Abstract
The quality of diameter measurements for natural old-growth forest was evaluated by comparing repeated field measurements in a diameter census and tree-ring chronologies. The diameter census was repeated three times from 1973 at 10- to 19-year intervals in old-growth Cryptomeria japonica forests on Yakushima Island, Japan. The diameter growth in the three intervals between (1) first and second measurement (15–19 years), (2) second and third measurement (10–13 years), and (3) first and third measurement (28–30 years) were calculated. The diameter growth of each interval was also measured using tree-ring chronologies as a control. There were significant differences in paired t tests for diameter growth calculated from the diameter census data and from the tree-ring chronologies when the interval was <20 years. Conversely, no significant differences were observed when the measurement interval was >27 years. The average percentage differences (APDs) were relatively high for every interval and for all diameter classes, but the APDs for the 28- to 30-year intervals were better than the 10- to 19-year intervals. The APDs followed a rising trend with increasing diameter at breast height for every interval. In conclusion, data from an interval of >27 years is required for accurate estimation of diameter growth. Furthermore, extra care should be taken when measuring large diameter trees. The results from this study demonstrated the difficulty of using a diameter census in natural old-growth forest.
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Acknowledgments
Permission was obtained from Kagoshima Prefecture authorities, the Forestry Agency, and the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, for the collection of sample cores within permanent study plots located in protected areas. The present study was supported by the “Evaluation and Prediction of Effects on Forest Ecosystems in Southwestern Japan Caused by Air Pollution” project administered by the Environment Ministry of Japan and headed by S. Kanetani. We are grateful for support from the Career Center for Women Researchers at Kyushu University. We also would like to thank H. Yamada, S. Ushijima, and Y. Kawasoe for preceding research and the members of the Institute for Forest Management Laboratory (Kyushu University).
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Itaka, S., Yoshida, S., Mizoue, N. et al. Comparing 30-year diameter censuses and tree-ring chronologies in natural old-growth Cryptomeria japonica forest on Yakushima Island, Japan. J For Res 20, 255–262 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-014-0476-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-014-0476-8