Variations in the biomass of Eucalyptus plantations at a regional scale in Southern China

We quantified deviations in regional forest biomass from simple extrapolation of plot data by the biomass expansion factor method(BEF) versus estimates obtained from a local biomass model,based on large-scale empirical field inventory sampling data.The sources and relative contributions of deviations between the two models were analyzed by the boosted regression trees method.Relative to the local model,BEF overestimated accumulative biomass by 22.12%.The predominant sources of the total deviation (70.94%) were stand-structure variables.Stand age and diameter at breast height are the major factors.Compared with biotic variables,abiotic variables had a smaller overall contribution (29.06%),with elevation and soil depth being the most important among the examined abiotic factors.Large deviations in regional forest biomass and carbon stock estimates are likely to be obtained with BEF relative to estimates based on local data.To minimize deviations,stand age and elevation should be included in regional forest-biomass estimation.     

Environmental heterogeneity as a strategy for pest management in Eucalyptus plantations

The effect of environmental heterogeneity on the distribution and abundance of Lepidoptera was tested in Eucalyptus plantations interwoven with natural vegetation. Collections were carried out in Aracruz, ES, Brazil, in five sites along a 1000 m transect starting in a native woodland and penetrating stands of Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus saligna. Collections were undertaken with light traps, three times a month, from April to August, 1993, recording the number of individuals per morphospecies in each site. A positive correlation was found between the number of sites where each species was recorded and its mean local abundance (r² = 0.45; P < 0.01; n = 790), indicating that the more ubiquitous Lepidoptera species are also those that were locally more abundant. No pest species was recorded among those very abundant. Pest species generally presented moderate abundances and only three out of ten were found at all sites. It seems, therefore, that pest species were constrained by the heterogeneity conferred by the coexistence of Eucalyptus plantations and remnants of native vegetation.     

Biometric relationships for non-destructive above ground biomass estimations in young plantations of Acacia salicina Lindl. and Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl.

Above ground oven dried biomass (BM) of individual trees in young stands of Acacia salicina Lindl. and Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl. were correlated linearly and logarithmically to the square of the basal diameter at 0.2 m (DB) and to the latter multiplied by the height of the tree. Number of main stems at basal height per tree were included as well. DB measurements in young Eucalypt stands provided better BM estimates than the commonly used diameter at breast height (1.3 m) (DBH).The following biometric relationships, after cross-validation against an independent data set, showed the best fit: BM=0.1282* (DB²) and BM=0.1700* (DB²) for A. salicina and E. occidentalis, respectively, with (DB²) ranging from 0–400 cm² and BM in kg tree^–1. For acceptable relative errors in biomass estimations (DB²) should be larger than 100 cm².Foliage to wood ratios at (DB²)<100 cm² for both tree species generally exceeded 1, but rapidly leveled off at 0.81±0.28 and 0.92±0.19 for the Acacia and Eucalypt spp., respectively, at higher (DB²) values.     

An allometric equation for estimating stem biomass of Acacia auriculiformis in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh

Tree biomass plays an important role in sustainable management and in estimating forest carbon stocks. The objective of this study was to select the best model for measuring stem biomass of Acacia auriculiformis in the study area. Data from five hillocks and 120 individual trees from each hillock were used in this study. Twelve different forms of linear, power and exponential equations were compared in this study to select the best model. Two models (VI and XI) were selected based on R ², adjusted R ², the Akaike information criterion, F-statistics and the five assumptions of linear regression. Model VI was discarded based on the Durbin-Watson value of autocorrelation of the residuals, then the ARIMA (2, 0, 1) model was used to remove the autocorrelation from the model and the final bias-corrected model XI was derived. The model was validated with a test data set having the same range of DBH and stem height of the training data set on the basis of linear regression, Morisita's similarity index, and t-test for mean difference between predicted and expected biomass. A comparison between the best logarithmic and non-linear allometric model shows that the non-linear model produces systematic biases and overestimates stem biomass for larger trees. The overall results showed that the bias-corrected logarithmic model XI can be used efficiently for estimating stem biomass of A. auriculiformis in the northeastern region of Bangladesh.     

应用中分辨率遥感数据和地理信息系统改进森林材积和生物量评估策略(英文)

应用遥感技术、地理信息系统和野外观测数据,评估了热带森林环境下地上生物量和木材蓄积量。用于模拟森林属性的这些数据具有地理特异性和高度的不确定性,因此,这方面需要开展更多的研究工作。选取了16个试样地带1460个样地,测定树木胸径及其他用于评估生物量的其他森林属性。本实验在印尼加里曼丹东部的热带雨林开展。应用现有的胸径-生物量公式来评估地上生物量密度。估测值在研究区修正的GIS地图上重叠显示,计算各种地被物的生物量密度。用样品数据子集表达遥感方法来形成地上生物量和材积线性方程模型。皮尔森相关统计检验采用ETM条带反射率、植被指数、图像变化图层、主成分分析条带、缨帽变换、灰度共生矩阵纹理特征和DEM数据作为预报值。在显著的遥感数据中形成了两个线性模型。为了分析每块地被物总的生物量和材积量,对2000年到2003年卫星ETM图进行了预处理、最大似然估计法分类和主体分析过滤。遥感方法获得的结果表明:材积量为(158±16)m3·hm-2,地上生物量为(168±15)t·hm-2;而野外测定和地理信息系统估计的结果分别是材积量为(157±92)m3·hm-2、地上生物量为(167±94)t·hm-2。用多个瞬间ETM数据评估了从2000年到2003年间的生物量丰富度动态,结果发现这一时期总生物量呈略微的下降趋势。遥感技术评估的生物量丰富度低于地理信息系统和野外测定的结果。前一种测定方法估计2000年和2003年总生物量分别是10.47Gt和10.3Gt,而后一种则估计11.9Gt和11.6Gt。还发现,灰度共生矩阵纹理特征与材积量和生物量之间存在较强的相关性。图7表9参43。     

Validation of an efficient visual method for estimating leaf area index in clonal Eucalyptus plantations

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key ecophysiological parameter in forest stands because it characterises the interface between atmospheric processes and plant physiology. Several indirect methods for estimating LAI have been developed. However, these methods have limitations that can affect the estimates. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of a visual method for estimating LAI in clonal Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla plantations and to compare it with hemispherical photography, ceptometer and LAI-2000^® estimates. Destructive sampling for direct determination of the actual LAI was performed in 22 plots at two geographical locations in Brazil. Actual LAI values were then used to develop a field guide with photographic images representing an LAI range of 1.0–5.0 m² m^?2 (leaf area/ground area). The visual LAI estimation guide was evaluated with 17 observers in the field. The average difference between actual LAI and visual LAI estimation was 12% and the absolute difference between the two methods was less than or equal to 0.5 m² m^?2 in 77% of plots. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were high between actual LAI and hemispherical photographs (0.8), visual estimation (0.93) and LAI-2000^® (0.99) and low for the ceptometer (0.18). However, absolute values differed among methods, with the average difference between the actual and estimated LAI of [12]% for visual estimation, 28% for the LAI-2000^®, 37% for the ceptometer and ?43% for hemispherical photographs. The LAI-2000^® and ceptometer overestimated LAI in all plots, whereas hemispherical photographs underestimated the values in all measurements, showing that these methods need calibration to be used. No differences were observed between actual LAI and visual estimates across stand ages of 2–8 years and LAI of 1.5–5.3 m² m^?2 (P > 0.05). The results show that visual estimation of LAI in Eucalyptus stands is a practical method that is unaffected by atmospheric characteristics and can be used on an operational scale.     

Eucalyptus grandis plantations:effects of management on soil carbon,nutrient contents and yields

The expansion of fast-growing tree plantations is a worldwide process,with consequences on soil fertility and soil carbon storage.Disparate results were found on the effects of afforestation with Eucalyptus on soil carbon and other nutrient contents.These discrepancies are usually caused by differences in climate,land use history,soil texture as well as by management related factors such as plantation age,number of rotations,method of establishment(plantation or coppice),harvest residue management and soil preparation.We studied the effect of plantation age,number of rotations,and method of establishment on soils and plant nutrient concentrations in Eucalyptus grandis plantations in NE Argentina on different textured soils.We also determined if yields changed with nutrient variations in soils,and compared soils under plantations to soils under grasslands they replaced.Thirty-one E.grandis stands of different ages,number of rotations and method of establishment were evaluated as well as eight grassland sites.Levels of carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,calcium and magnesium were determined for soils and plants.Soil carbon and nitrogen decreased over the number of rotations and were more pronounced in soils with 50-60%sand than soils with>75%sand.Coppice stands showed higher soil carbon and nitrogen levels than plantations,suggesting a negative effect of site preparation before planting on soil nutrient conservation,especially in fine-textured soils.Foliar nutrient concentrations did not follow the trends observed for soil nutrients nor did they reflect nutrient limitations.There was no evidence of decreased yields over successive rotations.Soil carbon and nitrogen contents decrease when grasslands are replaced by E.grandis plantations,and therefore a yield limitation may occur in a medium to long-term frame,especially in stands re-established for short-rotation management.Harvest residue management and site preparation must be specifically designed for improving soil nutrient management.     

Planting spacing affects canopy structure,biomass production and stem roundness in poplar plantations

To improve the productivity and wood quality of poplar plantations, effects of four planting spacing on canopy characteristics, biomass production and stem roundness in poplar plantations were evaluated over 8 years. Planting spacing influenced canopy characteristics of the plantations, and further affected the understory vegetation and plantation productivity. Understory vegetation biomass and Shannon-Wiener index were negatively correlated with leaf area index, but both diversity indexes and aboveground biomass of understory vegetation were higher in stands with a wider spacing. Tree diameter growth increased with increasing planting spacing, while the increment in plantations of square configurations (5?×?5 m and 6?×?6 m) was higher than those with rectangular configurations (3?×?8 m, 4.5?×?8 m). The highest poplar biomass production was achieved in the plantation with 5?×?5 m spacing at age 8. Moreover, poplar trees showed a tendency with better stem roundness in a square configuration. The results suggest that planting spacing not only affect canopy characteristics, understory vegetation and tree growth but also wood quality, and square configurations (5?×?5 m and 6?×?6 m) could be a better option for poplar plywood timber production at similar sites.     

Hybrid and clonal variability of nutrient content and nutrient use efficiency in Eucalyptus stands in Congo

For 20 years, there has been 42,000 ha estate of clonal Eucalyptus plantations around Pointe-Noire in Congo on sandy soils that have very low reserves of available nutrients. These plantations have been based on a natural hybrid (E. PF1). This hybrid is being replaced by E. urophylla × E. grandis (UG), a more productive hybrid developed by the breeding program of UR2PI. A study of biogeochemical cycles showed that nutrient removal by harvesting is the main nutrient output in the E. PF1 ecosystem. It is therefore important to quantify the nutrient content (NC) in both hybrids to compare corresponding nutrient removal values.

The work dealt with four UG clones and the most planted clone of E. PF1. Twelve trees per clone were sampled at the logging age (8 years) in a clonal test for UG clones and in a nearby stand for E. PF1. Tables were established to predict, from girth at breast height (C_1.30 m), the biomass and nutrient content of stemwood, bark, dead and living branches, leaves, and were applied to the inventory of the different stands to evaluate corresponding biomass, NC and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) on a per-hectare basis.

Total biomass differed between the two hybrids and among UG clones: 109 t ha⁻¹ for E. PF1 and 108–155 t ha⁻¹ for UG clones. In E. PF1 trees, total NC was globally lower for N, K, and Mg, but greater for P and Ca. In stemwood, nitrogen content was similar for both hybrids. By contrast, in UG clones, NC was much lower for P (−72%) and Ca (−40% to −55%). The same trends were observed for NUE: equivalent for both hybrids for N, but higher in UG clones for P (+72%) and Ca (+43% to +59%). A marked variability among clones was observed for K and Mg. UG clones allocated proportionally more nutrients in leaves than E. PF1.

These results show that clones should not be selected only on growth traits but also on NUE and on the concentration of nutrients in tree components removed by harvesting. It will be then possible to limit the cost of fertilising needed to maintain stand growth and soil fertility.     

Aboveground biomass and nutrient accumulation dynamics in young black alder, silver birch and Scots pine plantations on reclaimed oil shale mining areas in Estonia

The growth, aboveground biomass production and nutrient accumulation in black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantations during 7 years after planting were investigated on reclaimed oil shale mining areas in Northeast Estonia with the aim to assess the suitability of the studied species for the reclamation of post-mining areas. The present study revealed changes in soil properties with increasing stand age. Soil pH and P concentration decreased and soil N concentration increased with stand age. The largest height and diameter of trees, aboveground biomass and current annual production occurred in the black alder stands. In the 7-year-old stands the aboveground biomass of black alder (2100 trees ha⁻¹) was 2563 kg ha⁻¹, in silver birch (1017 trees ha⁻¹) and Scots pine (3042 trees ha⁻¹) stands respective figures were 161 and 1899 kg ha⁻¹. The largest amounts of N, P, K accumulated in the aboveground part were in black alder stands. In the 7th year, the amount of N accumulated in the aboveground biomass of black alder stand was 36.1 kg ha⁻¹, the amounts of P and K were 3.0 and 8.8 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The larger amounts of nutrients in black alder plantations are related to the larger biomass of stands. The studied species used N and P with different efficiency for the production of a unit of biomass. Black alder and silver birch needed more N and P for biomass production, and Scots pine used nutrients most efficiently. The present study showed that during 7 years after planting, the survival and productivity of black alder were high. Therefore black alder is a promising tree species for the reclamation of oil shale post-mining areas.     

Comparison of model forms for estimating stem taper and volume in the primary conifer species of the North American Acadian Region

? The performance of ten commonly used taper equations for predicting both stem form and volume in balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill], red spruce[Picea rubens (Sarg.)], and white pine[Pinus strobus (L.)] in the Acadian Region of North America was investigated.

? Results show that the Kozak (2004) and Bi (2000) equations were superior to the other equations in predicting diameter inside bark for red spruce and white pine, while the Valentine and Gregoire (2001) equation performed slightly better for balsam fir.

? For stem volume, the Clark et al. (1991) equation provided the best predictions across all species when upper stem diameter measurements were available, while the Kozak (2004) and compatible taper equation of Fang et al. (2000) performed well when those measurements were unavailable.

? The incorporation of crown variables substantially improved stem volume predictions (mean absolute bias reduction of 7–15%; root mean square error reduction of 10–15%) for all three species, but had little impact on stem form predictions.

? The best taper equation reduced the predicted root mean square error by 16, 39, and 45% compared to estimates from the widely used Honer (1965) regional stem volume equations for balsam fir, red spruce, and white pine, respectively.

? When multiple taper equations exist for a certain species, the use of the geometric mean of all predictions is an attractive alternative to selecting the “best” equation.

     

Productivity,nutrient cycling,and succession in single- and mixed-species plantations of Casuarina equisetifolia,Eucalyptus robusta,and Leucaena leucocephala in Puerto Rico

Tree growth, biomass productivity, litterfall mass and nutrient content, changes in soil chemical properties and understory forest succession were evaluated over a 8.5-year period in single- and mixed-species (50 : 50) plantations of two N₂-fixing species, Casuarina equisetifolia and Leucaena leucocephala, and a non-fixing species, Eucalyptus robusta. At the optimal harvest age for maximum biomass production (4 years), total aboveground biomass ranged from 63 Mg ha⁻¹ in the Eucalyptus monoculture to 124 Mg ha⁻¹ in the Casuarina/Leucaena mixture, and was generally greater in the mixed-species than in single-species treatments due to increased productivity of the N-fixing species in the mixed stands. Total litterfall varied from 5.3 to 10.0 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ among treatments, or between 5.9% and 13.2% of net primary production. Litterfall production and rates of nutrient return for N, P, K, Ca and Mg were generally highest for Leucaena, intermediate for Casuarina and lowest for Eucalyptus. These rates were usually higher in the mixed-species than in monospecific stands due to differences in biomass productivity, but varied considerably depending on their species composition. Total system carbon and nutrient pools (in biomass plus soils to 40-cm depth) for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn at four years were consistently greater in the plantation treatments than in the unplanted control plots. Relative to the single-species plantations, these system pools were generally larger in the mixed-species plantations for C (−10% to +10%), N (+17% to +50%), P (−1% to +63%), K (−19% to +46%), Ca (−10% to +48%), Mg (+5% to +57%) and Mn (+19% to +86%). Whole-tree harvests at four years would result in substantial system carbon and nutrient losses, although these estimated losses would not exceed the estimated gains realized during the four-year period of tree growth at this site. At 7.5 years, soil organic matter and effective cation exchange capacity were reduced in all plantation treatments relative to the control. Changes in soil nutrient content from 0 to 7.5 years were highly variable and not significantly different among treatments, although stands containing Leucaena generally showed higher rates of nitrogen and phosphorus accretion in soils than those with Eucalyptus and/or Casuarina. Natural regeneration of secondary forest tree and shrub species increased over time in all plantation treatments. A total of 24 native or naturalized forest species were recorded in the plantations at 8.5 years. Woody species abundance at this age was significantly greater beneath Casuarina than either Eucalyptus or the Eucalyptus/Leucaena mixed stands. Species richness and diversity, however, were greatest beneath stands containing Eucalyptus and/or Leucaena than in stands with Casuarina.     

Evaluation of a process-based ecosystem model for long-term biomass and stand development of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptus globulus</Emphasis> plantations

Versatile process-oriented ecosystem models are discussed as promising tools for the analyses of ecosystem services beyond wood yield, such as catchment water yield, sequestration of carbon and greenhouse gas balances. However, long-term yield simulation is often regarded as a weakness of such versatile models. In this context, we present a multiple response evaluation of the modular, process-based forest growth model MoBiLE-PDT based on mensurational data from 38 permanent sample plots in commercial Eucalyptus globulus plantations in Australia followed from establishment to 8 years of stand age. MoBiLE-PDT is based on the PnET-N-DNDC model and considers nitrogen availability and drought stress dynamically in dependence on tree and stand properties as well as on climate and deposition. New tree dimensions are calculated directly from carbon allocated to sapwood and mortality is derived from stand density. Towards the end of the rotation, model efficiency E was 0.58 for stand volume (m³ ha⁻¹) and 0.54 for aboveground biomass (t C ha⁻¹). In a comparison with similar forest growth models evaluated against the same data only one had a better model efficiency, whereas MoBiLE-PDT was the most versatile model for the analyses of ecosystem services. Due to its modular structure, further model extensions for more ecological applications are easily possible.     

Cellulose content as a selection trait in breeding for kraft pulp yield in Eucalyptus urophylla

? The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using cellulose content, measured by the diglyme-HCl method, as a selection trait in breeding programs for kraft pulp yield in Eucalyptus urophylla.

? A total of 275 trees from sixty-two families were sampled from a thinned progeny trial of E. urophylla in northern Vietnam to evaluate cellulose content from breast-height increment cores. Among those, twenty unrelated trees were felled to evaluate cellulose content and pulp yield from breast-height disk samples.

? The regression of pulp yield of disk samples on cellulose content was strong either from disks (R ² = 0.83) or increment cores (R ² = 0.69). There was no significant difference in cellulose content between the provenances. The narrow-sense within-provenance heritability of cellulose content was 0.50 and the coefficient of additive genetic variation was 3.9%. Genetic correlations between cellulose content and growth (0.28–0.45) or wood basic density (?0.02) were not significantly different from zero.

? Breast-height increment core cellulose content measured by diglyme-HCl method is under strong genetic control and can be used to rank trees for pulp yield in E. urophylla plantations. Selection for increased cellulose content would have only minor effects on growth and wood basic density.

     

Determining the climatic suitability of Eucalyptus dunnii for plantations in Australia,China and Central and South America

Climatic conditions within the naturaldistribution of Eucalyptus dunnii were determinedusing interpolated relationships developed forAustralia. Climatic interpolation relationships forAfrica, Central and South America and China as well asAustralia were then used to examine locations where E.dunnii has been successfully grown in trials and todetermine the species' climatic adaptability outsideits natural range. The original climatic profile wasrevised and maps were produced to show climaticallysuitable regions in Australia, China and Central andSouth America.     

Variation of soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in poplar plantations of different genotypes and stem spacings

To improve the productivity of poplar plantations, a field experiment of split-plot design with four tree spacings and three poplar clones was established, and four soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass were monitored in the trial.Soil enzyme activities, in most cases,were significantly higher in topsoil(0–10 cm) than in lower horizons(10–20 cm).Soil cellulase, catalase and protease activities during the growing season were higher than during the non-growing season, while invertase activity followed the opposite trend.Soil invertase, cellulase and catalase activities varied by poplar clone but soil protease activity did not.Cellulase and protease activities in the plantation at 5×5 m spacing were significantly higher than in the other spacings.The highest catalase activity was recorded at 6×6 m spacing.At the same planting density, invertase activity was greater in square spacings than in rectangular spacings.Soil microbial biomass was also significantly affected by seedling spacing and poplar clone.The mean soil MBC was significantly lower in topsoil than in the lower horizon, while MBN showed the opposite pattern.Significantly positive correlations were observed among soil cellulase, protease and catalase activities(p0.01), whereas soil invertase activity was negatively and significantly correlated with cellulase, protease and catalase activities(p0.01).Soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities were not correlated except for a significantly negative correlation between soil MBC and catalase activities.Variations in soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in different poplar plantations suggest that genotype and planting spacing should be considered when modeling soil nutrient dynamics and managing for long-term site productivity.     

An ecophysiological evaluation of the suitability of Eucalyptus grandis for planting in the tropics

Water use by eucalypts has received a lot of attention in tropical countries during the past decade because of the large-scale introduction of these trees for afforestation. Eucalyptus grandis, widely used as a plantation item in tropical southern India, is the subject of a detailed ecophysiological study in this paper. A 4-year-old coppiced plantation was used for measurements. Microclimate data collected above the canopy were used along with stomatal conductance measurements to estimate the transpirational water loss by the Penman-Monteith equation assuming a two-layer canopy model. Leaf photosynthesis was measured diurnally and seasonally to understand the limitations in photosynthesis in the field. Results show that the water loss from the plantation ranges between 2.5 and 6.5 mm day⁻¹ depending on the season. When suitably extrapolated, this amounts to 1181 mm annually in the study location, where annual rainfall averages 1302 mm. The stomatal conductance measurements showed that the increase in atmospheric vapour pressure deficit induced stomatal closure. This was probably regulated by the leaf water potentials also. Based on the above results it is concluded that E. grandis need not be a high water consumer because of its good stomatal control of transpirational water loss, especially during the dry season when the atmospheric vapour pressure deficit is high. The photosynthesis measurements led to a conclusion that the dry period experienced in the study location does not seriously affect the photosynthetic rate of the trees on a leaf unit area basis.     

Allometric equations based on a fractal branching model for estimating aboveground biomass of four native tree species in the Philippines

Fractal branching models can provide a non-destructive and generic tool for estimating tree shoot and root length and biomass, but field validation is rarely described in the literature. We compared estimates of above ground tree biomass for four indigenous tree used on farm in the Philippines based on the WanFBA model tree architecture with data from destructive sampling. Allometric equations for the four species varied in the constant (biomass at virtual stem diameter 1) and power of the scaling rule (b in Y = aD ^b ), deviating from the value of 8/3 that is claimed to be universal. Allometric equations for aboveground biomass were 0.035 D ^2.87 for Shorea contorta, 0.133 D ^2.36 for Vitex parviflora, 0.063 D ^2.54 for Pterocarpus indicus and 0.065 D ^2.28 for Artocarpus heterophyllus, respectively. Allometric equations for branch biomass had a higher b factor than those for total biomass (except in Artocarpus); allometric equations for the leave + twig fraction a lower b. The performance of the WanFBA model was significantly improved by introduction of a tapering factor “τ“ for decrease of branch diameter within a single link. All statistical tests performed on measured biomass versus biomass predicted from the WanFBA results confirm the viability of the WanFBA model as a non-destructive tool for predicting above-ground biomass equations for total biomass, branch biomass and the leaf + twig fraction.     

A model for the relationship between form-factors for stem volume and those for stem surface area in coniferous species

A model that describes the relationship between the form-factors for stem volume and those for stem surface area in coniferous species is proposed. The model is derived assuming that the stem form of a tree can be expressed by Kunze's equation. The model indicated that the form-factor for stem surface area was directly proportional to the square root of the form-factor for stem surface volume, independent of the stem position. The proposed model expressed the relationship of the form-factors for Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) trees well. Therefore, the form-factors for stem surface area could be estimated from those for stem volume. No significant difference in the coefficient was found between Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress trees, indicating that the proportional coefficient would be common between the two species. Many studies have shown that the form-factors for stem volume at 0.7 and 0.5 in relative height were, respectively, almost steady at 0.7 and 1.0, independent of species, district, density control, and growth stage. Substituting these universal values into the proposed model, the form-factors for stem surface area at 0.7 and 0.5 in relative height were estimated to be 0.730 and 0.873, respectively. The estimated values of the form-factors for stem surface area would be universal for coniferous species. The proposed model also showed that the breast height form-factor for stem surface area decreased sharply with the increase in total tree height, when the height was less than 10 m. However, after the tree attained the total height of 10 m, the breast height form-factor gradually decreased with the total tree height approaching its asymptotic value of 0.605. In conclusion, the model proposed here can be used to describe the relationship between form-factors for stem volume and those for stem surface area successfully.