%0 Research article
%T Modelling spatial dependence in an irregular natural forest
%A Fox, Julian C.
%A Bi, Huiquan
%A Ades, Peter K.
%D 2008
%J Silva Fennica
%V 42
%N 1
%R doi:10.14214/sf.262
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/262
%X The spatial dependence present in a natural stand of Eucalyptus  pilularis (Smith) dominated mixed species forest was characterised and  modelled. Two wildfires imposed a significant spatial dependence on the  post disturbance stand. It was hypothesised that spatial variation in  the intensity of the wildfires generated the observed structures. The  influence of patch formation, micro-site variability and competitive  influences were also noted in the residuals of a distance-dependent  individual-tree growth model. A methodology capable of modelling these  complicated patterns of observed dependence was sought, and candidates  included the spatial interaction, direct specification and Papadakis  methods. The spatial interaction method with a moving average  autoregression was identified as the most appropriate method for  explicitly modelling spatial dependence. Both the direct specification  and Papadakis methods failed to capture the influence of competition.  This study highlights the possibility that stand disturbances such as  natural and artificial fires, insect and fungal attacks, and wind and  snow damage are capable of imposing powerful spatial dependencies on the  post disturbance stand. These dependencies need to be considered if  individual tree growth models are to provide valid predictions in  disturbed stands.