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Project properties |
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| Title | Tree crown development in relation to stand density |
| Group | Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Etiënne Thomassen, Frits Mohren |
| Examiner(s) | Jan den Ouden |
| Contact info | etienne.thomassen@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2020/05/01 |
| End date | |
| Description | MSc thesis (BSc thesis)
Thinning interventions often aim at crown expansion of the future crop tree that is released with the treatment. QD Forest management is a novel management approach aiming to achieve ‘free growth’ of a tree in order to maximize diameter growth and tree vigour and shorten the rotation. It depends on the strong allometric relation between DBH and crown size. But this relation is not independent of stand density/history as trees with small crowns can eventually reach a high DBH regardless of limited growing space. Verkaik (2020) recently found in his BSc thesis that angle of the cone of a Douglas fir crown seems to be a constant variable, with variability in other parameters. If true, this would limit a trees ability to respond to crown release. This project revolves around the allometric relation between DBH and crown size as well as shape in relation to stand density. Ranging from dense forest to open grown crowns. Do tree crowns posses fixed architecture such as Verkaik’s result suggest or are they able to truly able to actively fill newly opened space. How does this differ between abundant Dutch tree species and tree species types (ie broadleave vs coniferous). Literature study complemented with analysis of existing data. https://www.wur.nl/en/project/Optimizing-thinning-for-quality-timber-.htm Corona proof: i.e.no field work (abroad) or intensive lab studies required Sustainable forest management/ Modelling/ the Netherlands/ Temperate zone/ Desk study |
| Used skills | |
| Requirements | FEM-30306 Forest Ecology and Forest Management and
REG-31806 Ecological Methods I |