Demonstrating the Effect of Height Variation on Stand-Level Optimization with Diameter-Structured Matrix Model

Pyy, Johanna; Laitinen, Erkki K.; Ahtikoski, Anssi

doi:10.3390/f11020226

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Since there were differences between the models regarding total costs, this may have a consequence for stand-level optimisation, as even small changes in endogenous variable values could have a profound effect on optimal solutions (Ahtikoski et al 2018, Pyy et al 2020.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of operating cost management models for selection cutting in Scandinavian continuous cover forestry

Bianchi,

Ahtikoski,

Muhonen

et al. 2023

iForest

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The importance of continuous cover forestry (CCF) is increasing, yet there is lack of data and understanding about many aspects of this management, including the operational costs. Our objectives were to retrieve available harvesting cost models from published studies on selection cutting in Norwayspruce-dominated stands in Scandinavian countries and to evaluate them against real case studies. First, we retrieved three recently published harvesting cost models which provided explicit cost functions. Models 1 and 2, based on rotation forestry (RF) data and adapted for CCF, had separate sub-models for cutting and hauling costs. Model 3 was based on CCF data and produced total harvesting costs, including the cutting and hauling costs combined. Second, we measured cutting costs for 29 harvesting operations on stands with different stages of CCF structure. We then compared the observations with the simulations of Models 1 and 2 cutting cost sub-models for those cases. Third, we expanded the dataset, including a further 34 harvesting operations in stands with more advanced CCF structures (without measured costs). We then simulated the total harvesting costs for all three models in this dataset to investigate their general behaviour. On average, Models 1 and 2 cutting cost submodels had relatively good and consistent predictions compared with the observed values. However, they differed in total costs due to different estimates for the hauling cost sub-models. Model 3 had predictions comparable to Models 1 and 2 in the more advanced stages of CCF, but much higher in the less advanced. This study provides important data regarding cutting costs in CCF and demonstrates the feasibility of using existing harvesting cost models.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of operating cost management models for selection cutting in Scandinavian continuous cover forestry

Bianchi,

Ahtikoski,

Muhonen

et al. 2023

iForest

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“…The width of size classes should be selected accordingly to the time step, such that the trees do not move up more than one class (Usher, 1966). Based on Usher's assumption we selected a class interval of 10 cm, which was also consistent with the diameter range observed for the ingrowth trees, although the wider the class interval the higher the variation inside classes, which could increase the prediction bias (Liang and Picard, 2013;Pyy et al, 2020).…”

Section: Methodological Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A weakness of matrix models in general, and of our model in particular, is that it does not consider the variation within classes, for instance by adding the height variation of the trees (Pyy et al, 2020). Thus, the model could be improved by including competition indices that take into account vertical structure, for instance through crown variables (Pretzsch et al, 2015b).…”

Section: Methodological Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature effect on size distributions in spruce-fir-beech mixed stands across Europe

Condés

Rı́o

Forrester

et al. 2022

Forest Ecology and Management

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Forest composed of Picea abies L., Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L. cover a large area in the European mountain regions and have a high ecological and socio-economic importance as they supply many ecosystems services. Because of climate change, these forests are exposed to warming, and this effect increases with elevation, which may impact their delivery of goods and services. Previous studies did not find significant changes in the overall productivity of these species over the last 30 years, but they observed changes in species competitiveness at the species and tree levels.In this study, we aimed to link previous results on tree, species and stand level growth in spruce-fir-beech mixed mountain forests by analysing species size distribution dynamics under different climate conditions and their effect on stand growth. We developed a matrix model based on data from 76 long-term experimental plots distributed throughout Europe. We used the change in stand basal area to explore whether temperature modifies species size dominances and proportions, whether the temperature effects on changes in species basal area depend on species size dominance, and whether the effect of species size dominance on changes in the stand basal area varies with temperature.Our results showed that annual mean temperature is an important climatic driver of species dynamics in spruce-fir-beech mixed mountain forests, such that stand basal area growth was favored by higher temperatures, particularly due to positive responses of silver fir which were greater than negative effects of temperature on European beech. The high temperatures also favored the size-dominance of silver fir, while European beech tended to have smaller diameters, independent of the temperature. We also found that the identity of the sizedominant species also influenced changes in stand basal area, with the highest or the lowest changes when Norway spruce and European beech were the size-dominant species, respectively. Silver fir was less influenced by the identity of the size-dominant species than by temperature.

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“…Pihlainen et al (2014) added carbon storage to the model by Tahvonen et al (2013) and optimized rotation forestry management of Scots pine stands including revenues from both timber production and carbon sequestration. Recently, Pyy et al (2020) presented a size-structured transition matrix model based on diameter breast height that also includes height variations within diameter classes. However, the economic model by Pyy et al (2020) omits all forestry beyond the ongoing rotation (cf.…”

Section: Stand-level Economics Of Continuous Cover and Rotation Forestrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Pyy et al (2020) presented a size-structured transition matrix model based on diameter breast height that also includes height variations within diameter classes. However, the economic model by Pyy et al (2020) omits all forestry beyond the ongoing rotation (cf. Faustmann 1849).…”

Section: Stand-level Economics Of Continuous Cover and Rotation Forestrymentioning

confidence: 99%

On the economics of continuous cover and rotation forestry

Parkatti¹

2021

Diss. For.

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This dissertation studies the stand-level economics of continuous cover and rotation forestry. The main method of this dissertation is economic-ecological optimization, where statisticalempirical size-structured ecological models are coupled with economic optimization models including fully flexible optimization between continuous cover and rotation forestry. The dissertation consists of a summary section and three original research articles. The first article compares the favourability of continuous cover forestry between pure Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands and studies the effects of ecological models on economically optimal solutions. The second article studies the economics of mixed-species stands with up to four tree species. The third article studies the economics of arctic forestry in the homeland region of the Sámi people using a model that simultaneously includes timber production, carbon storage, and negative externalities of forestry on reindeer husbandry.According to the results, the differences in continuous cover forestry favourability between tree species are largely dependent on both species-specific differences in natural regeneration and natural regeneration differences between ecological models. Under realistic economic parameters, our model specification yields the result that continuous cover forestry is optimal for Norway spruce in both single-and mixed-species stands. In contrast, Scots pine favours rotation forestry in both single-and mixed-species stands. Economic preferability of species mixture cannot be deducted from physical overyielding. In addition, we demonstrate that economically optimal continuous cover forestry avoids "high grading", i.e. selective harvesting that leads to a completely different and economically inferior outcome. Including the negative externalities of forestry on reindeer husbandry into the economic model favours continuous cover forestry in arctic Scots pine stands. A carbon price between €14-€20 tCO2 -1 is enough to imply that saving old-growth forests as carbon storages and reindeer pastures becomes optimal.

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Demonstrating the Effect of Height Variation on Stand-Level Optimization with Diameter-Structured Matrix Model

Cited by 4 publications

References 36 publications

Evaluation of operating cost management models for selection cutting in Scandinavian continuous cover forestry

Evaluation of operating cost management models for selection cutting in Scandinavian continuous cover forestry

Temperature effect on size distributions in spruce-fir-beech mixed stands across Europe

On the economics of continuous cover and rotation forestry

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