ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. For. Glob. Change
Sec. Forest Growth
Volume 8 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2025.1577103
Growth and yield models of Centrolobium ochroxylum Rose ex Rudd in silvopastoral systems, Ecuadorian western lowlands
Provisionally accepted
- 1Central University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- 2College of Dentistry, Juárez University of the State of Durango, Durango, Durango, Mexico
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Centrolobium ochroxylum Rose ex Rudd, known as Amarillo Guayaquil (AG), is a tropical tree species found in secondary vegetation or in the wild in the western lowland region of Ecuador (WLRE). AG has heavy (0.78 g/cm³) and durable wood, with whitish sapwood and orange-yellow heartwood, making it ideal for carpentry and construction. The IUCN (2022) classified AG as a threatened and critically endangered tree species. However, available forest information on its growth and yield is scarce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the first provisional models of growth, yield, site index (SI), volume and diameter at breast height (DBH)-total height (H) relationship, developed for AG planted in live fences in WLRE. A total of 415 sample plots, each with an area of 1 ha, were surveyed. AG trees were arranged in live fences, and UTM coordinates, and planting dates were recorded. H and DBH were measured in 160 trees per plot in 2004, 2009, 2012, 2016 and 2018. To model volume, diameters were measured at different heights of a randomly selected tree in 195 study sites. Cross-validation revealed that the CR-GADA model, with its three parameters, achieved a better balance between fitness and generalisability than the CR-H model. The Spurr function was found to be the best model for determining the total volume. The model of Yang et al. (1978) was selected to describe the H-DBH relationship in the study region because of its stability and statistical significance, although the model of Bates and Watts (1980) showed better overall indicators of fit. Variation of the H-DBH relationship was observed according to the SI. The maximum MAI was 14.8 m³ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ at age 26 years on the best sites, whereas, on less favourable sites, the maximum MAI was 4.4 m³ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ at age 30 years. These models are preliminary and require validation with independent samples. Future studies should include data from mature plots and conduct economic analyses on silvopastoral systems, as well as study the carbon sequestration of AG to encourage reforestation.
Keywords: DBH growth curve 1, forest management2, H-DBH relationship3, threatened species4, site index models5, tree total volume6
Received: 15 Feb 2025; Accepted: 09 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Cañadas-López, Gamboa-Trujillo and Wehenkel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Álvaro Cañadas-López, Central University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
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