Stand Growth Scenarios for Bombacopsis Quinata Plantations In
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Forest Ecology and Management 174 (2003) 345–352 Stand growth scenarios for Bombacopsis quinata plantations in Costa Rica Luis Diego Pe´rez Corderoa,b,1, Markku Kanninenc,*, Luis Alberto Ugalde Ariasd,2 aAgreement Centro Agrono´mico Tropical de Investigacio´n y Ensen˜anza (CATIE), Turrialba, Costa Rica bUniversity of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland cCentro Agrono´mico Tropical de Investigacio´n y Ensen˜anza (CATIE), Research Program, 7170 Turrialba, Costa Rica dPlantation Silviculture, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica Abstract In total 60 plots of approximately 80 trees each (including missing trees) were measured, with ages between 1 and 26 years. The main objective of this study was to develop intensive management scenarios for B. quinata plantations in Costa Rica to ensure high yielding of timber wood. The scenarios were based on a fitted curve for the relationship of DBH, and total height with age. A criterion of maximum basal area (18, 20, 22 and 24 m2 haÀ1) was used to simulate different site qualities. Plantation density was modeled as a function of the crown area occupation of the standing trees. The scenarios consist of rotation periods between 23 and 30 years, final densities of 100–120 trees haÀ1, mean DBH between 46 and 56 cm, and mean total heights of 30–35 m. The productivity at the end of the rotation varies between 9.6 and 11.3 m3 haÀ1 per year, yielding a total volume at the end of the rotation of 220–340 m3 haÀ1. The scenarios presented here may provide farmers and private companies with useful and realistic growth projections for B. quinata plantations in Costa Rica. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Productivity; Stand competition; Intensive management; Crown area; Basal area management 1. Introduction Central America widely used in plantation programs throughout the region. In Costa Rica, commercial Fast growing and high yielding tree plantations are planting of the species has been encouraged by gov- becoming an important source of wood in the tropics. ernment incentive programs, reaching 14 900 ha In these areas the need to increase wood productivity (approximately 12.3% of the total reforested area in is becoming an important task. Bombacopsis quinata the country) by the end of 1997 (Sage and Quiros, is a valuable and fast-growing native tree species of 2001). Now it is necessary to develop appropriate silvicultural techniques for their management. * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ506-556-1176; B. quinata is a deciduous species that occurs natu- fax: þ506-556-6166. rally in seasonally dry forests, from southern Hon- E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L.D. Pe´rez Cordero), duras to central Venezuela in widely dispersed [email protected] (M. Kanninen), [email protected] (L.A. Ugalde Arias). populations of varying sizes. It occurs at elevations 1 Tel.: þ506-558-25-57; fax: þ506-556-62-55. from sea level to 900 m, in areas where annual pre- 2 Tel.: þ506-558-25-25; fax: þ506-556-24-27. cipitation ranges from 800 mm (northern Colombia) 0378-1127/02/$ – see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0378-1127(02)00060-9 346 L.D. Pe´rez Cordero et al. / Forest Ecology and Management 174 (2003) 345–352 to 3000 mm (Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica). A strong, competition within a stand, such as basal area (BA), well-defined dry season of 2–6 months characterizes current and mean annual increments (CAI, MAI) in its natural range (Chaves and Fonseca, 1991; Kane DBH and total height, and crown area. The main et al., 1993; Rojas, 1981; Uruen˜a, 1999; Va´squez and objective of this study was to develop intensive man- Ugalde, 1995). Suitable soils for this species include agement scenarios for B. quinata plantations to ensure non-compact, deep, with high natural fertility, sandy high yielding of timber wood. texture, neutral or acid pH, and on flat sites with good drainage (CATIE, 1991). Trees can reach 40 m of height and more than 1.0 m 2. Materials and methods of diameter at breast height (DBH) in natural forests (Kane et al., 1993). The heartwood is reddish in color B. quinata plantations in private farms were eval- and the sapwood a cream or white hue. The wood is uated in several zones of Costa Rica (Fig. 1), including known for its durability and workability. It is used the following sites (and provinces): Garza, Sa´mara, for furniture, doors, window and ceiling frames, roof Hojancha, and Tempisque (Guanacaste); Jicaral, construction, interior paneling, particleboard, plywood Parrita, Baru´, Palmar Norte, and Buenos Aires and veneer (Kane et al., 1993; Uruen˜a, 1999). (Puntarenas); Gua´piles (Limo´n). In total 60 plots of Projects and private companies in Central America approximately 80 trees each (including missing trees) urgently need relevant information about the growth were measured, with ages between 1 and 26 years. and productivity of this widely used species for refor- The development of the scenarios was based on a estation, recognized for its rapid growth rate and its fitted curve for the relationship of DBH, and total wood quality. Determining production at the end of the height with age. For this, individual trees (715 registers rotation is particularly necessary in the case of of DBH and 521 of total height) were selected from the advanced aged plantations (over 20 years). Nowadays database, which corresponded to the upper 4th quarter the scenario for this species has turned uncertain, since for DBH and to the upper half for total height (data wood quality and yielding are being lower than previously classified in descending order). The reason expected (e.g. heartwood proportions less than 20%, for a sub selection of data was to evaluate plantations harvest volume at rotation of 60–70% of its potential). with medium to high growth rates only, and discard Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality plantations with no management and marginal growth and productivity by means of intensive management rates. Figs. 2 and 3 present the DBH and total height systems. curves used for the growth scenarios. Spatial competition plays a decisive roll for the A maximum BA criterion was intended to represent adequate development of forest stands. One means of different site qualities. Maximum BA of 18, 20, 22 evaluating the effect of competition is to monitor tree and 24 m2 haÀ1, for an initial plantation density of development. The size and spatial distribution of the 1111 trees haÀ1, were defined for the development of canopy are causally related to the amount of light the management scenarios. To keep the BA under the intercepted by the leaves. This relationship has been defined limit for each scenario, non-selective thinning used to develop better understanding of how the (mean DBH after thinning ¼ mean DBH before thin- productivity of plantations can be measured in terms ning) was simulated to reduce it when the maximum of light energy conversion into biomass (Beadle, 1997; was reached. Thinning intensities varied between 40 Lonsdale and Watkinson, 1983). Therefore it is impor- and 50% of the standing trees. A form factor of 0.40, tant to study adequate plantation densities that are obtained from field measurements, was used to cal- needed by the crown to develop an optimal tree culate total volumes. growth on the one hand, and to fully utilize the site Plantation density was modeled as a function of the for maximum production of desire usable volume on crown area occupation of the standing trees. It was the other (Suri, 1975; Krajicek et al., 1961; Ashton considered that the maximum stand density was et al., 1989; Prodan et al., 1997). reached when the plantation area was fully occupied Research was carried out on B. quinata plantations by the crowns. For this, a model developed by Pe´rez in Costa Rica with the aim of developing indicators of and Kanninen (in press) was used to estimate crown L.D. Pe´rez Cordero et al. / Forest Ecology and Management 174 (2003) 345–352 347 Fig. 1. Location of the sites where B. quinata plantations were evaluated in Costa Rica. Fig. 2. Fitted model for the relationship between age and DBH Fig. 3. Fitted model for the relationship between age and total implemented in the development of the scenarios for B. quinata height implemented in the development of the scenarios for B. plantations in Costa Rica. Data correspond to the selection of the quinata plantations in Costa Rica. Data correspond to the selection 4th quartile from the total sample information. of the 3rd and 4th quartile from the total sample information. 348 L.D. Pe´rez Cordero et al. / Forest Ecology and Management 174 (2003) 345–352 diameter from DBH (Eq. (1)). final densities of 100–110 trees haÀ1, mean DBH between 49 and 55 cm, and mean total heights of log CD 0:177 0:689 log DBH 10ð Þ¼ þ 10ð Þ 30–33 m. The productivity at the end of the rotation ðr2 ¼ 0:60Þ (1) varied between 9.4 and 11.1 m3 haÀ1 per year, yield- ing a total volume of 236–332 m3 haÀ1. The summary where CD is the crown diameter (m); DBH the of the stand growth scenarios is presented in Table 1. diameter at breast height (cm). The scenario with the maximum BA criterion of Assuming the crown to be a geometric circle, crown 24 m2 haÀ1 is considered to be an intensive manage- area was calculated using Eq. (2) ment scenario that can be implemented in medium to p CA ¼ Â CD2 (2) high quality sites for B. quinata plantations in Costa 4 Rica. In this scenario, four thinnings with intensities where CA is the crown area (m2); CD the crown between 40 and 50% (of the standing trees) simulate diameter (m).