Thinning Intensity and Growth Response in a Quercus acuta Stand

摘要

This study was examined for the growth response of tree diameter and volume to thinning treatments from different thinning intensities using three long-term thinning trials for Japanese Evergreen Oak (Quercus acuta Thunb.) stands in Wando island, Korea. After thinning in 1999, annual tree growth of diameter and volume was highest in heavy thinned stands for individual tree and this growth pattern of thinning response showed similar tendency to the individual tree growth response in light thinned stands. By increasing diameter growth, the value of H/D ratio (HDR) as an indicator of stem form was properly decreased and improved up to 80%. Although there is significant growth response of basal area in both heavily and lightly thinned stands, the growthpotential both of heavily and lightly thinned stands in total stand volume is not likely to reach at the level of unthinned stands because of basal area growth loss associated with both light and heavy thinnings.