© 1990 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
Relationship between canopy depth and other dimensions of coastal Pinus thunbergii Parlat. forests in Japan
Y. Kanazawa (1), Y. Kiyono (2) and T. Fujimori (3)
1. Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Sapporo 004, Japan / 2. Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyoto 612, Japan / 3. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba 305, Japan /
Summary
The relationship between canopy depth and other dimensions of coastal Pinus thunbergii Parlat. forests was analyzed from data for 29 stands using a mathematical model describing canopy depth. The model was derived
from the relationship between mean diameter at breast height (D) and mean tree height (H). Maximum mean tree height (Hmax), which was calculated as Hmax = ADB where A and B are parameters, approximated the upper 95 percentile of H for a given D. Maximum canopy depth (Lcmax) was calculated as Lcmax = Hmax – HB, where HB is mean clear length. Relative maximum canopy depth (Rcmax; defined as Lcmax/Hmax) was approximated as 1/Rcmax = 1/(aSRb) + 1, where a and b are parameters. The term SR was defined as N–1/2/H, where N is stand density (trees m–2). From these equations, the canopy depth (Lc)was derived as Lc = H – Hmax/(aSRb + 1), because Lc = H – HB. From these relationships a diagram showing possible points of regulation of canopy depth was developed.
