Current issue: 58(5)
Variation in the radial growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) was studied in 10 localities in Southern Finland. The aim of the study was to utilize the information on variation in the growth indices for growth estimation, and to evaluate the relative accuracy of growth estimation based on the data from increment boring, in comparison to other methods.
The climatic variation in periodic growth (5-year-period) in Southern Finland is about 11% of the normal level. The results suggest that the data from 10 localities can be used in the computation of the index series for Southern Finland and that the data from 10 relascope plots are required in the study of the climatic variation in tree growth in a given locality. The standard error of the estimate in actual growth estimation for past and future periods by the stand function method is about 23%, the errors of the method involving increment boring being 6% and 16% respectively in past and future growth estimation. The respective methods yield about 20% and 13% error in average growth estimation. With aid of the average growth indices for Southern Finland in local growth estimation the accuracy is distinctly improved, the error being equal to 12% only, while the accuracy in other cases is slightly improved.
The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.