§16§No matter what forests are used for, forest managers have to deal with interactions between individual trees and between trees and other forest organisms. To understand these interactions, long-term monitoring of spontaneous forest development is necessary. A complete monitoring system has been developed including a computer package for analysis of long-term observation of forest dynamics. The system's name, "SILVI-STAR", is an acronym of SILVIgenesis and Single-tree Three-dimensional Architecture. A method of nested plot data collection on forest architecture and plant species composition has been developed out for monitoring purposes. §04§A Design and Structure of the Monitoring System.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Design of the System.- 3 Data Collection and Data Storage.- B Data Processing.- 4 The Tree Model.- 5 Processing of Primary Tree Characteristics.- 6 Application Programs.- C Examples of System Application.- 7 Reconstruction of Long-Term Cyclic Forest Dynamics.- 8 Reconstruction of Long-Term Non-Cyclic Forest Dynamics.- 9 Monitoring of Forest Dynamics.- 10 Studies of Variables in Different Forest Areas.- 11 Simulations.- D The Potential of SILVI-STAR.- 12 The Monitoring System as a Tool: Some Examples.- 13 Scope for Improvements and Further Development.- Summary.- References.- Species Index.
