PhD Student Mississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi, United States
Tree competition drives forest dynamics and productivity, and our study used a method for computing distances between trees within Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) to compare competition indices in predicting diameter growth in mixed-species stands at a regional scale to inform forest management decisions.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to understand the importance of competition among trees in forest dynamics, productivity, and ecological structure.
Upon completion, participants will be able to recognize the impacts of spatial arrangement and density on survival, stand diameters, and overall growth performance.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to understand the method for recreating spatial arrangement of trees within FIA plots.
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify the best competition indices for different forest species compositions.
