Title

TB139: Stand Age and Density Effects on Volume and Specific Gravity of Black Spruce

Authors

Robert K. Shepard
James E. Shottafer
William C. Bragg

Files

Description

Ten dominant or codominant trees were sampled from a 29-year-old black spruce stand, released at age 19, and ten of comparable dbh from a 77-year-old, unthinned stand. A variety of characteristics, including taper, volume, and specific gravity of the bole, as well as the change in specific gravity with age at breast height, were determined for trees from both stands. The older trees had significantly less taper, shorter crowns, approximately 1.9 times more merchantable volume and 10% higher specific gravity. The juvenile period for specific gravity was approximately 60 years. The higher specific gravity and merchantable volume of the older trees resulted in approximately 2.1 times more solid wood in the merchantable bole.

Document Type

Article

ISSN

0734-9556

Rights and Access Note

Rights assessment remains the responsibility of the researcher. No known restrictions on publication.

Volume

139

Publication Date

1-1-1991

Publisher

Maine Agricultural Experiment Station

City

Orono

Keywords

black spruce, wood properties

Disciplines

Wood Science and Pulp, Paper Technology

Recommended Citation

Shepard, R.K., Shottafter, J.E., and W.C. Bragg. 1991. Stand age and density effects on volume and spcific gravity of black spruce. Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 139.