Question

Increment percent is very large in certain stage of the crop but decreases very rapidly thereafter in different stages of growth. Choose the correct order of the Increment Percent from highest to lowest according to the following growth stages.
i. Older trees
ii. Poles
iii. Saplings
iv. Young seedlings

• A. i $>$ ii $>$ iii $>$ iv
• B. iii $>$ iv $>$ ii $>$ i
• C. iv $>$ ii $>$ iii $>$ i
• D. iv $>$ iii $>$ ii $>$ i

Hint:

Relative increment percent is inversely proportional to the starting size of the tree. Since seedlings are the smallest, they have the highest increment percent, while older, massive trees have the lowest.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Increment percent (or relative growth rate) represents the increase in a tree parameter (like volume, height, or diameter) relative to its initial size over a specified period.
It is expressed as:
\[ \text{Increment Percent} = \frac{\text{Absolute Increment}}{\text{Initial Size}} \times 100 \]

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze how increment percent changes across the developmental stages of a tree:
- iv. Young seedlings: Seedlings have an extremely small initial biomass and size.
Even a small absolute increase in their height or volume translates to a massive relative increment percentage.
Consequently, the increment percent is highest at this initial stage of life.
- iii. Saplings: As seedlings grow into saplings, their initial size increases.
Although they grow rapidly in absolute terms, their relative increment percentage begins to decline compared to the seedling stage.
- ii. Poles: At the pole stage, the trees have accumulated significant woody biomass.
The absolute annual growth remains high, but the relative increment percent decreases further.
- i. Older trees: Mature and senescent trees have very large starting volumes and dimensions.
Their absolute growth rate slows down, and because of their massive initial size, their relative increment percent reaches its lowest point.
Therefore, the correct sequence of increment percent from highest to lowest is:
\[ \text{Young seedlings (iv)} > \text{Saplings (iii)} > \text{Poles (ii)} > \text{Older trees (i)} \]
This corresponds to the order: iv $>$ iii $>$ ii $>$ i.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct order of increment percent from highest to lowest is iv $>$ iii $>$ ii $>$ i.