Forest inventory standards for determination of the grey alder Alnus incana L. stem volumes by the height grades

• Published in: Сибирский лесной журнал
• Main Authors: S. V. Tretyakov, S. V. Koptev, A. P. Bogdanov, A. S. Il’intsev, S. A. Demidenko, A. V. Timofeeva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch Publishing House 2017
• Subjects: height grades; stem volume; grey alder; European North of Russia; Forestry; SD1-669.5; Gusev; Arkhangelsk; dvina; taiga; Arkhangelsk Oblast
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15372/SJFS20170308; https://doaj.org/article/75ec0da304d64e078fca97ee0b37b6d2

The article presents the results of research of grey alder Alnus incana L. stands on the territory of the Arkhangelsk Oblast within the North-taiga and Dvina-Vychegda taiga regions of the European part of the Russian Federation. The areas of grey alder stands in the period from 1978 to 2010 increased from 2.1 to 43.3 thousand ha in connection with the transfer to the forest fund of the former rural forests. Earlier forest inventory standards for this category of stands in the region were not developed. To compile a height and volume table, it was used the technique of I. I. Gusev (1971), which allow to minimize amount of sample trees. This technique is universal and can be used for other tree species. The field data collection was carried out on the territory of Kargopol, Velsk, Nyandoma, Arkhangelsk forestry units, the Kenozersky National Park and Dendrological Garden of the Northern Research Institute of Forestry. The result of the field work for the periods from 2013 to 2015 was 124 sample plots and 120 measured model trees for alder stand study. The developed tables are based on extensive field material (model trees and sample plots). Processing of field data was conducted by standard methods in forestry. Height grades’ table is used to determine the average height level of the stand. Volumes table is used to determine the growing stock levels for thickness grades. These tables meet the requirements of forestry practice, are used in the growing stock calculations. Development of height grade and volume tables based on known regularities of the homogeneous forest stands structure. Trees stands, which medium trees have the same forest inventory characteristics ( g, h and f ), are characterized by the same average volume for separate thickness grades, regardless of age, fullness, productivity rate and other characteristics of forest stands.