From: bob keeland {keelandb@OSPREY.NWRC.GOV}

Subject: Re: Dendrometer Bands

Sender: OWNER-FOREST@LISTSERV.FUNET.FI

To: Multiple recipients of list FOREST {FOREST@LISTSERV.FUNET.FI}

I used dendrometer bands extensively for a portion of my research in South Carolina, USA and have compiled a short list of articles concerning dendrometer bands (attached below). In some cases you can observe daily changes in the circumference of trees using dendrometer bands. If you attach a linear variable differential transformer or a potentiometer to the band and connect it to a data logger you can record hourly circumference changes and get very nice traces of diurnal fluctuations. I read 700 dendrometer bands in a day on a weekly basis for three years, so once the bands are installed they are very easy to read. Rather than construct a vernier on the band, I inscribed a line next to the collar and then measured the distance the line moves away from the collar to represent the change in circumference using a hand held ruler.

Some of my dendrometer bands were in use on the trees for a period of 5 years. I am not sure how long the bands give accurate data. It would seem that with new bark growth under the bands the accuracy may become suspect after many years. Actually that would be a very good project for some student if they had access to trees with old bands (say at least 5 years old) and could install new bands and then compare the results.

All of my bands have been made of stainless steel, although aluminum bands seem to be more common. I chose stainless steel because I read too many accounts of animal damage to aluminum bands. Just make sure that the stainless steel bands are not too thick and resistant to bending. If memory serves, the stainless steel bands have less thermal expansion than aluminum (but you may want to check that out). Invar bands have the least thermal expansion but have to be coated so they don't rust. If you want to use electric dendrometer bands I would suggest something like invar. Otherwise stick to aluminum or stainless steel. Source of stainless steel spring - Good question. I looked in the Thomas Register which lists just about all of the business in the United States by the type of product they produce. Under Stainless Steel (or perhaps it was Stainless Steel Springs) I found a few companies that I called and got cost estimates. I would suggest that you use springs that are about 5 cm long. Mine were shorter and that became a problem after the bands had been on the trees for several years. Some fast growing trees can take up the slack in a short spring very quickly. Also, make sure that you leave plenty of free band (the running end) past the collar before you attach the spring. I had several bands reach their maximum expansion before the end of my study. At least 20-30 cm should be good.

As to the potential problem of using only basal area growth versus including height or leaf area index, I believe it depends on what you are trying to do with the data. For some things basal area growth is sufficient, but for others you would probably need more information. Basal area increment will not provide sufficient information on biomass increase, but is probably sufficient for looking at a response to some stimuli.

I am just submitting a paper relating tree growth to water level fluctuations on a weekly basis to the American Journal of Botany. I got very good cross-correlations between tree growth and belowground water level fluctuations. It would be great to see some more papers relating frequent measurements of tree growth (daily or weekly for example) to soil moisture or water levels. I am particularly interested in such studies in forested wetland ecosystems.

I have never had problems with bark die-back, however, if you place the bands on stems that are too small (< 10 cm dbh in my experience) the band may stimulate deformed growth and give unreliable measurements.

How to choose the number of trees and which trees to choose depends on what you are trying to do, what the forest structure is, what the local topography is, etc. Also be aware that some trees may show no growth. I had several swamp tupelo trees that achieved no growth over a 5 year period. The trees appeared to be quite healthy, but they just did not grow any in circumference. To realistically determine the number of trees you will need to measure you will need to have some estimate of the variability in growth expected and then talk to a statistician. I didn't know how many trees to include so I banded 100 canopy and 100 subcanopy trees of each species for a study of seasonal growth patterns (study just out in the new issue of the Canadian Journal of Forest Research - sorry but I don't have reprints yet and don't know the volume or page numbers).

List of Dendrometer related papers.

Auchmoody, L.R. 1976. Accuracy of band dendrometers. U.S. Forest Service Research Note NE-221, 4pp.

Bormann, F.H., and Kozlowski, T.T. 1962. Measurement of tree growth with dial gauge dendrometers and vernier tree ring bands. Ecology 43: 289-294.

Bouchon,J (1985): An improved Christen dendrometer. OT: Un dendrometre de Christen ameliore. Revue Forestiere Francaise 37(4), 311. (3 ref., 1 pl)

Bower, D.R., and Blocker, W.W. 1966. Accuracy of bands and tape for measuring diameter increments. J. For. 64: 21-22.

Brand,DG; Flannigan,MD; Janas,PS (1988): Using datalogger systems for environmental monitoring in forest research: an overview and case study. In: Information report. Vol. PI-X-81. (: ) Petawawa National Forestry Institute, Canadian Forestry service, 26 pp.

Cameron, R.J., and Lea, R. 1980. Band Dendrometers or Diameter Tapes? J. For. 78: 277-278.

Cattelino, P.J., C.A. Becker and L.G. Fuller. 1986. Construction and installation of homemade dendrometer bands. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 3: 73-75.

Daubenmire, R.F. 1945. An improved type of precision dendrometer. Ecology 26: 97-98.

Dobbs, R.C. 1969. An electrical device for recording small fluctuations and accumulated increment of tree stem circumference. For. Chron. 45: 187-189.

Fedyukov,VI (1990): Electronic dendrometer for selecting resonance wood. Derevoobrabatyvayushchaya Promyshlennost' 7, 30-31.

Fritts, H.C. 1961. An evaluation of three techniques for measuring radial tree growth. Bull. Ecol. Soc. 42: 54-55.

Fuller, L.G., Cattelino, P.J., and Reed, D.D. 1988. Correction Equations for Dendrometer Band Measurements of Five Hardwood Species. North. J. Appl. For. 5: 111-113.

Hall, R.C. 1944. A vernier tree-growth band. J. For. 42: 742- 743.

Impens, I.I. and J.M. Schalck. 1965. A very sensitive electric dendrograph for recording radial changes of a tree. Ecology 46: 183-184.

Lassoie, J.P. 1973. Diurnal dimensional fluctuations in a Douglas-fir stem in response to tree water status. For. Sci. 19: 251-255.

Kawalec,A; Krupinski,S (1985): A new Polish dendrometer. 1. Review of selected dendrometers. OT: Nowy polski przyrzad dendrometryczny (1). Przeglad wybranych przyrzadow dendrometrycznych. Las Polski 3, 10-12.

Kawalec,A; Krupinski,S (1985): A new Polish dendrometer. 2. The cylinder dendrometer. OT: Nowy polski przyrzad dendrometryczny (2). Dendrometr bebnowy. Las Polski 4, 7-8.

Keeland, B.D. and R.R. Sharitz. 1993. Accuracy of tree growth measurements using dendrometer bands. Can. J. For. Res. 23: 2454- 2457.

Kinerson, R.S., Jr. 1973. A transducer for investigations of diameter growth. Forest Science 19: 230-231.

Komiyama,A; Yamada,Y; Nakajima,N; Ishikawa,T (1983): Deciduous broadleaved forests in the Hida District. (I) Birch forest and the application of the aluminum band type dendrometer. Research Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University 48, 277-285. (6 ref)

Kozlowski, T.T. and C.H. Winget. 1964. Diurnal and seasonal variation in radii of tree stems. Ecology 45: 149-155.

LaPoint, G. and K. Van Cleve. 1971. A portable electronic multichannel dendrograph and environmental factor recording system. Can. J. For. Res. 1: 273-277.

Liming, F.G. 1957. Homemade dendrometers. J. For. 55: 575-577.

Mesavage, C. and W.S. Smith. 1960. Timesavers for installing dendrometer bands. J. For. 58: 396.

Palmer,J; Ogden,J (1983): A dendrometer band study of the seasonal pattern of radial increment in kauri (Agathis australis). New Zealand Journal of Botany 21, 121-126.

Phipps, R.L. and G.E. Gilbert. 1960. An electric dendrograph. Ecology 41: 389-390.

Phipps, R.L. and W.M. Yater, Jr. 1974. Three types of remote- reading dendrographs. Ecology 55: 454-457.

Ravart,M (1982): The Suunto PM-5/1520 P dendrometer and variations. OT: Le dendrometre Suunto PM-5/1520 P (et options). In: Document, -Station-de-Sylviculture-et-de-Production, -CNRF, -France. Vol. 82/01. (: ),, 10pp. (3ref)

Reineke, L.H. 1932. A precision dendrometer. Journal of Forestry 30: 692-697.

Reineke, L.H. 1948. Dial gauge dendrometers. Ecology 29: 208.

Schirone,B; Giordano,E; Pierangeli,E (1987): A highly sensitive automatic band dendrometer to measure increment. OT: Un dendroauxografo meccanico di elevata sensibilita. Italia Forestale e Montana 42(2), 83-98. (34 ref)

Walker,LR; Whiteaker,LD (1988): Rust prevention on dendrometer bands. Biotropica 20(4), 336-337. (6 ref)

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