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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2003

Abstract

The rationale for stand growth modelling is often either grounded in a search for improved scientific understanding or in support for management decisions. The ultimate goal under the first task is seen in mechanistic models, i.e. models that represent the stand structure realistically and predict future growth as a function of the current status of the stand. Such mechanistic models tend to be over-parameterized with respect to the data actually available for a given stand. Calibration of these models may lead to non-unique representations and unreliable predictions. Empirical models, the second major line of growth modelling, typically match available data sets as well as do process-based models. They have less degrees of freedom, hence mitigate the problem of non-unique calibration results, but they employ often parameters without physiological or physical meaning. That is why empirical models cannot be extrapolated beyond the existing conditions of observations. Here we argue that this widespread dilemma can be overcome by using interactive models as an alternative approach to mechanistic (algorithmic) models. Interactive models can be used at two levels: a) the interactions among trees of a species or ecosystem and b) the interactions between forest management and a stand structure, e.g. in thinning trials. In such a model data from a range of sources (scientific, administrative, empirical) can be incorporated into consistent growth reconstructions. Interactive selection among such growth reconstructions may be theoretically more powerful than algorithmic automatic selection. We suggest a modelling approach in which this theoretical conjecture can be put to a practical test. To this end growth models need to be equipped with interactive visualization interfaces in order to be utilized as input devices for silvicultural expertise. Interactive models will not affect the difficulties of predicting forest growth, but may be at their best in documenting and disseminating silvicultural competence in forestry.

Abstract

Strains of Ceratobasidium bicorne (anamorph uninucleate Rhizoctonia) causing root dieback in nursery-grown conifer seedlings were fruited in the laboratory and the pairing interactions among sibling, single-basidiospore progeny were investigated.No mating reactions were observed. Instead, a high frequency of somatic incompatibility was observed in progeny pairings, indicated by a killing reaction in hyphal anastomosis and by formation of a demarcation line. The F1 progeny could also be fruited, and the level of somatic incompatibility within the F2 progeny remained high, even if lower than in the F1 progeny.The interaction types in pairings within a family of progeny were in all respects similar to those between field isolates, indicating that the species is homothallic. The uninucleate condition of vegetative cells and the basidial characteristics now observed would indicate homokaryotic fruiting, but the possibility of pseudohomothallism remains.We are presently not able to provide an explanation for the mechanism promoting somatic incompatibility in this species, but it seems likely that the classic heterogenic model of somatic incompatibility recognised in basidiomycetes is not applicable here. Alternative mechanisms are discussed.

Abstract

For manufacturing of naturally durable products of Scots pine it is crucial to separate heartwood from the non-durable sapwood. The objectives of this study were to evaluate near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a non-destructive method for classifying heartwood and sapwood in Scots pine sawn wood, and to evaluate the applicability of NIR-spectroscopy in predictions of heartwood resistance to decay. Wood durability is measured by mass loss from fungal activity in a laboratory experiment.Using NIR-spectra in fully cross-validated partial least squares (PLS1) regression models, results show that it is possible to correctly classify samples of heartwood and sapwood. The results further demonstrate that resistance to decay in Scots pine heartwood and sapwood can be modelled with satisfying precision using NIR-spectroscopy. Within-tree variation in heartwood resistance to decay show the importance of building reliable models for identification of highly decay resistant heartwood, to accomplish a purposeful utilisation of naturally durable heartwood.

Abstract

Distance-independent individual tree growth models based on about 30,000 observations from the National Forest Inventory and the Norwegian Forest Research Institute have been developed for the main tree species in Norway.The models predict 5-year basal area increment over bark for trees larger than 5cm at breast height. Potential input variables were of four types: size of the tree, competition indices, site conditions, and stand variables including species, mixtures and layers. The squared correlation coefficient (R2) varied from 0.26 to 0.55.The accuracy of the models was tested by comparing the individual tree models with Norwegian diameter increment models. The accuracy is similar, but individual tree models forecast diameter distributions directly. The inclusion of species mixture and layer as variables increases the reliability of the models in mixed and in uneven-aged stands