The of basic modelling procedure we presented here is effective and leads to more detailed information than can be achieved with other methods of root structure acquisition mentioned before. But with regard to the high resolution data of the scatter plot a more detailed modelling technique is required to fully use the potentials of the scanner data. The overall aim to analyse root system development in detail or mechanical properties of the system as a whole requires a more complex modelling and presentation of the surface of each single root within the system. This is required e.g., to enable the addition of ring-width data to the model.
Without anticipating forthcoming modelling techniques, it is obvious that data sampling for the tree(root)-ring analysis can start immediately after the scanning procedure. All samples taken from the root system will be tagged in the scatter-plot and then transferred to the 3D-model. Combining ring-width data with a 3D-model is the base for detailed future spatiotemporal analyses of the development of a mature root system. First steps towards this analysis procedure have recently been started at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. The identical procedure can also be used to analyze the dimensions of stem and branches of trees. The detailed presentation of whole-tree dimensions using a 3D-Laserscanner in combination with dendrochronology in roots, stem and branches opens new perspectives in the analysis of biomass-distribution and tree-stability research.