Estimating the self-thinning line from mortality data

Abstract

Context Self-thinning is fundamental to modern density-based forest management. The process of self-thinning arises from the dynamic interaction of stand growth and mortality at equilibrium conditions. However, despite the dynamic basis for the self-thinning process, it is typically modeled using static size-density data. Material and methods We tested the ability of a simple stand mortality model to estimate the self-thinning line. We used data from long-term silvicultural experiments for six common Eucalyptus species in southeastern Australia. Our approach built on existing mortality model structure that predicts survival trajectories that follow a self-thinning line. We used Poisson and n..