Comparison of two ring measurement approaches using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools on high resolution tropical wood images

Abstract

Using geographic information system (GIS) tools for dendrochronological purposes offers an excellent opportunity to develop better growth ring analyses, especially when dealing with tropical forests where growth ring analysis technics are seemingly complex and time-consuming. In this study, two different approaches for ring width measurements were compared using the GIS application ArcMap for increment core and wood stick sampling simulations. Results based on two tropical tree species (Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg and Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen) showed no statistical differences between the two approaches tested. Nevertheless, series of measures obtained with both approaches do not totally correspond at a 0.05 mm threshold with Bland–Altman’s graphic technics. Overall, statistical analyses of chronologies from the different series favor implementation of the increment core approach while using a mosaic of digital images of the whole radial section of the wood disk. Based on the methods and approaches used here, it would be worth developing diametric and areal growth estimation technics for disk type samples.