| Summary: | The objective of this study was to determine how final stocking influences tree growth and radial and longitudinal variation in wood properties at a Pinus radiata D. Don plantation located at one of the warmest forest sites in New Zealand, Forsyth Downs forest in Northland. This thesis addressed both the effect of stocking on stand basal area, height, diameter and branch diameter and the effect of stocking on wood properties microfibril angle (MFA), module of elasticity and density. Finally, how ring width influences wood properties and whether this variable accounts for the treatment effects was investigated.
Stocking, height and ring number and all interactions between these variables significantly affected ring width. Ring width by itself was significant as a predictor of density, but when it was combined with other class level variables it was insignificant (i.e. does not account for treatment effects), and it did not add anything to a model with only class effects. There was a significant impact of ring number on density while ring width was insignificant in the same model.
MFA was significantly affected by ring width, height and ring number in the tree, and all interactions, apart from the three way interaction, but not by stocking. Ring width was significant in the MFA model both by itself and when it was combined with other variables. Ring width accounted for the stocking effect.
The best model of MOE included the class level effects of stocking, height and ring number within the tree, and all interactions between these variables, and ring width, as a continuous variable. While there was a significant effect between stockings this was relatively weak compared to the other main effects. Ring width largely accounted for the effect of stocking, but not that of ring number, or height.
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