A landscape model for the investigation of atmogenic pollution effects on the dynamics of Scots pine ecosystems

The article presents the results of evaluating the growth of Scots pine in the Baymak forest area. The analysis of forestry and taxation indicators of Scots pine crops on the studied sample areas is carried out, and a comparative assessment of the growth of forest crops growing in different types of forest is given. Increased competition in plantings leads to the natural decline of stunted trees, which is the result of differentiation in the stand. As a result, its structure changes, the number of large trees increases, and, accordingly, the stability of the forest ecosystem increases. In this regard, the appearance of the tree distribution curve by thickness levels also changes. It becomes more "flat", and its competitive load is more evenly distributed over the entire structure of the stand, and competition is weakened.

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Baumartenwechsel in den Walliser Waldföhrenwäldern verstärkt nach grossen Störungen

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2018.0260 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 169 (5) ◽

pp. 260-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Thomas Wohlgemuth ◽

Violette Doublet ◽

Cynthia Nussbaumer ◽

Linda Feichtinger ◽

Andreas Rigling

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Forest Fire ◽

Tree Regeneration ◽

Fire Disturbance ◽

Pine Forests ◽

The Past ◽

Vegetation Shift ◽

Tree Demography ◽

Scots Pine Forests ◽

High Share

Vegetation shift in Scots pine forests in the Valais accelerated by large disturbances In the past dozen years, several studies have concluded a vegetation shift from Scots pine to oak (pubescent and sessile) forests in the low elevated zones of the Valais. It is, however, not fully clear in which way such a vegetation shift actually occurs and on which processes such a shift would be based. Two studies, one on the tree demography in the intact Pfynwald and the other on the tree regeneration on the large Leuk forest fire patch, serve to discuss different aspects of the shift from Scots pine to oak. The forest stands of Pfynwald consist of 67% Scots pines and 14% oaks. Regenerating trees are 2–3.5 times more frequent in small gaps than under canopy. In gaps of the Upper Pfynwald, seedlings and saplings of Scots pine are three times more abundant than oaks, while both species regenerate in similar quantities under canopy. In the Lower Pfynwald, young oaks – especially seedlings – are more frequent than Scots pines. A different process is going on at the lower part in the Leuk forest fire patch where Scots pines prevailed before the burn of 2003. While Scots pines regenerate exclusively close to the edge of the intact forest, oaks not only resprout from trunk but also profit from unlimited spreading of their seeds by the Eurasian jay. Regeneration from seeds are hence observed in the whole studied area, independent of the proximity of seed trees. After the large fire disturbance, a mixed forests with a high share of oaks is establishing, which translates to a rapid vegetation shift. The two trajectories are discussed in the light of climate change.

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