In 25 permanent sample plots in Cupressus lusitanica plantations of the Munesa ShashemeneWood Industry Enterprise, in the Oromia Federal
Regional State, Ethiopia, the dominant height growth was observed and site index functions fitted. The plots had been continuously observed from
ages 7 (10) to 21 (18) in the Gambo–Shashemene and the Munesa growth districts, respectively. Measurements in each plot were taken 5–8 times,
altogether a total of 163 observations were available. Parameterising the general Chapman–Richards function, showed that (i) no point of inflection
within the range of the data was found, (ii) the growth rate parameter, k, of the model did not depend on site index, and (iii) the growth rate
parameter, k, and thus the shape of the height growth curves differed significantly between the Gambo–Shashemene and Munesa growth districts.
Previous site index curves for the same region fitted well for the Gambo–Shashemene district but not so for Munesa. Therefore, it is concluded that
when developing and using site index functions, growth districts as a possible reason for different shapes have to be taken into account.
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