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The most important issues in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) management are the quantitative determination of stand density and the selection of appropriate density. Different stand density index models have advantages for special tree species, and this study aimed to estimate the carrying capacity of planted stands of Chinese fir and to select simple and reliable stand density indexes. Based on special experiment of different initial density, the maximum carrying capacity was estimated using Reineke’s self-thinning rule, Nilson’s sparsity theory, Beekhuis’s relative-spacing hypothesis, Zhang’s nutrient-competition rule, Curtis’s maximum stand basal area and Hui’s crowding degree based on mean tree distance. The restricted maximum likelihood method (REML) implemented with ‘nlme’ package in R software was used to refine the parameters of thinning age in Richard’s growth model. The results showed that stand density index models can describe the trends of stand density in response to tree growth: the higher the plantation initial density, the earlier age and stronger self-thinning capacity of stands. Reineke’s SDI and Zhang’s Z model are the most stable and suitable to estimate changes in the density of Chinese fir plantations, competition intensification, and the thinning age. The RD model can also be used, except at low Chinese fir densities. K, which can be affected by the mean crown width of trees, directly reflects the forest area of photosynthesis; this index is easy and simple to apply, but more research is needed to optimize the equation to evaluate whether a forest requires management and to determine the appropriate time for the first thinning and its intensity.

Paulownia Siebold et Zucc., a widely distributed native genus, has been commonly used in the furniture. The color of wood is a very important aesthetical property, and it has a fundamental influence on the commercial value of timbers. Therefore, it is critical for forest managers to select elite Paulownia clones based on the color of wood. Eighteen 5-year-old Paulownia clones grown in a hilly area in Hubei Province, China were examined in terms of color values (L*, a*, b*), color difference (ΔE*), and Hunter lab space whiteness (W) using a Chroma meter CR-400. Differences in color parameters among the 18 clones were analyzed and clustered. The results showed that the ranges of L*, a*, b*, ΔE*, and W were 77.19-80.38, 3.60-4.84, 13.79-15.69, 17.92-21.37, and 68.92-72.42, respectively. The color parameters significantly differed among the examined clones. Differential and cluster analyses indicated that clones 204, 605, 702, and 603 had higher L*, W, and lower ΔE*, rendering these as elite clones with superior color properties.