Growth estimation of two pine species from the Central Region of Guerrero state México

Abstract

The application of growth models for individual trees in mixed forests allows estimates to be made at the management unit level. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth models in normal diameter, basimetric area, total height and stem volume of Chapman-Richards, Schumacher, Hossfeld I and Weibull for individual Pinus pseudostrobus and Pinus oocarpa trees from the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Through selective sampling, 27 dominant and 28 codominant trees were collected to reconstruct the profiles of trees arranged in groups of ten years, by means of the stem analysis technique. The selection of the best models for each variable was made based on the adjusted coefficient of determination, the root mean square error, the properties of the parameters and the logical growth trends. The results indicate that the Schumacher model was the best to estimate growth in normal diameter and height in both species, the basal area of Pinus pseudostrobus and the volume of Pinus oocarpa, while the Chapman-Richards model was the best for estimate the basal area for Pinus oocarpa and the volume for Pinus pseudostrobus. The estimated turn ages for volume in Pinus oocarpa were 62 years and for Pinus pseudostrobus, 82 years.