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Simulation of dynamics of southern pine beetle hazard rating with respect to silvicultural treatment and stand development

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The hazard of southern pine beetle (SPB) infestations is affected by characteristics such as stand density, stand age, site quality, and tree size. COMPUTE P-LOB is a model that simulates the growth and development of loblolly pine plantations in the west gulf coastal plain. P-LOB was rewritten as COMPUTE SPB-Lob to update it for current operating systems and to incorporate three hazard rating models for SPB. The new program allows a user to simulate the growth of a loblolly pine plantation with different starting conditions and thinning criteria to provide an estimate of growth and yield along with the hazard of SPB infestation. This paper explains how to use this program with its added capabilities of more volume options and triggers that specify thinning by the level of basal area, trees per acre, or SPB hazard. Examples of output that show a range of different stand conditions and treatments are presented.

Parent Publication

Citation

Leduc, D.J.; Goelz, J.C.G. 2010. Simulation of dynamics of southern pine beetle hazard rating with respect to silvicultural treatment and stand development. In: Stanturf, John A., ed. 2010. Proceedings of the 14th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–121. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 555-564.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/35946