BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST STANDS | Part 2

Gecko published on


A forest stand is a part of a forest consisting of a relatively uniform group of trees growing close together and covering a particular area. Such a tree group can be described by several characteristics. The basic ones include: stand origin, species composition, age, stratification, stand and canopy density.


Age

There is no one universal characteristic identifying stand age because it can be described in different ways taking into account the tree age differences within a stand, growth stages of its trees or age classes. Trees covering a particular area can be approximately the same age and such a stand is called even-aged. In an uneven-aged one much younger and older trees grow together. In the case of even-aged stands the description concerning tree growth stages (a seedling, sapling (=a young tree), pole(=a young tree stem between one and three metres long), mature tree) applies to the whole stand as well. In some classifications the pole stage or stand is further divided into a small pole stand and high pole one. Sometimes one additional class, known as a maturing stand, is also added. In age classes trees are grouped according to their age. Twenty years is a usual period of time limiting one class, which means that the age differences between the youngest and the oldest trees cannot be more than the above-mentioned span. The typical age classes include trees 1–20 years old, 21–40, 41–60 and so on.

Stand density

Stand density reflects tree competition for space, light, nutrients and so on. It also describes how trees use the site, e.g. when the stand is too dense trees grow slower. However, for some foresters stand density and stocking means exactly the same and is understood as an optimal number of trees per hectare that creates the best conditions for their growth and development and results in maximum timber production (measured by volume). Stand density depends not only on a number of trees per hectare but also their sizes (height and diameter) as well as crown cover known also as canopy closure. The latter parameter tells us how close the crowns of neighbouring trees are (whether the closure is full, moderate, broken or open) or defines whether the closure relates to one or more forest layers.

canopy = the uppermost branches of the trees in a forest, forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage

See also
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST STANDS | Part 1
EFL subset that concentrates more on language in context than on grammar and language structures. It covers topics from accounting or computer science to tourism and business management. "Specific" means the studying through a field that is already known and relevant to a student.