FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF TREE CROWNS IN 3 LOBLOLLY-PINE PLANTATIONS OF COASTAL SOUTH-CAROLINA

Because crown structure is closely associated with many aspects of tree growth, fractal dimension of the crown is likely to be a useful indicator of tree form as well as growth. This paper investigates the relationship between the fractal dimension of crowns and two growth-regulating factors, site quality and thinning intensity. The two-surface method allows one to calculate fractal dimension from the regression of foliage area (or mass) on the area (or volume) of the convex hull that envelopes the crown. The hull's volume can be computed from the length and width of a crown using an equation that accounts for the change in crown shape. Fractal dimensions of tree crowns were calculated for three loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations of coastal South Carolina using detailed measurements of 72 dominant and intermediate trees. Analyses of data and the involved processes suggest that the fractal dimension of crown surface may change with site quality and thinning intensity.