Comparison of Increment Core Sampling Methods for Estimating Tree Specific Gravity.

摘要

Increment cores have been used to evaluate such tree characteristics as age, rate of growth, percentage of various types of tissue, chemical composition, and density. Of the wood characteristics listed, density has come to be of considerable interest to numerous researchers, since it is highly correlated with the strength properties, workability, and weight of wood. Pulp companies are using wood density to help them predict pulp yield. Geneticists and forest managers are using density as a criterion for selecting superior trees for seed orchards and tree breeding studies. Although increment cores have been used to good advantage in evaluating some properties, their value in estimating tree density or the density of large pieces of wood is still open to question Researchers still don't know how many cores to use or whether to use only part of each core. The purpose of the cooperative study reported here between the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station and the Forest Products Laboratory was to develop information on tree-increment core specific gravity relationships. The study was designed to show the relationships between tree specific gravity and (1) the specific gravity of only a part of a single increment core, (2) the specific gravity of one whole increment core, (3) the specific gravity of the average of several increment cores, and (4) other tree characteristics such as age, diameter, tree volume, and height.