Growth and Yield Predictions for Thinned and Unthinned Slash Pine Plantations onCutover Sites in the West Gulf Region

摘要

A growth and yield model has been developed for thinned and unthinned slash pine(Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii.) plantations on problem-free cutover sites in the west gulf region. These sites were originally virgin stands where clearcutting was followed by grazing and repeated burning that controlled the woody vegetation, thus allowing plantation establishment without site preparation. The model was based on the moment-percentile method using the Weibull distribution for tree diameters. The technique was applied to unthinned and thinned stand projections and, subsequently, to the prediction of residual stands immediately after thinning. In addition, predicted trends for unthinned and thinned plantations and some comparisons of results of these management alternatives are given under specific site and stand conditions.