Intra-Seasonal Changes in Height to Diameter Ratios for Lodgepole Pine in the Central Interior of British Columbia

Height to diameter ratio (HDR) has been proposed as an alternative to conventional procedures for assessing competition between crop trees and other vegetation. Yet HDRs vary throughout the growing season due to variations in the rate of change in height and diameter. There is an interest, therefore, in determining variations in HDR within a growing season (intra-seasonal changes) and the time of the year when measurements of HDR should be taken for operational purposes. HDR measurements were taken on five occasions at two lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) sites in the central interior of British Columbia, from early May to late October through the 1999 growing season. Although the focus of the article is the investigation of intra-seasonal changes in HDR, we also compared August 1999 measurements with August 1998 measurements to determine the variation in HDR between growing seasons (inter-seasonal change). The study involved a completely randomized, one-factor experimental design, with replication over time. The removal of competing vegetation (known as brushing) was the factor. The design consisted of four levels of brushing, replicated three times on each study site. The results indicated that HDRs increased from early May to July and then decreased until October to levels equal to or lower than those obtained in August 1998. The highest HDR values were observed in control plots. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures indicated that treatment (brushing radius) and date of HDR measurement had significant (P < 0.05) effects on the intra-seasonal changes in HDR. The results suggest that HDR measurements should be taken either after mid-August, or before mid-May when changes in HDR are negligible. West. J. Appl. For.18(1):52–59.