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TOPIC: Taper Schmaper
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/43be5ac046162ac6?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 22 2007 10:53 pm
From: dbhguru
ENTS,
One of the hot projects that Will Blozan, Gary Beluzo, and I share
is investigating methods of modeling trunk taper. Jess Riddle would
have been included, but he is now engaged in demonstrating academic
excellence. His young brain is far more suited to that now than old
fuddie duddies like yours truly. Nonetheless, the aged abd infirmed
carry on. At the appropriate time, we'll present our data and
results to Lee Frelich and Don Bragg.
I've started modeling trunks again with the macroscope and searching
for mathematical relationships. Some will no doubt be
regression-based. But as of now, we're nowhere near announcing a new
formula or regression equation. One point I would make at this time
is that we must distinguish ourselves from what the profession of
forestry has done and probably is still doing. We seek to model what
is actually there without smoothing off the internodes or skipping
the challenging trees. Our trees will retain their individuality
throughout the process, i.e. they won't get lost in the sample. I'm
not saying that there isn't anything we can learn from those who
have gone before us - just that our focus is very different. I point
this out least there be those who think we are trying to reinvent
the wheel. We aren't. Our wheel is only a wheel of sorts. It isn't
really round and will never be an assembly line model.
The research being done will go into the dendromorphometry book and
hopefully will eventually contribute to the other sides needs. One
question I have at this point is how good is the prevailing forestry
models at predicting total wood volume in the trunks of trees. My
assumption is that the models are good when dealing with volume, but
fall short when there is a need to know the volume of individual
trees. Forestry models unquestionably don't apply to open-grown
trees, especially the big, old ones, but probably do work well
enough for smaller forest grown trees. I have to believe the amount
of research done to date is overwhelming in that regard.
Bob
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