FUNÇÕES DE AFILAMENTO PARA PLANTIOS DESBASTADOS DE Pinus taeda

Taper function for thinning planting of Pinus taeda L..This research aimed to evaluate accuracy of three taper functions in order to estimate diameter s and volumes along the stem of Pinus taeda. The database consisted of 320 trees on which diameters were measured at heights of 0.1 m, 0.5 m, 1.3 m, 2.0 m, then at every 1.0 m, until the total height. T e age of these trees ranged from 11 to 26 years old and they were submitted to one pruning and thinned two to six times until the final cut. The tested models were those from Schöepfer, Hradetzky and Koz ak et al.. The statistical analysis performed were graphical analysis of residuals, adjusted coef fici nt of determination (R), standard error of estimate (Syx%), and graphical analysis of the mean profiles. As result, models from Hradetzky and Shöepfer obtained similar and satisfactory results, with high coefficient value of determination and low standard error of estimate, as to diameter as w ell to volume estimates; it is because these are models whose parameters can better describe both ex tremities of the tree.