelling was used to estimate the spatial variation of wind speed and direction. Due to the altered surface roughness and the increased wind velocity, snow drifting was more vigorous on the open tundra, resulting in a 30-cm thinner snow cover and almost half the water equivalent compared to the forest values. The changes in local climate after the fire, particularly in snow cover, may have played an important role in the poor recovery of vegetation: a substantial area is still unforested 40 years after the fire.

Vajda, Finnish Meteorogical Institute, Climate and Global Change, P.O. Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: andrea.vajda@fmi.fi
Venäläinen, Finnish Meteorogical Institute, Climate and Global Change, P.O. Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: av@nn.fi
Hänninen, Geological Survey of Finland, P.O. Box 96, FI-02151 Espoo, Finland E-mail: ph@nn.fi
Sutinen, Geological Survey of Finland, P.O. Box 77, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: rs@nn.fi

article id 337, category Research article

Hannu Salminen, Risto Jalkanen. (2006). Modelling variation of needle density of Scots pine at high latitudes. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 2 article id 337. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.337

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; needles; dendroclimatology; NTM; precipitation; temperature; fascicles

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The relationship between apical extension and needle density and the effect of temperature and precipitation on needle density was modelled using data gathered from forty-nine felled sample trees in five stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) located along a latitudinal transect from the Arctic Circle up to the northern timberline. The lengths were measured and needle densities assessed from all annual shoots located above 1.3 metres using the Needle Trace Method (NTM), resulting, on average, in 39-year-long chronologies. The mean overall needle density was 7.8 short shoots per shoot centimetre. Needle-density variation in the measured data was mostly due to within-tree differences. Of the total variance, within-tree variation yielded 46%, between-tree 21%, and between-year 27%. The dependence of needle density on annual height growth was studied by fitting a multilevel model with random stand-, tree- and year-intercepts, the independent variables being tree age and height growth. There was a very strong negative correlation between height growth and needle density, and the proportion of between-year variance explained solely by height growth and age was 50%. The stand-wise residual variations and their correlations with the temperature and precipitation time series were further analysed with cross-correlation analysis in order to screen for additional independent variables. The only possible additional independent variable found was the precipitation of April–May (precipitation of May in the two northernmost stands). When it was added to the multi-level model, the proportion of explained between-year needle-density variance was 55%, but the overall fit of the model improved only slightly. The effect of late winter and early spring precipitation indicates the role of snow coverage and snowmelt on the growing conditions in the three southernmost stands. In general, stand-level needle-density variation is mostly due to changes in height growth.

Salminen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: hannu.salminen@metla.fi
Jalkanen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: rj@nn.fi

article id 359, category Research article

Paula Horne. (2006). Forest owners’ acceptance of incentive based policy instruments in forest biodiversity conservation – a choice experiment based approach. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 359. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.359

Keywords: forest owners; heterogeneity; incentive based policy mechanism; choice experiment method

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Finland has launched a new policy programme (METSO) to enhance conservation of forest biodiversity. In non-industrial private forests, the policy is based on economic incentives and voluntarism on the part of forest owners. While biodiversity conservation is the main target of the policy, social acceptability is considered to be of great importance. This study examined the factors that affect the acceptability of biodiversity conservation contracts among private forest owners, and the amount of compensation needed to keep the forest owners at least as well off as before the contract. Choice experiment method was used to analyse the data that were collected by surveying 3000 Finnish private forest owners. Analysing separately those respondents who were willing to enter into a conservation contract allowed an assessment of the impact of forest owners’ heterogeneity on compensation amount. The results show how the welfare of forest owners shifts when the contract terms are changed. In a base scenario the forest owner was assumed to be the initiator of the contract that would require only small patches of forest to be protected, and would also bind new forest owners over its duration of ten years. For all respondents, the average demand for compensation would be around 224 euros annually. When those always choosing the “no additional conservation” alternative were excluded, the average welfare impact of the base scenario was positive.

Horne, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Unioninkatu 40 A, FI-00170 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: paula.horne@metla.fi

article id 358, category Research article

Turgay Akbulut, Nadir Ayrilmis. (2006). Effect of compression wood on surface roughness and surface absorption of medium density fiberboard. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 358. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.358

Keywords: compression wood; medium density fiberboard; surface properties; surface analysis

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Compression wood is undoubtedly one of the most important raw material variables in wood based panel manufacturing. This study evaluated effect of compression wood on surface roughness and surface absorption (flow distance) of medium density fiberboards (MDF) manufactured from furnishes of pine (Pinus nigra Arnold var. pallasiana) containing compression wood. Panels were manufactured from two different portions of the furnish, one of the portions having a compression wood/normal wood ratio of 75/25, and the other having a ratio of 10/90. Surface absorption and surface roughness were determined according to (EN 382-1) and (ISO 4287), respectively. It was found that panels made from furnish with a 75/25 ratio had a significantly lower surface absorption value (255.78 mm) than panels made from furnish with a 10/90 ratio (317.95 mm). Surface roughness measurements based on three roughness parameters, average roughness (Ra), mean peak-to-valley height (Rz), and maximum peak-to-valley height (Ry) were considered to evaluate the surface characteristics of the panels and supported the above findings as the panels made from furnish with a 75/25 ratio had slightly rougher surface with average values of 4.15 µm (Ra). From the tests performed, we conclude that increasing of the compression wood portion increased the surface roughness and decreased the surface absorption value.

Akbulut, Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Bahcekoy, TR-34473 Istanbul, Turkey E-mail: ta@nn.tr
Ayrilmis, Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Bahcekoy, TR-34473 Istanbul, Turkey E-mail: nadiray@istanbul.edu.tr

article id 357, category Research article

Elizabeth Dodson Coulter, John Sessions, Michael G. Wing. (2006). Scheduling forest road maintenance using the analytic hierarchy process and heuristics. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 357. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.357

Keywords: decision support; simulated annealing; threshold accepting; road environmental impacts; AHP

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The management of low-volume roads has transitioned from focusing on maintenance designed to protect a capital investment in road infrastructure to also include environmental effects. In this study, two models using mathematical programming are applied to schedule forest road maintenance and upgrade activities involving non-monetary benefits. Model I uses a linear objective function formulation that maximizes benefit subject to budgetary constraints. Model II uses a non-linear objective function to maximize the sum of benefits divided by the sum of all costs in a period. Because of the non-linearity of the constraints and the requirements that the decision variables be binary, the solutions to both problem formulations are found using two heuristics, simulated annealing and threshold accepting. Simulated annealing was found to produce superior solutions as compared to threshold accepting. The potential benefit for completing a given road maintenance or upgrade project is determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criterion decision analysis technique. This measure of benefit is combined with the economic cost of completing a given project to schedule maintenance and upgrade activities for 225 km (140 miles) of road in forested road systems within western Oregon. This combination of heuristics, cost-benefit analysis, environmental impacts, and expert judgment produces a road management schedule that better fits the current road management paradigm.

Coulter, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA E-mail: elizabeth.coulter@cfc.umt.edu
Sessions, Department of Forest Engineering, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 204 Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-5706, USA E-mail: js@nn.us
Wing, Department of Forest Engineering, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 204 Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-5706, USA E-mail: mgw@nn.us

article id 356, category Research article

Hamish D. Marshall, Glen Murphy, Kevin Boston. (2006). Three mathematical models for bucking-to-order. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 356. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.356

Keywords: mechanical harvesting/processing; optimal bucking; mixed integer programming; dynamic programming; buck-to-value

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The aim of this paper is to investigate different mathematical approaches to buck-to-order log merchandizing. A new bucking-to-order planning model using mixed integer programming was developed to determine the optimal production from a stand given different market constraints and forest inventory data. Three different approaches: market prices, target cutting patterns and adjusted price list were tested for generating cutting instructions to fulfill the plan created by the new planning model. The three approaches were evaluated in four test stands. The market prices approach simply applied the market prices to each stand. The target cutting patterns approach applied the sample cutting patterns generated from the planning model to the stand. The adjusted price list used a dynamic programming algorithm embedded in a search heuristic to adjust both the prices and small end diameters of log products to achieve the production goals of the planning models. The results showed that developing a buck-to-order plan is important in obtaining good order fulfillment. The target cutting patterns and adjusted price list approaches certainly out performed the market prices approach. This paper shows that these two approaches are capable of achieving excellent order fulfillment. Further development and testing is needed to determine which method is the best at generating cutting instructions for buck-to-order merchandizing.

Marshall, Ensis Forests, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, New Zealand E-mail: hamish.marshall@ensisjv.com
Murphy, Forest Engineering Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA E-mail: gm@nn.us
Boston, Forest Engineering Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA E-mail: kb@nn.us

article id 355, category Research article

Ilkka Korpela. (2006). Geometrically accurate time series of archived aerial images and airborne lidar data in a forest environment. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 355. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.355

Keywords: vegetation; canopy; monitoring; laser scanning; change detection; photogrammetry; 3D; aerial triangulation; direct georeferencing

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Reconstructing three-dimensional structural changes in the forest over time is possible using archived aerial photographs and photogrammetric techniques, which have recently been introduced to a larger audience with the advent of digital photogrammetry. This paper explores the feasibility of constructing an accurate time-series of archived aerial photographs spanning 42 years using different types of geometric data and estimation methods for image orientation. A recent airborne laser scanning (lidar) data set was combined with the image block and assessed for geometric match. The results suggest that it is possible to establish the multitemporal geometry of an image block to an accuracy that is better than 0.5 m in 3D and constant over time. Even geodetic ground control points can be omitted from the estimation if the most recent images have accurate direct sensor orientation, which is becoming a standard technique in aerial photography. This greatly reduces the costs and facilitates the work. An accurate multitemporal image block combined with recent lidar scanning for the estimation of topography allows accurate monitoring and retrospective analysis of forest vegetation and management operations.

Korpela, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ilkka.korpela@helsinki.fi

article id 354, category Research article

Mervi Talvitie, Olli Leino, Markus Holopainen. (2006). Inventory of sparse forest populations using adaptive cluster sampling. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 354. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.354

Keywords: coarse woody debris; adaptive cluster sampling; simple random sampling; drought damage; efficiency

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

In many studies, adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) proved to be a powerful tool for assessing rare clustered populations that are difficult to estimate by means of conventional sampling methods. During 2002 and 2003, severe drought-caused damage was observed in the park forests of the City of Helsinki, Finland, especially in barren site pine and spruce stands. The aim of the present study was to examine sampling and measurement methods for assessing drought damage by analysing the effectiveness of ACS compared with simple random sampling (SRS). Horvitz-Thompson and Hansen-Hurwitz estimators of the ACS method were used for estimating the population mean and variance of the variable of interest. ACS was considerably more effective than SRS in assessing rare clustered populations such as those resulting from drought damage. The variances in the ACS methods were significantly smaller and the inventory efficiency in the field better than in SRS.

Talvitie, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mervi.talvitie@helsinki.fi
Leino, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ol@nn.fi
Holopainen, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ah@nn.fi

article id 353, category Research article

Jaakko Repola, Hannu Hökkä, Timo Penttilä. (2006). Thinning intensity and growth of mixed spruce-birch stands on drained peatlands in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 353. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.353

Keywords: Picea abies; Betula pubescens; thinning; forest drainage; growth; spruce swamps

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The impacts of thinning at various intensities on the growth and mortality of mixed spruce-birch stands were investigated in thinning experiments on spruce swamps in northern and south-eastern Finland. At the time of establishment, three of the stands had recently reached the first commercial thinning stage and four were more advanced. The monitoring period was mainly 15 years, and the thinning intensity varied from heavy thinning (ca. 46 per cent of the basal area removed) to no thinning. Basal area removals of light and moderate thinning were ca. 22% and 39%, respectively. Unthinned plots had the highest volume increment. Light and moderate thinning slightly decreased the 15-year volume increment by, on an average, 1% and 8%, respectively. Heavy thinning led to a greater reduction (22%) in volume increment. The growth response to thinning intensity was evident as a higher relative volume and mean diameter increment of the living trees with decreasing stand density. Part of the volume increment on the unthinned plots was lost through natural mortality. Even light thinning significantly decreased natural mortality.

Repola, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: jaakko.repola@metla.fi
Hökkä, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: hh@nn.fi
Penttilä, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail: tp@nn.fi

article id 352, category Research article

Juha-Pekka Hotanen, Matti Maltamo, Antti Reinikainen. (2006). Canopy stratification in peatland forests in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 352. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.352

Keywords: succession; structural diversity; drainage; site type; canopy layer; crown coverage

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Hotanen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: juha-pekka.hotanen@metla.fi
Maltamo, University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland E-mail: mm@nn.fi
Reinikainen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: ar@nn.fi

article id 351, category Research article

Jiaojun Zhu, Xiufen Li, Zugen Liu, Wei Cao, Yutaka Gonda, Takeshi Matsuzaki. (2006). Factors affecting the snow and wind induced damage of a montane secondary forest in northeastern China. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 351. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.351

Keywords: stem breakage; uprooting; stand structure; snow and wind damages; secondary forests; mixed forests

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

In order to understand the processes of snow and wind induced damage in a natural montane, secondary forest in northeastern China, we examined the impacts of site conditions on the snow and wind damage; analyzed if the dominant tree species differed in their susceptibilities to the damage; and established the relationships between the characteristics of tree and stand and the damage. The results indicated that in regard to the topography factors, slope steepness and soil depth played a relatively important role for the damage. Damage ratios of all types combined were positively related with the composition of dominant tree species. The stand density was also important in determining resistance to the damage, i.e., the densely populated stand exhibited less overall damage ratios; however, the dominant tree species were commonly damaged easily by the snow and wind. Four damage modes found (uprooting, stem breakage, canopy damage and bending) were closely related to the stem taper (p < 0.05), and they could be ranked in following order: bending (92.0 ) > uprooting (85.3) > stem breakage (80.1) > canopy damage (65.0). In regard to differences in tree species’ susceptibilities to the damage, Betula costata exhibited the most uprooting, bending and overall damage ratios; while Quercus mongolica showed the highest breakage (both stem breakage and canopy damage) ratio, and Fraxinus mandshurica exhibited the least damage ratio (overall). The major six tree species could also be divided into two groups according to the overall damage ratios, i.e., more susceptible ones (B. costata, Ulmus laciniata and Q. mongolica), and less susceptible ones (F. mandshurica, Acer mono and Juglans mandshurica) to the snow and wind damage.

Zhu, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110016, China E-mail: zrms29@yahoo.com
Li, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110016, China; Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19-A, Beijing, 100039, China E-mail: xfl@nn.cn
Liu, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110016, China; Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19-A, Beijing, 100039, China E-mail: zgl@nn.cn
Cao, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110016, China E-mail: wc@nn.cn
Gonda, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Ikarashi 2-8050, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan E-mail: yg@nn.jp
Matsuzaki, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Ikarashi 2-8050, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan E-mail: tm@nn.jp

article id 350, category Research article

Ehsan Sayyad, Seyed Mohsen Hosseini, Jamshid Mokhtari, Reza Mahdavi, Seyed Gholamali Jalali, Moslem Akbarinia, Masoud Tabari. (2006). Comparison of growth, nutrition and soil properties of pure and mixed stands of Populus deltoides and Alnus subcordata. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 350. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.350

Keywords: growth; nitrogen fixing trees (NFT); mixed plantations; nutrition; nutrient return

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Concerns about decline in soil fertility and long-term productivity of fast-growing plantations have promoted interest in using nitrogen-fixing trees in mixed species plantations. Populus deltoides and Alnus subcordata were planted in five proportions (100P, 67P:33A, 50P:50A, 33P:67A, 100A) in Noor, Iran. After 7 years, the effects of species interactions on tree growth and nutrient concentration in live and senescent leaves and soil properties were assessed. Diameter at breast height and total height of individual Populus trees were positively affected by the presence of Alnus. Nitrogen concentrations in fully expanded and senescent leaves of Populus were higher in mixed plantations than monoculture plantations. The results of nutrition and nutrient return and growth indicated that mixed plantations of these two species were more productive and sustainable than their monoculture plantations. Within the framework of this experiment, it appeared that production was maximized when these two species were grown together in the relative proportions of 50% Populus and 50% Alnus.

Sayyad, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: es@nn.ir
Hosseini, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: hosseini@europe.com
Mokhtari, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: jm@nn.ir
Mahdavi, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: rm@nn.ir
Jalali, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: sgj@nn.ir
Akbarinia, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: ma@nn.ir
Tabari, Tarbiat Modarres University, Natural Resources Faculty, Emam St. Noor, 46414 Noor, Mazandaran, Iran E-mail: mt@nn.ir

article id 349, category Research article

Temel Sariyildiz, J. M. Anderson. (2006). Intra-specific variation in cell wall constituents of needle age classes of Pinus sylvestris in relation to soil fertility status in Southwest England. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 349. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.349

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris; nitrogen; soil fertility; lignin; needle age classes; phenylpropanoids; hemicellulose

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

First, second and third year needles were collected from the same branches of young Scots pine trees growing on soils of two different status (high and low fertility sites) that varied in mineral nutrient concentrations and N mineralisation potential. All needle age classes were analysed for total carbon, acid detergent fibre (ADF), lignin, cellulose, phenylpropanoid derivatives (PPD) of lignin, sugar constituents of non-crystalline, hydrated cellulose and hemicellulose, and nutrient concentrations (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Mn). Significant intra-specific variation in the litter quality variables in relation to soils of high and low fertility was found in the second and third year needles, whereas there were no differences in the other cell wall constituents and mineral elements of the first year needles. The second and third year needles from the low fertility soil contained higher concentrations of ADF, lignin, cellulose, sugar constituents of non-crystalline, hydrated cellulose and hemicellulose, and phenylpropanoid derivatives (PPD) of lignin, but lower concentrations of N, P and Mg than the same needles from the high fertility and fertilised soils. The results in the present study indicate that under different soil fertilities, needle age classes show significant variations in the cell wall constituents and mineral elements, and suggest that this can result in significant variation in litter quality and decomposition rates.

Sariyildiz, Kars Kafkas Üniversitesi, Artvin Orman Fakültesi, 08000 Artvin, Turkey E-mail: t_sariyildiz@yahoo.com
Anderson, Department of Biological Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK E-mail: jma@nn.uk

article id 348, category Research article

Chunyang Li, Xuejiang Zhang, Xingliang Liu, Olavi Luukkanen, Frank Berninger. (2006). Leaf morphological and physiological responses of Quercus aquifolioides along an altitudinal gradient. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 1 article id 348. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.348

Keywords: carbon isotope composition; leaf nitrogen content; specific leaf area; stomata

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Quercus aquifolioides Rehder & E.H. Wilson, an evergreen alpine and subalpine shrub species, occupies a wide range of habitats on the eastern slopes of the Himalaya in China. In this study, we measured leaf morphology, nitrogen content and carbon isotope composition (as an indicator of water use efficiency) of Q. aquifolioides along an altitudinal gradient. We found that these leaf morphological and physiological responses to altitudinal gradients were non-linear with increasing altitude. Specific leaf area, stomatal length and index increased with increasing altitude below 2800 m, but decreased with increasing altitude above 2800 m. In contrast, leaf nitrogen content per unit area and carbon isotope composition showed opposite change patterns. Specific leaf area seemed to be the most important parameter that determined the carbon isotope composition along the altitudinal gradient. Our results suggest that near 2800 m in altitude could be the optimum zone for growth and development of Q. aquifolioides, and highlight the importance of the influence of altitude in research on plant physiological ecology.

Li, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China E-mail: licy@cib.ac.cn
Zhang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China; Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, P.R. China E-mail: xz@nn.cn
Liu, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, P. R. China E-mail: xl@nn.cn
Luukkanen, Viikki Tropical Resources Institute, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ol@nn.fi
Berninger, Département des sciences biologiques, Cp 8888 succ centre ville, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal (QC) H3C 3P8, Canada E-mail: fb@nn.ca

Category : Research note

article id 325, category Research note

Daniel Eriksson, Henrik Lindberg, Urban Bergsten. (2006). Influence of silvicultural regime on wood structure characteristics and mechanical properties of clear wood in Pinus sylvestris. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 325. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.325

Keywords: silvicultural regime; structural characteristics; mechanical properties

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The objective of the study presented here was to evaluate the influence of two contrasting silvicultural regimes on the structural characteristics and mechanical properties of different wood tissue types at different heights in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees, and reasons for these differences. Wood samples were taken from two stands (a dense 85-year-old stand established by direct seeding and a 56-year-old widely spaced stand established by planting, designated SDR and PWR, respectively in the boreal zone of Sweden). The wood properties associated with the examined silvicultural regimes differed, in terms of both structural characteristics (with up to fivefold differences between SDR and PWR) and mechanical properties (with up to almost threefold differences between SDR and PWR). Differences between the regimes were highest for stiffness, followed by strength and hardness properties and lowest for relative stiffness after 1000 h of loading (creep) (with higher parameter values for SDR than for PWR in each case). The rankings could be explained by differences among the mechanical properties in their sensitivity to maturation of wood characteristics. In conclusion, silvicultural regimes have great potential to regulate wood structural characteristics and mechanical properties, apparently due to the influences of the green crown and growth rate on the vascular cambium, the strength of which vary throughout the rotation period. A silvicultural regime could therefore be seen as a tool that can be used to select material qualities and to make wood a more homogenous material for engineers.

Eriksson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Vindeln Experimental Forest, Svartberget Fieldstation, SE-922 91 Vindeln, Sweden E-mail: daniel.eriksson@esf.slu.se
Lindberg, Luleå University of Technology, Division of Polymer Engineering, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden E-mail: hl@nn.se
Bergsten, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Silviculture, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden E-mail: ub@nn.se

article id 324, category Research note

Matti Katila. (2006). Empirical errors of small area estimates from the multisource National Forest Inventory in Eastern Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 324. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.324

Keywords: k-nearest neighbours estimation; Landsat ETM ; multisource forest inventory; synthetic estimation

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The precision of multisource national forest inventory (MS-NFI) estimators and simple synthetic estimators based on NFI field data only was assessed employing an independent inventory data set of several small areas in Eastern Finland. There were seven test units of size 100 km² and three test units of size 1 km² for which a systematic field sampling was carried out. The ‘improved’ MS-NFI method yielded the most precise estimates for mean volume and mean volume of pine and spruce: relative root mean square errors (RMSE^*) were 5%, 12% and 15% for 100 km² test units and 13%, 27% and 40% for 1 km² test units respectively. The stratified MS-NFI method was best for broad-leaved volume estimation. Synthetic estimation based on the NFI9 field plots post-stratified with coarse scale forest variable maps from NFI8 resulted in RMSE^*s comparable to those of the ordinary MS-NFI in areas of 100 km² for mean volume and mean volume of pine and spruce. The amount of variation between the field inventory estimates for the test units explained by the MS-NFI estimators remained the same or increased when the size of the area increased from of 1 km² to 100 km² and up to 2000 km². The validation of the largest areas was made against the NFI9 field inventory estimates for groups of municipalities in the study area.

Katila, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Unioninkatu 40 A, FI-00170 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mk@nn.fi

Category : Commentary

article id 475, category Commentary

Petteri Muukkonen, Raisa Mäkipää. (2006). Biomass equations for European trees: addendum. Silva Fennica vol. 40 no. 4 article id 475. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.475

Keywords: aboveground biomass; allometry; biomass functions; belowground biomass; dbh; tree diameter; tree height

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A review of stem volume and biomass equations for tree species growing in Europe (Zianis et al. 2005) resulted in suggestions for additional equations. The numbers of original equations, compiled from scientific articles were 607 for biomass and 230 for stem volume. On the basis of the suggestions and an updated literature search, some new equations were published after our review, but more equations were also available from earlier literature. In this addendum, an additional 188 biomass equations and 8 volume equations are presented. One new tree species (Pinus cembra) is included in the list of volume equations. Biomass equations for twelve new tree species are presented: Abies alba, Carbinus betulus, Larix decidua, P. cembra, P. nigra, Quercus robur, Salix caprea, S. ‘Aquatica’, S. dasyclados, S. phylicifolias, S. triandra and S. accuparia. The tree-level equations predict stem volume, whole tree biomass or biomass of certain components (e.g., foliage, roots, total above-ground) as a function of diameter or diameter and height of a tree. Biomass and volume equations with other independent variables have also been widely developed but they are excluded from this addendum because the variables selected may reflect locally valid dependencies that cannot be generalized to other geographical regions. Most of the equations presented here are developed for Sweden, Finland and Norway in northern Europe, for Austria in central Europe and for Italy in southern Europe. There are also few equations from Poland and Belgium. Most of the equations deal with above-ground components such as stem, branches and foliage, but some new equations are also available for root biomass. Zianis et al. (2005) and this addendum can be used together as guides to the original publications of these equations. Our updated database of the biomass and volume equations is available also from the website www.metla.fi/hanke/3306/tietokanta.htm.

Muukkonen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: petteri.muukkonen@metla.fi
Mäkipää, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: raisa.makipaa@metla.fi

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