Fertilized Midrotation-Aged Slash Pine Plantations—Stand Structure and Yield Prediction Models

Abstract

Abstract Data from 263 plots in a regional fertilization study of midrotation-aged slash pine plantations were used to fit prediction equations for basal area, trees per acre, stand average dominant height, diameter distributions, and individual tree heights. The equations include N and P fertilizationrates and CRIFF soil groups as predictor variables. The survival model also accounts for the accelerating effect of fusiform rust on mortality rate. Using published tree volume equations, the prediction of volumes by dbh class for fertilized slash pine plantations is now possible. This integratedsystem of equations is available as a user-friendly computer program that can calculate expected yields by diameter class and aid the forester in evaluating investment opportunities that include forest fertilization. South. J. Appl. For. 13(2):76-80.