Novel growth models for three Brazilian native timber species and their applications for timber production and carbon stock assessment

Sustainable native timber production and the carbon market can be a crucial strategy for scaling up tropical forest restoration. In this context, this study developed both growth models and growth‐climate models for Cariniana legalis , Dalbergia nigra , and Zeyheria tuberculosa to predict tree diameter and total height, analyzed growth patterns among species, and estimated their commercial rotation age for timber production. We collected data from 14 tree plantations distributed throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, with a total of 5564 trees sampled. The plantations span a broad climatic gradient, with ages ranging from 1 to 50 years. Dalbergia nigra showed the highest growth rate (1.33 cm/year) and a first harvest age of 22 years, indicating its suitability for furniture and construction wood production. Cariniana legalis showed a slightly lower growth rate (1.16 cm/year) and required 31 years to reach first harvest, with wood ideal for construction and furniture. In contrast, Z. tuberculosa had the lowest diameter increment (0.90 cm/year) and did not reach the diameter at the breast level threshold, making it more suitable for non‐premium uses such as utensils and pallets. Through the growth‐climate models, we found that climatic water deficit and minimum temperature were the most influential variables explaining tree growth across bioclimatic regions, with higher temperatures and limited water availability significantly constraining species productivity. The developed models can greatly contribute to predicting timber production potential and carbon stock assessment, which can contribute to scaling up restoration efforts and facilitating forest management planning.