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Growth Models and Profile Equations for Exotic Tallow Tree (Triadica Sebifera) in Coastal

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Growth Models and Profile Equations for Exotic Tallow Tree (Triadica Sebifera) in Coastal Automated Template C: Created by James Nail 2011V2.01 Growth models and profile equations for exotic tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) in coastal Mississippi By Nana Tian A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Forestry in the Department of Forestry Mississippi State, Mississippi May 2014 Copyright by Nana Tian 2014 Growth models and profile equations for exotic tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) in coastal Mississippi By Nana Tian Approved: ____________________________________ Zhaofei (Joseph) Fan (Major Professor) ____________________________________ Thomas G. Matney (Committee Member) ____________________________________ Emily B. Schultz (Committee Member) ____________________________________ Michael Darragh Ulyshen (Committee Member) ____________________________________ Andrew W. Ezell (Graduate Coordinator) ____________________________________ George M. Hooper Dean College of Forest Resources Name: Nana Tian Date of Degree: May 16, 2014 Institution: Mississippi State University Major Field: Forestry Major Professor: Zhaofei Fan Title of Study: Growth models and profile equations for exotic tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) in coastal Mississippi Pages in Study: 67 Candidate for Degree of Master of Science Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera (L.)) has become a threat to Southern United States forestlands because of the rapid colonization. To explore the growth rate of tallow, numerous growth models were constructed with destructive sampling method from oak-gum-cypress (Quercus/Liquidambar styraciflua/Taxodium distichum) and longleaf/slash pine (Pinus taeda/ Pinus echinata) forests in southern Mississippi. Moreover, stem profile was also fitted with segmented profile models: Max and Burkhart (1976), Cao (2009) modified Max and Burkhart, and Clark et al. (1991). Numerous results showed that: 1) diameter at breast height, volume and biomass of tallow grew faster in oak-gum-cypress forest while height grew faster with DBH in Longleaf/Slash pine forest; 2) the stem of tallow was generally sturdy in oak-gum-cypress forest while it was slender in longleaf/slash pine forest; however, there was no significant difference between them. Growth and taper models provide a tool for managers to estimate future stocking of tallow tree. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am appreciate all the support and help I received from my supervisor Dr. Zhaofei Fan. Under his guidance, I finished this research as planned. Moreover, I learned his rigorous attitude of scholarship and hard-working spirit. I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Emily Schultz and Dr. Thomas Matney for their assistance and comments during my study. I am grateful for Dr. Michael D. Ulyshen at the U.S. Forest Service Wood Products Insect Research Lab (Starkville, MS), for his patient help and direction during all field data collection. In addition, I wish to acknowledge my lab mates (Allison Stoklosa, Mary F. Nieminen, Carol Sui, Michael K. Crosby, and Dr. Yanping Wang) and Craig Bell and Shawn Cooper for their help in collecting data, and I would like to thank the landowners who made my work possible. Finally, I am grateful for my parents for their support, love, and valuable education. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................3 2.1 Studies on exotic tallow tree ..................................................................3 2.2 Growth models of tree species ...............................................................5 2.3 Tree profile functions .............................................................................7 III. METHODS ........................................................................................................9 3.1 Data Collection ......................................................................................9 3.2 Model Development .............................................................................13 3.2.1 Height, Diameter, and Volume/Biomass equations .......................13 3.2.2 Taper Functions .............................................................................15 3.3 Models Evaluation ...............................................................................17 IV. RESULTS ........................................................................................................19 4.1 Sites effects test....................................................................................19 4.2 Fitted Models .......................................................................................24 4.2.1 Diameter, Height, and Volume equations ......................................24 4.2.2 Taper Functions .............................................................................27 4.2.2.1 Model Parameters ....................................................................27 4.2.2.2 Comparison of Taper Models ..................................................30 V. DISCUSSION AND COLUSION ...................................................................50 5.1 Discussion ............................................................................................50 5.2 Conclusions ..........................................................................................53 iii REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................55 APPENDIX A. FIELD AND LAB IMAGES ...........................................................................61 iv LIST OF TABLES 3.1 Descriptive statistics for sample tallow trees in Poplarville, Grand Bay, and Sandhill, MS ..............................................................................................12 4.1 SAS results for DBH, height, volume, biomass growth models and profile functions for tallow tree at Poplarville, Grand Bay, and Sandhill (the reference point), MS, United States. ..........................................20 4.2 Parameters estimated for DBH, height, and volume/biomass growth models and allometric relationship models among them .................................26 4.3 Estimated parameters and fit statistics for the Max and Burkhart profile model for tallow at Poplarville, Grand Bay, and Sandhill, MS, sites. .................................................................................................................27 4.4 Estimated parameters and fit statistics of the Cao (2009) profile model for tallow at Poplarville, Grand Bay and Sandhill, MS, sites. .........................28 4.5 Estimated parameters and fit statistics of the Clark, Souter and Schlaegel profile model for tallow at Poplarville, Grand Bay and Sandhill, MS, sites. ..........................................................................................28 4.6 RMSE and FI for the estimated diameter outside bark (DOB) profiles of tallow at Poplarville and Grand Bay/Sandhill, MS, sites ............................32 4.7 RMSE and FI for the estimated diameter inside bark (DIB) profiles of tallow at Poplarville and Grand Bay/Sandhill, MS, sites .................................32 4.8 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Max and Burkhart taper model for DOB at Poplarville, MS. ...........................................................................................34 4.9 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Cao (2009) model for DOB at Poplarville, MS. ...............................................................................................35 4.10 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Clark, Souter, and Schlaegel taper model for DOB at Poplarville, MS. .................................................................36 4.11 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Max and Burkhart taper model for DOB at GrandHill, MS.............................................................................................. 37 v 4.12 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Cao (2009) profile model for tallow DOB at GrandHill, MS. ...................................................................................38 4.13 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Clark, Souter, and Schlaegel taper model for DOB at GrandHill, MS....................................................................39 4.14 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Max and Burkhart taper model for DIB at Poplarville, MS. ...........................................................................................40 4.15 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Cao (2009) model for tallow DIB at Poplarville, MS. ...............................................................................................41 4.16 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Clark, Souter, and Schlaegel taper model for DIB at Poplarville, MS.................................................................... 42 4.17 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Max and Burkhart taper model for DIB at GrandHill, MS.............................................................................................. 43 4.18 Residuals, RMSE, and bias of Cao (2009) profile model for tallow DIB at GrandHill, MS.....................................................................................
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