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Equations for merchantable volume for subtropical moist and wet forests of Puerto Rico

Informally Refereed

Abstract

In Puerto Rico, where locally grown woods are primarily used for furniture and crafts production, estimation of wood volume makes it possible to estimate the monetary value of one of the many commodities and services forests provide to society. In the Puerto Rican forest inventories of 1980 and 1990, workers calculated stem volume directly by applying geometric formulae to bole sections of merchantable trees. Field crews recorded several diameter and height measurements along the bole of each tree. If tree volume estimates were based on fewer tree measurements, this would significantly increase field crew productivity. For this reason, tree volume equations have been derived from Puerto Rican forest inventory data by directly calculating stem volume, then creating regression equations that estimate inside and outside bark merchantable stem volume from tree diameter at breast height and total height.

Keywords

Forest inventory and analysis, merchantable stem volume, Puerto Rico, tropical forest, volume equations

Citation

Brandeis, Thomas J.; Kuegler, Olaf; Knowe, Steven A. 2005. Equations for merchantable volume for subtropical moist and wet forests of Puerto Rico. Res. Pap. SRS-39. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 15 p.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/21623