Influence of Vertical Foliage Structure on the Distribution of Stem Cross-Sectional Area Increment in Western Hemlock and Balsam Fir

摘要

A set of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla Raf. [Sarg.]) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill) from western Washington, USA and western Newfoundland, Canada, respectively, were destructively sampled to examine relationships between vertical foliage structure and distribution of stem cross-sectional area increment. A series of stem growth distribution models describing the relationship between amount of foliage area above a given height and stem cross-sectional area increment at that height was derived from the pipe model theory.