Article

Download article 		Title: Potential of tree-ring analysis in a wet tropical forest: A case study on 22 commercial tree species in Central Africa
Author: Groenendijk, P.; Sass-klaassen, U.; Bongers, Frans; Zuidema, Pieter A.
Year: 2014
Is part of: Forest Ecology and Management, v. 323, p. 65 - 78
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.03.037

Citation: Groenendijk, P.; Sass-klaassen, U.; Bongers, Frans; Zuidema, Pieter A.; Potential of tree-ring analysis in a wet tropical forest: A case study on 22 commercial tree species in Central Africa. Forest Ecology and Management, v.323, p. 65-78, 2014

Abstract: Implementing sustainable forest management requires basic information on growth, ages, reproduction and survival of exploited tree species. This information is generally derived from permanent sample plots where individual trees are monitored. Accurately estimating growth rates and especially tree ages from plots is however challenging, as plots often contain only few individuals of the exploited species and monitoring periods cover only a fraction of the life-span of most trees.

Keywords: Cameroon; Forest management; Radiocarbon dating; Timber species; Tree-ring analysis; Tropical wet forests;

Funding: This research was financially supported by the European Research Council (ERC, Grant #242955). We are greatly thankful to the (staff of) TRC logging company, for their invaluable support during fieldwork. Particularly, we would like to thank David Zakamdi and the field crew at FMU 11.001 for the great help with tree identification and sampling. Prof. Dr. Martin Tchamba and the Department of Forestry of the University of Dschang are acknowledged for their warm welcome and support. Finally, we would like to thank Peter van der Sleen, Mart Vlam, Wouter Berendsen, Fintan Kelly, William Mbia Nanga, Moise Guy Singha, Thomas Voswinkel, Eve lien Louwers, Katrui Veldhuijzen, Irene Bender and Richard Peters for their dedication with field work, discussions and the seemingly interminable ring-measurements. Two anonymous reviewers are acknowledged for the thorough and valuable comments. 		Financed by: