Individual-Tree Diameter Growth Models for Mixed Nothofagus Second Growth Forests in Southern Chile
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Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
2
School of Forest Resources & Conservation, University of Florida, 363 Newins-Ziegler Hall, P.O. Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
3
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Kr 26 No. 63B-48, Bogotá 111221492, Colombia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2017, 8(12), 506; https://doi.org/10.3390/f8120506
Received: 29 September 2017
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Revised: 7 December 2017
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Accepted: 12 December 2017
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Published: 19 December 2017
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Inventory, Modeling and Remote Sensing)
Second growth forests of Nothofagus obliqua (roble), N. alpina (raulí), and N. dombeyi (coihue), known locally as RORACO, are among the most important native mixed forests in Chile. To improve the sustainable management of these forests, managers need adequate information and models regarding not only existing forest conditions, but their future states with varying alternative silvicultural activities. In this study, an individual-tree diameter growth model was developed for the full geographical distribution of the RORACO forest type. This was achieved by fitting a complete model by comparing two variable selection procedures: cross-validation (CV), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. A small set of predictors successfully explained a large portion of the annual increment in diameter at breast height (DBH) growth, particularly variables associated with competition at both the tree- and stand-level. Goodness-of-fit statistics for this final model showed an empirical coefficient of correlation (R2emp) of 0.56, relative root mean square error of 44.49% and relative bias of −1.96% for annual DBH growth predictions, and R2emp of 0.98 and 0.97 for DBH projection at 6 and 12 years, respectively. This model constitutes a simple and useful tool to support management plans for these forest ecosystems.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Moreno, P.C.; Palmas, S.; Escobedo, F.J.; Cropper, W.P.; Gezan, S.A. Individual-Tree Diameter Growth Models for Mixed Nothofagus Second Growth Forests in Southern Chile. Forests 2017, 8, 506. https://doi.org/10.3390/f8120506
AMA Style
Moreno PC, Palmas S, Escobedo FJ, Cropper WP, Gezan SA. Individual-Tree Diameter Growth Models for Mixed Nothofagus Second Growth Forests in Southern Chile. Forests. 2017; 8(12):506. https://doi.org/10.3390/f8120506
Chicago/Turabian StyleMoreno, Paulo C., Sebastian Palmas, Francisco J. Escobedo, Wendell P. Cropper, and Salvador A. Gezan. 2017. "Individual-Tree Diameter Growth Models for Mixed Nothofagus Second Growth Forests in Southern Chile" Forests 8, no. 12: 506. https://doi.org/10.3390/f8120506
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