Impacts of changing the minimum diameter of roundwood on the accumulation of logging residue in first thinnings of Scots pine and Norway spruce

The aim of this study was to examine the impacts of different minimum top diameters of roundwood on the accumulation of logging residue in first thinnings of Scots pine and Norway spruce. The aim was also to compare estimates of residue accumulation calculated by tree-specific models with field measurements from thinnings. Felling experiments were performed in young pine and spruce stands to evaluate the model calculations. The felling was performed by a harvester with a single-grip harvester head. Sample trees were felled and processed to a minimum diameter of 12, 10, 8 and 6 cm and the delimbed branches and stem wood between these cutting points were weighed. The mean relative masses of the tree tops of spruce were nearly doubled with each increment of 2 cm in the top diameter. Respectively in pine, the mean relative tree top mass was increased by 50–60% when the top diameter was increased by 2 cm. The mass of total residue (tree top and all delimbed branches) was similarly increased, but the differences were not as large. Compared to pine, smaller variation in the crown mass of the spruce sample resulted in a more accurate model prediction of the mass of tree tops and total residue. The results of this study suggest that the biomass quantity and distribution of a small amount of trees cannot be predicted very reliably, but when these results are generalized to stand-level, the model predictions can be improved to a practicable level.

► Accumulation of logging residue in first thinnings of pine and spruce was studied.
► Varying minimum diameter of roundwood changes logging residue accumulation.
► Biomass models predicted stand-level residue accumulation well.
► Significant increases in residue quantity due to increases in roundwood top diameter.