stem analysis (again)

• To: forest@nic.funet.fi
• Subject: stem analysis (again)
• From: Mark Rauschkolb <mark@CS.MsState.Edu>
• Date: Fri, 21 Oct 1994 17:52:36 +0200
• Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT

Thank you to all who answered my last post asking for references about
stem analysis.  I have gotten all of the articles that I have been able 
to find locally, but after reading them, I still do not feel that I 
have a grasp of what stem analysis actually is (I'm missing the details)

As I think I understand it, stem analysis involves taking samples at 
various heights along the trunk/bole.

Most of the first samples are taken at chest height / 4.5 feet.
What is the significance of chest height / 4.5 feet?

Is there a "standard" distance to be maintained between samples?
If not, what determines how often the samples are collected?

Once the samples are collected, does what is analyzed vary according to
what the individual researcher is studying?  
(one paper seemed to be comparing the difference in the growth of 
 individual rings within the same tree at different heights, where 
 most others were comparing different trees or different stands)

I can see where taking many samples at different heights would be
of great importance to the researcher comparing growth rates of a
given ring in a single tree, but I do not see why multiple samples
is better than one for studying different trees or stands, unless 
each ring of each tree is analyzed at different heights before the 
trees are compared.  (this did not seem to be the case, but that may
have been implied by "stem analysis")

Thanks for any help.

Mark
mark@cs.msstate.edu

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