ABSTRACT
This work aimed to modeling the basal area increment for trees of three successional phases of a Seasonal Deciduous Forest, which were named dense brushwood, secondary forest and mature forest. The area, located in Santa Tereza, State of Rio Grande do Sul, was sampled during the period from 1996 to 2000, considering the arboreal individuals with diameter at breast height larger or equal to 3,2 cm (10 cm of circumference). It was observed that for the trees of the Seasonal Deciduous Forest in the studied area, the annual periodic increment in basal area can be estimated by specific equations developed for each successional phase, or by a general equation, independent on the successional phase, without loss of estimating precision.
Key words:
annual periodic increment; basal area; sampling; dendrometry