Stem volume functions for Melaleuca cajuputi trees in Southwestern Region

Abstract

The objective of this study was to construct standing stem and commercial timber volume functions at the individual tree level of Melaleuca cajuput plantations. The inside bark and outside bark stem volume functions were constructed from 56 sample trees at the diameter classes of 4 to 16 cm. The appropriate volume functions are tested from five candidate functions. The applicability of the volume functions were tested from 10 trees that were not included in the construction of the volume functions. The research results showed that the function V = a + b(D2 * H)c was a suitable function to build the inside bark stem volume function of Melaleuca cajuput. The function V = a + b(D2H) + c(DdHe) was a suitable function to build the outside bark stem and commercial timber volume functions of Melaleuca cajuput. The volume functions gave errors less than 5.0%. Compared with the inside bark stem volume, the average ratio for the outside bark stem volume, inside bark and outside bark commercial timber volume, and bark volume was 65.7%, 95.2%, 60.6% and 34.3%, respectively.