Influence of stand density, site, age, and competition on the timber assortment structure of Chinese fir plantations

Xiaoyan Li; Aiguo Duan; Jianguo Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-79411-1

Influence of stand density, site, age, and competition on the timber assortment structure of Chinese fir plantations

Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 23;14(1):29056. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-79411-1.

Authors

Xiaoyan Li¹, Aiguo Duan^{2

3}, Jianguo Zhang^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China.
² State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, People's Republic of China. duanag@caf.ac.cn.
³ Collaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China. duanag@caf.ac.cn.
⁴ Collaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

The growth of timber assortment is related to site conditions and forest management measures. To our knowledge, however, the effects and relative importance of these factors on the growth of different timber assortments of Chinese fir have not yet been explored. Based on data from long-term fixed observation plots in the northwest of the Chinese fir distribution zone, we examined the effects of planting density and the site index on the timber assortment structure of Chinese fir. Furthermore, we quantified the relative importance of stand factors (age, planting density, stand density index, number of living trees, Gini coefficient, and site index) in determining the growth of various timber assortments. The results showed that the wood yield of all timber assortment types increased as the site quality improved. The outturn and outturn rate of large- and medium-diameter timber were negatively correlated with the planting density. Before the age of 22, planting density had a negative impact on total timber yield and small-diameter timber outturn. After 22 years, planting density had a positive impact on total timber yield and small-diameter timber outturn. SDI (stand density index), age, and SD (stand density) were the most important factors influencing total timber yield and small-diameter timber. The relative importance of age to large-diameter timber was the greatest, followed by SI (site index) and SD. The effects of age, SD, SI, and PD (planting density) on the medium-diameter timber were greater than those of SDI and Gini coefficient. The results indicate small- and medium-diameter timber as the primary target timber assortment types to be cultivated in the study area, while large-diameter timber cannot be effectively produced under the current site conditions. Our findings provide valuable insights for the management of Chinese fir plantations and the directed cultivation of target timber assortments in the northwest of the Chinese fir distribution zone.

Keywords: Chinese fir; Planting density; Site index; Stand factors; Timber assortment.

Abstract

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