View source for Biology:Dendrometry

'''Dendrometry''' is the branch of forestry that is concerned with the [[Measurement|measurement]] of the various [[Physics:Dimension|dimension]]s of [[Earth:Tree|tree]]s, such as their [[Diameter|diameter]], size, [[Shape|shape]], age, overall [[Physics:Volume|volume]], thickness of the [[Biology:Bark (botany)|bark]], etc., as well as the [[Statistics|statistical]] properties of tree stands, including measures of [[Central tendency|central tendency]] and [[Biology:Biological dispersal|dispersion]] of these quantities, [[Biology:Wood|wood]] [[Physics:Density|density]], or yearly growth, for instance.

The most frequent measurements acquired in the field include
* the Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)
* the [[Height|height]] of the tree
* measures contraction and relaxation of vessels
* the horizontal dimension of the [[Biology:Canopy|canopy]]

These key measurements are used to infer, through [[Biology:Allometry|allometric]] relations, other tree properties that may be of greater interest but are harder to measure directly, such as the quantity of commercial wood retrievable, or the amount of [[Chemistry:Carbon|carbon]] sequestered in the plants.

{{gallery
|align=center
|File:Treeheightmodel.JPG|Tree height model (module of Field-Map Inventory Analyst) used to model missing tree heights.
|File:Dendrometer-CnAM 753-IMG 6876-black.jpg|Dendrometer of the early 19th century, on display at the Musée des Arts et Métiers.
}}

==See also==
* [[Earth:Field-Map|Field-Map]] - technology for dendrometric measurements
* Tree allometry
* {{annotated link|Tree crown measurement}}
* {{annotated link|Tree girth measurement}}
* {{annotated link|Tree measurement}}
* {{annotated link|Tree volume measurement}}

==References==
* Grosenbaugh, L. R. (1980) 'Avoiding Dendrometry Bias When Trees Lean or Taper', ''Forest Science'', Vol. '''26''', No. 2, 203–215.
* Court-Picon, M., C. Gadbin-Henry, F. Guibal and M. Roux (2004) 'Dendrometry and morphometry of Pinus pinea L. in Lower Provence (France): adaptability and variability of provenances', ''Forest Ecology and Management'', Vol. '''194''', No. 1-3, 319–333.
* [http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/concept?ns=1&cp=2070 Eionet GEMET Thesaurus]


[[Category:Dendrology]]



{{Sourceattribution|Dendrometry}}