Diameter distribution of wood residues in logged and unlogged forest areas of the eastern Brazilian Amazon

This study aimed to investigate the patterns of diameter distribution of residual wood pieces found on the forest ground (e.g. tree branches, sound and hollowed trunks, log trimmings) of an unlogged and of a logged forest area one year after logging operations with impact reduction techniques (EIR), by setting up a mathematical model. Diameters were field measured of wood residue pieces in 48 sampling units systematically distributed across the experimental area, 24 units for each situation, that is, unlogged (FNE) and logged forest (FE), with sampling errors of 8.32% and 7.58% respectively for the variable volume (m³.ha-1), applying the line intercept sampling method proposed by Wagner (1968). In both situations, the diameter distribution of the wood residue pieces was decreasing and reverse J-shaped, similarly to the DBH distribution occurring in native forests of the Amazon. A highly significant linear correlation exists between the diameter class midpoints and the number of wood residue pieces. Distributions were modeled using the exponential equation proposed by Meyer (1952), whose adjusted coefficients of determination (r²aj.) were 98.6% and 94.8%, for unlogged and logged forest areas respectively