%0 Research article
%T Site quality curves for birch stands in north-western Spain
%A Diéguez-Aranda, Ulises
%A Grandas-Arias, José Antonio
%A Álvarez-González, Juan Gabriel
%A Gadow, Klaus von
%D 2006
%J Silva Fennica
%V 40
%N 4
%R doi:10.14214/sf.319
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/319
%X A model for predicting the height growth of even-aged, birch (Betula  pubescens Ehrh.) dominated stands in Galicia (north-western Spain) was  developed. Data from stem analysis of 214 trees were used for model  construction. Two dynamic site equations derived with the generalized  algebraic difference approach (GADA) were tested, which combine  compatible site index and height models in one common equation. Both  equations are base-age invariant and directly estimate height and site  index from any height and age. The fittings were done in one stage using  the base-age-invariant dummy variables method. A second-order  continuous-time autoregressive error structure was used to correct the  inherent autocorrelation of the longitudinal data used in this study.  Cieszewski’s model best described the data. This model is therefore  recommended for height growth prediction and site classification of  birch stands in Galicia.