Non-Destructive Assessment of the Structural Condition of Living Cedrela spp. Trees Using Acoustic Tomography

Non-destructive assessment of the internal condition of standing trees is essential for managing high-value species such as Cedrela spp., listed in CITES Appendix II. We evaluated 59 trees from eight localities in Amazonas, San Martín, and Cajamarca, Peru, using acoustic tomography at 1.00 and 1.30 m above ground. We quantified the incidence of internal defects, the percentage of affected area (RH), and wave velocity (WV), and examined their relationships with dendrometric and climatic variables. Incidence ranged from 0% to 100% and decreased from 1.00 to 1.30 m across five localities, never increasing; RH and WV differed by height (p ≤ 0.006). Magdalena showed the greatest deterioration (RH = 60.33%; WV = 977.23 m s−1 at 1.00 m), whereas the remaining localities formed a largely homogeneous group. Incidence was not significantly related to RH but was negatively correlated with commercial height at 1.30 m (ρ = −0.88). Temperature was positively correlated with incidence, as were RH at 1.00 m and precipitation, and RH at 1.30 m (ρ = 0.73–0.78), but neither was significantly correlated with WV. Climate may contribute to internal deterioration but does not fully explain it, and assessment protocols for Cedrela spp. should include the lower stem section.