Morphology is better than size for revealing a tree’s age on Colorado’s Front Range

Peter Brown; Laurie Huckaby

Treesearch

Morphology is better than size for revealing a tree’s age on Colorado’s Front Range

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Peter Brown, Laurie Huckaby

Year:

2020

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), June 2020. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Download (PDF 2.37 MB)

Download (PDF 2.37 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/64880.pdf

Abstract

Due to generally dry conditions of the central Rocky Mountain’s Front Range, morphological characteristics are a more reliable predictor of tree age than diameter at breast height (dbh). Older trees (> 150 years old) have morphological characteristics that include a high crown base height, large branches, a flattened crown, and orange smooth bark. Morphological characteristics of younger trees (< 150 years old) include a low crown base height, small branches, a pointed crown, and black, rough bark. Transitional trees, those with characteristics of both older and younger trees, were usually 100 to 200 years in age.

Keywords

Science You Can Use, SYCU, morphology, tree age, forest management

Citation

Brown, Peter; Huckaby, Laurie. 2020. Morphology is better than size for revealing a tree’s age on Colorado’s Front Range. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), June 2020. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.