HYPSOMETRIC EQUATIONS FOR Toona ciliata WITH INCLUSION OF COVARIATES

ABSTRACT

The height-diameter relationship is influenced by many variables, making difficult its modeling. The inclusion of covariates by the decomposition of model parameters can improve the model precision and help develop generic height-diameter models. This study aimed to evaluate hypsometric equations and examine the inclusion of covariates for Toona ciliata, species still poorly studied. Four nonlinear equations were evaluated to represent the height as a function of age. The effect of the progeny was included in one of the equations, decomposing the parameters. Five equations, which four are nonlinear ones, were tested to represent the variation of height as a function of the diameter. The parameters of the logistic equation were decomposed and associated to the variable progenies, age, dominant and codominant height. The Asymptotic equation was the most precise to represent the height growth. The inclusion of the variable progeny in the Logistic equation improved its precision. From the set of equations tested for the height- diameter relationship, the Exponential equation was the least precise. The inclusion of covariates in the logistic equation improved its precision and among all tested covariates, the dominant and codominant height variable presented the highest gain in precision (23%).

Keywords:
Toona ciliata; height-age relationship; height-diameter relationship; covariates