Abstract:
Objective To understand the effects of stand density and site conditions on tree height-diameter (H-D) relationship of Larix olgensis plantations in the Zhangguangcai Mountain region, and to provide theoretical and technical support for the sustainable management of Larix olgensis plantations in this area.
Methods Based on data from 71 permanent plots in the Maoershan Experimental Forest and Shengli Experimental Forest of Northeast Forestry University, the optimal H-D base model was selected using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). Then, stand density (SDI) and site index (SI) were introduced to construct single-effect models and an interaction-effect model. Model performance was evaluated using adjusted coefficient of determination (Adjusted R2), root mean square error percentage (RMSE%), and mean absolute error percentage (MAE%).
Results The optimal base model was the power function ( H=1.3 + b_1D^b_2 ). Introducing SDI and SI into parameters b1 and b2, two optimal single-effect models can be obtained. A further interaction-effect model was developed by including both SDI and SI simultaneously b1 and b2. Compared to the base model, the single-effect models incorporating SDI and SI improved the Adjusted R2 by 4.98% and 3.87%, respectively, while the interaction-effect model improved the Adjusted R2 by 7.38%. When cultivated DBH was fixed at 30 cm, the contribution of SDI to tree height increased by approximately 11.57% under high SI conditions, but only by 2.01% under low SI conditions. For the same increment in level (from level 2 to level 3), SI led to an 11.57% increase in tree height, outperforming the 8.07% increase attributed to SDI by a margin of 3.50%.
Conclusion There exists a significant interaction between stand density and site conditions, and this interaction explains the variation in stand height more effectively than random effects of either factor. Tree height increases with higher SDI and SI levels, and site quality plays a dominant role in mediating the response of tree height to changes in stand density. Therefore, the findings of this study can help improve the prediction accuracy of Larix olgensis tree height, and also provide a reference for related research on other tree species.