ABSTRACT
The objective of the present work was to study the volume growth of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze individuals, in function of tree ages, in the region of Planalto Médio, Encosta Superior do Nordeste and Serra do Sudeste in Rio Grande do Sul. For this sake, growth equations were fitted to growth data generated to different tree ages estimated by dendrocronology. Backman’s growth equation demonstrated to be efficient with the application of dummy variables, allowing the identification of growth differences according to the region being studied. In order to reduce estimative errors, different equations are needed for each place. Results demonstrated that, in each studied region, the species showed different form and velocity of volumetric growth. In Serra do Sudeste, the maximum annual mean increment in volume was 0.0311 m³ at 56 years-old; in Planalto Médio was 0.0198 m³ at 46 years-old; and, in the Encosta Superior do Sudeste was 0.026 m³ at 48 years-old, indicating a good potential of mean growth in the studied regions.
Keywords:
growth; phytogeographics areas; Araucaria angustifolia