Terrestrial Laser Scanning in Assessing the Effect of Different Thinning Treatments on the Competition of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Forests

Thinning is a forest management activity that regulates the competition between trees within forest. However, effect of different thinning treatments on largely unexplored, especially because difficulty in measuring crown characteristics. This study aimed to investigate how type and intensity affect stem- crown-based based terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds. The research was conducted three sites southern Finland where Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) dominant tree species. Nine rectangular sample plots varying sizes (1000 m2 1200 m2) were established each site, resulting 27 total. experimental design site included two levels intensities types, six treatments. To assess trees, distance-dependent indices computed for tree. diameter at breast height (DBH) (CIDBH), (CIH), maximum (CIMCD), projection area (CICA), volume (CICV), surface (CICS). results showed both moderate intensive intensities, decrease 45.5–82.5% from below, 15.6–73.6% above, 12.8–66.8% systematic when compared with control plots. In most cases, crown- stem-based metrics affected by significantly 95% confidence interval. Moreover, from-below from-above no statistical difference other except CIDBH (p-value ≤ 0.05). Our confirm great potential TLS clouds quantifying which could be beneficial enhancing ecological knowledge grow response competition.