PJB-2017-115
AGE AND RADIAL GROWTH ANALYSIS OF CONIFER TREE SPECIES FROM SHANGLA, PAKISTAN
JAVED IQBAL, MOINUDDIN AHMED, MUHAMMAD FAHEEM SIDDIQUI, ADAM KHAN AND MUHAMMAD WAHAB
Abstract
Dendrochronological studies were conducted in 40 different sites in conifer dominated forests from Shangla District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Wood samples in the form of cores were obtained by using Swedish increment borers including Pinus wallichiana A.B Jackson, Abies pindrow Royle, Picea smithiana (Wall) Boiss and Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G.Donf. In order to determine their ages, growth rates based on annual ring-width characteristics. Diameter and age showed significant correlation (P<0.001) in Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana and Cedrus deodara except Abies pindrow which showed no relationship. Highest growth rate (1.1 ± 0.06 year/cm) was recorded in Pinus wallichiana while for Abies pindrow growth (5.4 ± 1.7 year/cm) was extremely slow. We concluded that age and growth rate greatly varies from tree to tree and site to site even in the same sized trees. It is also shown that largest tree in diameter is not necessarily the oldest. Present study confirmed previous finding that diameter is not a good indicator of age.
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