Stem volume

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Forest mensuration lecture notes

[+] Definitions in forest inventory

[+] Functions and models in forest inventory

[+] Measurement devices

[+] Single tree variables

[+] Stand variables

  3D- Terrestrial laser scanning

  Forest Inventory Glossary

General observations

When thinking in terms of timber-production oriented forest management, stem volume is one of the most relevant variables in forest inventory. The volume unit in the metric system is cubic meter (\(m^3\)). Stem volume is one of those variables that can not be measured directly in a forest inventory but that needs to be modeled and predicted from more easily measurable variables. Volume is either determined for the entire stem (total volume) or for defined stem sections (such as commercial volume).

Calculating volume

The only method of tree volume measurement is by water displacement. However, this is a theoretical approach and not an option in forest inventory…