Tero Kokkila, Annikki Mäkelä, Eero Nikinmaa. (2002). A method for generating stand structures using Gibbs marked point process. Silva Fennica vol. 36 no. 1 article id 562. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.562

Keywords: spatial distribution; stand simulation; Gibbs point process; Markov chain Monte Carlo

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Stand growth modelling based on single tree responses to their surroundings requires a description of the spatial structure of a stand. While such detailed information is rarely available from field measurements, a method to create it from more general stand variables is needed. A marked Gibbs point potential theory combined with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) random process was used to create a spatial configuration for any given number of trees. The trees are considered as charges rejecting each other and building ‘potential energy’. As an analogue of the potential energy in physical systems, the potential of a stand is defined in terms of size-dependent tree-to-tree interactions that can be thought of as related to resource depletion and competition. The idea that bigger trees induce larger potentials brings 3-dimensional effects into the system. Any feasible spatial structure is a state of the system, and the related potential can be calculated. The probability that a certain state occurs is assumed to be a decreasing function of its potential. Because more regular structures have lower potentials, by adjusting the steepness of the probability distribution the spatial structure can be allowed to have a lot of randomness (naturally regenerated stands) or forced to be very regular (planted stands). The MCMC algorithm is a numerical method of finding stand configurations that correspond to the expected level of the potential, given the size distribution of trees and the shape of the probability density function. The method also allows us to take into account spatial variation in the terrain. Some spots can be defined to have lower basic potential than others (ditch, planting furrow, etc.) in order to create areas of higher than average stocking density. A preliminary test of the method was conducted on two measured stands. The results suggest that the method could provide an efficient and flexible means of mimicking variable stand structures.

Kokkila, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 Helsingin yliopisto, Finland E-mail: tero.kokkila@helsinki.fi
Mäkelä, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 Helsingin yliopisto, Finland E-mail: am@nn.fi
Nikinmaa, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 Helsingin yliopisto, Finland E-mail: en@nn.fi

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Légaré S., Bergeron Y. et al. (2002) Influence of forest composition on understory co.. Silva Fennica vol. 36 no. 1 article id 567 (remove) | Edit comment

Heikinheimo O., (1938) Thinning of forest stands Silva Fennica vol. no. 46 article id 4533 (remove) | Edit comment

Meen E., Nielsen A. et al. (2012) Forest stand modelling as a tool to predict perf.. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 4 article id 906 (remove) | Edit comment

Appelroth E., (1942) Requisite for periodical inventories of private .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 50 no. 12 article id 7365 (remove) | Edit comment

Kumpu A., Peltoniemi M. et al. (2025) Soil carbon and nitrogen in unmanaged forests in.. Silva Fennica vol. 59 no. 3 article id 24072 (remove) | Edit comment

Eriksson G., (1991) Challenges for forest geneticists. Silva Fennica vol. 25 no. 4 article id 5465 (remove) | Edit comment

Stolpe N., (1954) Observations on floating, its organizations and .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 61 no. 5 article id 7417 (remove) | Edit comment

Pallasmaa J., (1987) The architecture of the forest Silva Fennica vol. 21 no. 4 article id 5335 (remove) | Edit comment

Sierla V. O., (1933) Timber transportation of the floating associatio.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 39 no. 1 article id 7272 (remove) | Edit comment

Starr M., Westman C. J. (1978) Easily extractable nutrients in the surface peat.. Silva Fennica vol. 12 no. 2 article id 4990 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica