BORDER EFFECTS AND SIZE INEQUALITY IN EXPERIMENTAL EVEN-AGED STANDS OF POPLAR CLONES (POPULUS)

Five poplar clones were studied in short rotation intensively cultured (SRIC) plantations in Belgium (Afsnee) and in France (Orsay). Unroote d cuttings were planted with a single spacing of 0.8 x 0.8 m, using 81 or 25 trees per cultivar (density = 15 625 trees/ha). The height of s tems was measured, while the size inequality of each stand was examine d with the Gini index (G) and the coefficient of variation (CV). At bo th sites the G values reflected very high size equality, whereas some border effect was found along the southern side (r(g): row 9) of the A fsnee-stands.