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A history of varying methods for determining tree age in Estonia with emphasis on oak

Heldur Sander
Heldur Sander
   | Sep 18, 2020
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Article Category: Review paper
Published Online: Sep 18, 2020
Page range: 3 - 20
Received: Nov 08, 2019
Accepted: May 20, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fsmu-2020-0002
Keywords
© 2020 Heldur Sander, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

A sandpapered disc of lime outer bark (magnification approximately 15 times). The horizontal discontinuous rows mark the annual increments of the outer bark. Radial channels run through the discontinuation points. The radial channels are almost parallel near the bottom of the outer bark but converge at the top. The point of convergence of the radial channels marks the beginning of the outer bark growth. If the crest (top) of the outer bark is missing, the radial channels do not converge on the image plane (Rohtla, 1998).
A sandpapered disc of lime outer bark (magnification approximately 15 times). The horizontal discontinuous rows mark the annual increments of the outer bark. Radial channels run through the discontinuation points. The radial channels are almost parallel near the bottom of the outer bark but converge at the top. The point of convergence of the radial channels marks the beginning of the outer bark growth. If the crest (top) of the outer bark is missing, the radial channels do not converge on the image plane (Rohtla, 1998).

Figure 2

An approximately two-fold magnified image of a sandpapered disc of the outer bark of an oak (Rohtla, 1998).
An approximately two-fold magnified image of a sandpapered disc of the outer bark of an oak (Rohtla, 1998).

Figure 3

An image of a sandpapered disc of the outer bark of an oak, magnified 30–35 times (Rohtla, 1998).
An image of a sandpapered disc of the outer bark of an oak, magnified 30–35 times (Rohtla, 1998).

22 oaks from Tallinn in 1999 the ages of which were determined graphically with a dendro-chronological method; in 17 cases, tree age was determined according to bark (Läänelaid et al., 2001; Sander et al., 2008, updated). Oaks no. 3 and 12 had eccentric stems. Nos. 1–10 were situated in Kadriorg Park, 11–17 in the city centre and 18–21 on Kopli Peninsula.

Sample No., direction and height in trunk, mTrunk circumference at 1.3 m, mmBark thickness, mmTrunk radius without bark, mmLength of raw wood core, mm% of radius without barkNumber of tree rings in the coreAverage annual increment, mmAge graphically/based on average, yearsAge determined using the outer bark method
1 W, 1.3520074754324431981801–1999, 1.6370/471290
2 W, 1.335306349934869.71951804–1999, 1.8270/277-
3 W, 1.3; eccentric trunk2140413003161052441755–1999, 1.3250270–290/280
4 W, 1.333905448635372.61961803–1999, 1.8260/270310–320/315
5 W, 1.338806255635263.32311768–1999, 1.5340/371280–290/285
6 E, 1.0383060550341622381761–1999, 1.4350/393-
7 NE, 1.035206050136071.92641735–1999, 1.4330/358310–330/320
8 ?, 6.5; trunk fallen27006336736699.72921707–1999, 1.25 (1.3)294/294270–290/280
9 ?, 1.027206337019753.22181781–1999, 0.9303/411-
10 SW, 1.1550506074434846.81531846–1999, 2.3310/323260–280/270
11 SW, 1.038406055134662.31981801–1999, 1.7304/324270–290/280
12 S, 1.2; eccentric trunk250026372381102.41461853–1999, 2.6146140–150/145
13 S, 1.1319803827726796.41481851–1999, 1.8151/154-
14 E, 1.247406569033548.61081891–1999, 3.1250/223190–220/205
15 S, 1.2263020399339851271872–1999, 2.7155/148137
16 N, 1.2526804038735992.81801819–1999, 2.0193/194-
17 W, 1.227003539534587.31681831–1999, 2.1193/188230–250/240
18 NW, 1.220702530527489.81431856–1999, 1.9152/161146
19 S, 1.0650706274537149.81801819–1999, 2.1322/355210–230/220
20 S, 1.3647405070536752.11841815–1999, 2.0330/353250–280/265
21 SE, 1.2540505359228648.31721827–1999, 1.7337/348270–300/285
22 S, 1.441004061337861.72211778–1999, 1.7320/361365

The relation between breast height and age of oaks.

NoDiameter at breast height of oaksAge of trees in years
Russian feet (0.3048 m)cm
16 1/2198100
210 5/6330200
315 1/4465300
418 1/8552400
521640500
622 1/2686600
724732700
827823900
928 1/28691000
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