Forest Dynamics, Growth and Yield

Hans Pretzsch received his Ph. D. in Forest Growth and Yield Science and Biometrics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich and an honorary doctorate from the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague. Dr. Pretzsch has been Professor of Forest Growth and Yield Science at the Technical University of Munich since 1994 and is responsible for the network of long-term experimental plots in Bavaria, which date back to 1860. For the past 20 years he has focused on general rules of tree and stand growth, forest modelling, and the diagnosis of forest growth disturbances. He currently teaches forestry and sustainable resource management to undergraduate and graduate students as well as professional foresters.

• Forest Dynamics, Growth, and Yield.- From Primary Production to Growth and Harvestable Yield and Vice Versa.- Brief History and Profile of Long-Term Growth and Yield Research.- Planning Forest Growth and Yield Experiments.- Description and Quantification of Silvicultural Prescriptions.- Standard Analysis of Long-Term Experimental Plots.- Description and Analysis of Stand Structures.- Growing Space and Competitive Situation of Individual Trees.- Effects of Species Mixture on Tree and Stand Growth.- Growth Relationships and their Biometric Formulation.- Forest Growth Models.- Evaluation and Standard Description of Growth Models.- Application of Forest Simulation Models for Decision Support in Practice.- Diagnosis of Growth Disturbances.- Pathways to System Understanding and Management.

From the reviews: "This book is the latest of several dealing with forest growth and how to measure and model the growth. Pretzsch (Technical Univ. of Munich, Germany) summarizes the content used in his 14 years of teaching forestry-related topics. ... The numbered summary points included at the ends of chapters are especially helpful. This book will be valuable to researchers, practicing foresters, and graduate students in forestry and plant population ecology. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Professional and academic libraries, graduate students and above." (M. G. Messina, Choice, Vol. 47 (5), January, 2010) "This major and timely work represents the first comprehensive summary of Central European thinking on forest growth and yield ... . I think this is an important and valuable reference book which I will consult many times in the future. However, those purchasing this book are likely to be the libraries of universities and research institutes apart from a few forest scientists specifically interested in the stand dynamics of temperate Europe forest systems." (W. L. Mason, International Forestry Review, September, 2010)