The tree diameter calculator takes average bark thickness, average bark thickness, circumference, 1st stem circumference, 2nd stem circumference, 3rd stem circumference, 4th stem circumference, 5th stem circumference and 6th stem circumference and returns diameter under-bark and diameter. It is built for quick answers, for checking somebody else’s arithmetic, and for the moments when a formula book is not within reach.
What Is the Tree Diameter Calculator?
The tree diameter calculator works out diameter under-bark and diameter from average bark thickness, average bark thickness, circumference, 1st stem circumference, 2nd stem circumference, 3rd stem circumference, 4th stem circumference, 5th stem circumference and 6th stem circumference.
Biological relationships are usually approximations rather than exact laws, so the output is best treated as an estimate with a sensible range around it.
How the Tree Diameter Calculation Works
The calculation applies the relationship as published, step by step, so each intermediate value can be checked against the underlying theory.
Keep the units consistent throughout. Mixing a percentage with a proportion is the single most common source of an answer that is out by a factor of a hundred.
Assumptions Worth Knowing
Any relationship used here assumes a constant rate, a representative sample, or a stable population. Real populations rarely meet those conditions for long, so treat the answer as a guide.
Where the inputs are field measurements, a single misread value can shift the result noticeably. Measure carefully and record what you used.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with average bark thickness set to 10, average bark thickness set to 5, circumference set to 2, the calculator returns diameter of 0.6366, and diameter under-bark of -19.3634, and diameter (diameter ms) of 45.2728. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out diameter under-bark?
Enter average bark thickness, average bark thickness, circumference, 1st stem circumference, 2nd stem circumference, 3rd stem circumference, 4th stem circumference, 5th stem circumference and 6th stem circumference. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports diameter under-bark and diameter.
What does the tree diameter actually calculate?
It takes average bark thickness, average bark thickness, circumference, 1st stem circumference, 2nd stem circumference, 3rd stem circumference, 4th stem circumference, 5th stem circumference and 6th stem circumference and converts them into diameter under-bark and diameter using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter average bark thickness?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Why does a small change in one value move the answer so much?
That happens when an output depends on a ratio, because dividing by a small number magnifies any change in it. Check the units first, then check whether the value you entered is in the range the relationship was designed for.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.