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Modeling Forest Trees and Stands pp 85–109Cite as

Quantifying Tree Crowns

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Abstract

Larger crown sizes generally produce higher rates of growth for trees of a given species and age. Crown characteristics have also been found effective for predicting responses to cultural inputs such as thinning treatments and fertilizer applications. Consequently, crown measures are often incorporated in growth and yield models to improve predictions of stand development and response to management practices. Methods for quantifying crown characteristics include approximation with geometric shapes and prediction of crown profiles. As an alternative to assuming a crown shape or predicting the crown profile, crown morphology (branch diameter, location, angle and length) has been modeled. A number of studies have shown good relationships between crown size and/or morphology and individual tree and stand growth. Due to its ease of measurement and effectiveness as a predictor variable in many growth and yield relationships, much effort has been devoted to modeling crown ratio (length of live crown divided by total tree height). Models for crown ratio prediction are described in detail.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, Cheatham Hall 319, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Harold E. Burkhart

  2. Instituto Superior de Agronomia DRAT, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal

    Margarida Tomé

Authors
  1. Harold E. Burkhart
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  2. Margarida Tomé
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© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Burkhart, H.E., Tomé, M. (2012). Quantifying Tree Crowns. In: Modeling Forest Trees and Stands. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3170-9_5

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