a table showing the expected timber yields by age of an even-aged stand, usually by site index classes, and typically including quadratic mean diameter (DBH), height, number of stems, basal area, and standing volume per unit area; yield tables may also include volume of thinnings, CAI, MAI (see increment table), and other data —note a money yield table (synonym financial yield table) gives an estimate of future income if volumes are converted to values by applying appropriate generalized prices with suitable deductions for expected losses of growing stock and costs of sales; the types of yield table are as follows:

—empirical yield table a yield table, usually based on inventory data, showing average volumes and other statistics in relation to age and (sometimes) site index classes as they are found in the existing forest—note empirical yield tables are of limited usefulness today because existing older stands do not reflect the effects of changing management practices applied to younger stands

—growth-and-yield model a set of relationships, usually expressed as equations and embodied in a computer program, that provides estimates of future stand development given initial stand conditions and a specified management regime —note growth-and-yield models are used to generate managed-stand yield tables, predict future stand conditions for management planning, update inventories, and compare predicted results of alternative possible management regimes

—managed-yield table a yield table, usually developed from remeasured plot data, that accounts for the effects of differences in stand origin, stand density, and effects of management treatments such as thinning and fertilization in addition to the variables site index and age

—normal-yield table a yield table showing the average development of well-stocked stands over time, usually by site index classes —note in North American usage, normal-yield tables were usually developed from one-time measurements in unmanaged stands of natural origin and are historically important but of limited usefulness under modern conditions; in European usage, normal-yield tables do not necessarily represent stands of natural origin only and are often based on remeasured plots, sometimes with low thinning

—stand simulator a computer program embodying a growth-and-yield model that generates estimates of future stand conditions given initial conditions and a specified management regime —note stand simulators are used to produce managed-stand yield tables, update inventories, predict future conditions for management planning, and choose among possible alternative management regimes

—variable density yield table a yield table that includes stand density in addition to site index and age as classification or predictor values This definition last updated 08/26/2008