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Spatio-temporal analysis of tree height in a young cork oak plantation

Spatio-temporal analysis of tree height in a young cork oak plantation
Spatio-temporal analysis of tree height in a young cork oak plantation
Cork oak is one of the most valuable natural forest genera in the Mediterranean basin. Modelling cork oak growth has been a challenge for foresters in recent years because of strong site and genetic influences, below-ground competition, management regimes and age effects. Because cork productivity is related to forest height, which is, in turn, related directly with site characteristics, an increase in the accuracy of height prediction implies improved productivity estimation. A Bayesian maximum entropy (BME) geostatistical model was applied to characterize the space–time pattern of height of young cork oak in a forest stand from central Sardinia in the years 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008. Cork oak height maps were produced for each of the 5 years. The main goals were to analyse and interpret through time (i) the changes in spatial correlation and (ii) the changes in spatial distribution of cork oak height. The plantation was characterized by an increasing spatial dependence through time, whereas the temporal range was 2 years. Cork oak height was significantly correlated with wind speed (reduced by a neighbouring forest) in all the years implying a single trend. The correlations were larger for 2006 and 2008 than for previous years. Three other environmental variables (shade, elevation and slope) were less significant and their influence restricted to 2 years only. This research has several implications for the management of cork oak in the young phase.

bayesian maximum entropy, spatio-temporal geostatistics, space-time trends, cork oak, sardinia
1365-8816
1083-1096
Sedda, L.
ae6a74e0-ff67-4678-aefc-9976179294f6
Atkinson, P.M.
96e96579-56fe-424d-a21c-17b6eed13b0b
Filigheddu, M.R.
755c7be5-ec77-4842-9fc8-ca8a6880bd25
Cotzia, G.
463d25cf-5156-4569-b565-dffecee65989
Dettori, S.
38b80bb3-6a54-479d-a254-843069990006
Sedda, L.
ae6a74e0-ff67-4678-aefc-9976179294f6
Atkinson, P.M.
96e96579-56fe-424d-a21c-17b6eed13b0b
Filigheddu, M.R.
755c7be5-ec77-4842-9fc8-ca8a6880bd25
Cotzia, G.
463d25cf-5156-4569-b565-dffecee65989
Dettori, S.
38b80bb3-6a54-479d-a254-843069990006

Sedda, L., Atkinson, P.M., Filigheddu, M.R., Cotzia, G. and Dettori, S. (2011) Spatio-temporal analysis of tree height in a young cork oak plantation. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 25 (7), 1083-1096. (doi:10.1080/13658816.2010.517534).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Cork oak is one of the most valuable natural forest genera in the Mediterranean basin. Modelling cork oak growth has been a challenge for foresters in recent years because of strong site and genetic influences, below-ground competition, management regimes and age effects. Because cork productivity is related to forest height, which is, in turn, related directly with site characteristics, an increase in the accuracy of height prediction implies improved productivity estimation. A Bayesian maximum entropy (BME) geostatistical model was applied to characterize the space–time pattern of height of young cork oak in a forest stand from central Sardinia in the years 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008. Cork oak height maps were produced for each of the 5 years. The main goals were to analyse and interpret through time (i) the changes in spatial correlation and (ii) the changes in spatial distribution of cork oak height. The plantation was characterized by an increasing spatial dependence through time, whereas the temporal range was 2 years. Cork oak height was significantly correlated with wind speed (reduced by a neighbouring forest) in all the years implying a single trend. The correlations were larger for 2006 and 2008 than for previous years. Three other environmental variables (shade, elevation and slope) were less significant and their influence restricted to 2 years only. This research has several implications for the management of cork oak in the young phase.

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More information

Published date: 2011
Keywords: bayesian maximum entropy, spatio-temporal geostatistics, space-time trends, cork oak, sardinia
Organisations: Global Env Change & Earth Observation

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 357157
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/357157
ISSN: 1365-8816
PURE UUID: cc40bf7c-1819-4842-a1ba-18c2eec5121d
ORCID for P.M. Atkinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5489-6880

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Oct 2013 13:31
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:47

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Contributors

Author: L. Sedda
Author: P.M. Atkinson ORCID iD
Author: M.R. Filigheddu
Author: G. Cotzia
Author: S. Dettori

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