INVENTORY DATA EXPLORATION
II. Inventory Data Exploration
Five important forestry species were selected from a European Inventory Database. The heights of these species were used to determine potential interspecific competition with Pinus contorta. Overall, absolute growth heights in Germany were the highest among the countries. This inventory data exploration was useful in selecting Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies as local species to compare against Pinus contorta growth in Germany and Sweden.
Five important forestry species were selected from a European Inventory Database. The heights of these species were used to determine potential interspecific competition with Pinus contorta. Overall, absolute growth heights in Germany were the highest among the countries. This inventory data exploration was useful in selecting Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies as local species to compare against Pinus contorta growth in Germany and Sweden.
The most frequent age group of the inventory database was year 40-60 (Figure 16). This age range was used to maximize sample size in comparing absolute height growth and relative species composition by country.
Germany had the highest absolute growth of 4 out of the 5 forestry species (Pinus sylvestris in Lithuania was slightly higher; Figure 17). It is interesting to note that Pseudotsuga menziesii grew exceptionally well in Germany. This is another introduced species that is native to North America and drought-tolerant. Germany also has the most species diversity made available by the inventory database. Sweden had lower growth rates and only 2 species available to compare.
Figure 18 was used to determine country-specific species dominance. Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris are the best local species to use for further analyses. Both species are the most dominant in the inventory database and are present in all countries. Both are valuable forestry species and would be excellent choices to compare to Pinus contorta.