scholarly journals The influence of stand canopy openness on the growth of common yew (Taxus baccata L.)

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzena Niemczyk ◽  
Anna Żółciak ◽  
Wrzesiński Piotr
Keyword(s):  
Light Transmission ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Taxus Baccata ◽  
Height Increment ◽  
Transmission Index

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of common yew, Taxus baccata L., with respect to canopy openness. The plants were growing in ex-situ conservation plantations (established in 2008) in the understory of different tree species. Eleven forest plantations belonging to the following five forest districts were inventoried: Rokita, Baligród, Kołaczyce, Międzylesie and Henryków. In each plantation, the height and height increment of 200 yews were measured and gap light transmission indices were determined. The canopy species affecting yew growth most significantly were oak (Quercus sp.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), followed by Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.), silver fir (Abies alba L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). The most favorable development of yew occurred at 30% canopy openness. An increasing light transmission index correlated with a decrease in the proportion of treelike yews. An insufficient amount of light resulted in a low height increment of yews growing under the canopy and an extended period of direct competition of yews with herbaceous species.

scholarly journals The Dinaric Mountains versus the Western Carpathians: Is structural heterogeneity similar in close-to-primeval Abies–Picea–Fagus forests?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Paluch ◽  
S. Keren ◽  
Z. Govedar
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scale ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Biomass Accumulation ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Structural Heterogeneity ◽  
Western Carpathians ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Canopy Trees

Abstract In this study, we analysed patterns of spatial variation in the basal area of live and dead trees and structural complexity in close-to-primeval forests in the Dinaric Mts. The results were compared with an analogous study conducted in the Western Carpathians. The research was carried out in the Janj, Lom and Perucića forest reserves (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in mixed-species stands of silver fir Abies alba Mill., European beech Fagus sylvatica L. and Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. In the core zones of the reserves, concentric sample plots (154 and 708 m2) were set in a regular 20 × 20 m grid covering approximately 10 ha. The analyses revealed varying distribution patterns of live canopy trees, suggesting that these characteristics may fluctuate to some extent at the regional level. At the spatial scale of 708 m2, attractive associations between dead canopy trees were found, but this tendency disappeared with increasing area. Although stands in the Dinaric Mts. are characterized by an almost twofold greater biomass accumulation compared to those from the Western Carpathians, the study revealed analogous bell-shaped distributions of stand basal areas of live trees and a very similar trend of decreasing variation in stand basal area and structural heterogeneity with increasing spatial scale. Nonetheless, the higher growing stocks, lower ratios of dead to live tree basal area and lower proportion of homogeneous structure types found in the Dinaric Mts. may suggest a less severe disturbance history over recent decades in this region compared to the Western Carpathians.

scholarly journals Evidence of elevation-specific growth changes of spruce, fir, and beech in European mixed mountain forests during the last three centuries

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 689-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Pretzsch ◽  
Torben Hilmers ◽  
Peter Biber ◽  
Admir Avdagić ◽  
Franz Binder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Mountain Forests ◽  
Growth Trend ◽  
Dependent Change ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
Growth Changes

In Europe, mixed mountain forests, primarily comprised of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), cover about 10 × 106 ha at elevations between ∼600 and 1600 m a.s.l. These forests provide invaluable ecosystem services. However, the growth of these forests and the competition among their main species are expected to be strongly affected by climate warming. In this study, we analyzed the growth development of spruce, fir, and beech in moist mixed mountain forests in Europe over the last 300 years. Based on tree-ring analyses on long-term observational plots, we found for all three species (i) a nondecelerating, linear diameter growth trend spanning more than 300 years; (ii) increased growth levels and trends, the latter being particularly pronounced for fir and beech; and (iii) an elevation-dependent change of fir and beech growth. Whereas in the past, the growth was highest at lower elevations, today’s growth is superior at higher elevations. This spatiotemporal pattern indicates significant changes in the growth and interspecific competition at the expense of spruce in mixed mountain forests. We discuss possible causes, consequences, and silvicultural implications of these distinct growth changes in mixed mountain forests.

scholarly journals Litterfall production and leaf area index in a virgin European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) – Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) forest

Dendrobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ion Catalin Petritan ◽  
Victor-Vasile Mihăilă ◽  
Cosmin Ion Bragă ◽  
Marlène Boura ◽  
Diana Vasile ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area Index ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Litterfall Production ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L

scholarly journals Growth response of mixed beech forests to climate change, various management and game pressure in Central Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 331-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanislav Vacek ◽  
Anna Prokůpková ◽  
Zdeněk Vacek ◽  
Daniel Bulušek ◽  
Václav Šimůnek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Timber Production ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Great Density ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Growth Variability ◽  
Browsing Damage

The growth, structure and production of mixed beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests were analysed  in the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic. The objective of the paper was to evaluate stand structure, timber production and dynamics of forests with historically different silvicultural practices in relation to climate conditions, management and game damage. The results indicate that scree forests (coppices and coppices with standards) were stands with high-rich species diversity and structure compared to herb-rich beech forests (high forests) with higher timber production. The Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) was the most sensitive tree species compared to low growth variability in European beech. The climate factors had the highest effect on radial growth from June to August. Natural regeneration showed great density potential (13,880–186,462 recruits·ha<sup>–1</sup>), especially in expansion of maples and European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.). However, recruits were seriously limiting by damage caused by hoofed game, especially in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.; 53% browsing damage), wych elm (Ulmus glabra Hudson; 51%) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.; 50%).

scholarly journals Expected Impacts of Mixing European Beech with Silver Fir on Regional Air Quality and Radiation Balance

Climate ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Boris Bonn ◽  
Jürgen Kreuzwieser ◽  
Ruth-Kristina Magh ◽  
Heinz Rennenberg ◽  
Dirk Schindler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Radiation Balance ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Radiative Balance ◽  
Air Chemistry

The anticipated climate change during the next decades is posing crucial challenges to ecosystems. In order to decrease the vulnerability of forests, introducing tree species’ mixtures are a viable strategy, with deep-rooting native Silver fir (Abies alba) being a primary candidate for admixture into current pure stands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) especially in mountainous areas. Such a change in forest structure also has effects on the regional scale, which, however, have been seldomly quantified. Therefore, we measured and modeled radiative balance and air chemistry impacts of admixing Silver fir to European beech stands, including changes in biogenic volatile organic compound emissions. An increased fraction of Silver fir caused a smaller albedo and a (simulated) larger evapotranspiration, leading to a dryer and warmer forest. While isoprene emission was negligible for both species, sesquiterpene and monoterpene emissions were larger for fir than for beech. From these differences, we derived that ozone concentration as well as secondary organic aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei would increase regionally. Overall, we demonstrated that even a relatively mild scenario of tree species change will alter the energy balance and air quality in a way that could potentially influence the climate on a landscape scale.

scholarly journals Changes of the mixed mountain virgin forest after 70 years on a permanent plot in the Ukrainian Carpathians 567

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 567-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Veska ◽  
J. Šebesta ◽  
T. Kolář
Keyword(s):  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Acer Pseudoplatanus ◽  
Timber Volume ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Virgin Forest ◽  
Tree Layer ◽  
Sycamore Maple ◽  
Associated Species

During 2004–2006, another permanent research plot (No. 12) on Pop Ivan Marmarosh Mt. in the Zakarpattya province of Ukraine was renewed, i.e. re-measured and re-analyzed. The plot was originally established in the 30’s of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. The tree layer is dominated by European beech (<I>Fagus sylvatica</I> L.), with Silver fir (<I>Abies alba</I> Mill.) and Norway spruce (<I>Picea abies</I> [L.] Karst.) as often associated species, and with sycamore maple (<I>Acer pseudoplatanus</I> L.) growing occasionally in small groups. After 70 years, the tree species composition partly changed. Total live timber volume increased from 529.6 to 636.3 m<sup>3</sup>/ha. Considerable growth was recorded in beech, while the live timber volume of fir, spruce and sycamore maple did not almost change. Total number of trees (> 3 cm in dbh) increased from 737 trees/ha to 760 trees/ha. Number of beech trees increased markedly. On the contrary, fir and spruce showed a significant decrease in tree number. Interesting results emerged from the renewal of the permanent square plot (20 × 20 m), proving that beech is able to persist in the shade for more than 70 years with only minimal increment of both height and diameter.

scholarly journals Toward a definition of the range of variability of central European mixed Fagus–Abies–Picea forests: the nearly steady-state forest of Lom (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1871-1884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renzo Motta ◽  
Roberta Berretti ◽  
Daniele Castagneri ◽  
Vojislav Dukić ◽  
Matteo Garbarino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
European Beech ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Permanent Plot ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Gap Size

Knowledge on the range of variability of montane European forests is hampered by limited data on the natural disturbance regime and by the small size of old-growth remnants. We studied the mixed Fagus – Abies – Picea Lom forest reserve (55.8 ha) in Bosnia and Herzegovina at three different scales: a grid of 40 sampling points to describe the structural characteristics and their range of variability, three transects to analyse gap size and gap fraction, and a 1.1 ha permanent plot to reconstruct age structure and disturbance history. The forest is characterized by a high volume of living trees (763 m3·ha–1 in the 55.8 ha core area and 1160 m3·ha–1 in the permanent plot) and of coarse woody debris (327 and 383 m3·ha–1, respectively). The percentages of forest area in canopy and expanded gaps are 19% and 41%, respectively. The median canopy gap size is 76.9 m2 and ranges from 11.1 to 708.0 m2. There are large (up to 120 cm diameter at breast height) and very old trees (441, 432, and 416 years for silver fir ( Abies alba Mill.), Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.), respectively). During the last three centuries, the disturbance patterns have been characterized by single-tree or small group mortality. In central Europe, this forest is at the end of a gradient from forests characterized by intermediate disturbances to those where very small-scale processes predominate.

scholarly journals Height-Diameter Models for Mixed-Species Forests Consisting of Spruce, Fir, and Beech

2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudolf Petráš ◽  
Michal Bošeľa ◽  
Julian Mecko ◽  
Julius Oszlányi ◽  
Ionel Popa
Keyword(s):  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Mathematical Form ◽  
Mixed Species ◽  
Regression Parameters

AbstractHeight-diameter models define the general relationship between the tree height and diameter at each growth stage of the forest stand. This paper presents generalized height-diameter models for mixed-species forest stands consisting of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.), Silver fir (Abies alba L.), and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) from Slovakia. The models were derived using two growth functions from the exponential family: the two-parameter Michailoff and three-parameter Korf functions. Generalized height-diameter functions must normally be constrained to pass through the mean stand diameter and height, and then the final growth model has only one or two parameters to be estimated. These “free” parameters are then expressed over the quadratic mean diameter, height and stand age and the final mathematical form of the model is obtained. The study material included 50 long-term experimental plots located in the Western Carpathians. The plots were established 40-50 years ago and have been repeatedly measured at 5 to 10-year intervals. The dataset includes 7,950 height measurements of spruce, 21,661 of fir and 5,794 of beech. As many as 9 regression models were derived for each species. Although the “goodness of fit” of all models showed that they were generally well suited for the data, the best results were obtained for silver fir. The coefficient of determination ranged from 0.946 to 0.948, RMSE (m) was in the interval 1.94-1.97 and the bias (m) was -0.031 to 0.063. Although slightly imprecise parameter estimation was established for spruce, the estimations of the regression parameters obtained for beech were quite less precise. The coefficient of determination for beech was 0.854-0.860, RMSE (m) 2.67-2.72, and the bias (m) ranged from -0.144 to -0.056. The majority of models using Korf’s formula produced slightly better estimations than Michailoff’s, and it proved immaterial which estimated parameter was fixed and which parameters were free

scholarly journals Tree-Related Microhabitats Follow Similar Patterns but are More Diverse in Primary Compared to Managed Temperate Mountain Forests

Ecosystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Asbeck ◽  
Daniel Kozák ◽  
Andreea P. Spînu ◽  
Martin Mikoláš ◽  
Veronika Zemlerová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Mountain Forests ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Forests

AbstractThe impact of forest management on biodiversity is difficult to scrutinize along gradients of management. A step towards analyzing the impact of forest management on biodiversity is comparisons between managed and primary forests. The standardized typology of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) is a multi-taxon indicator used to quantify forest biodiversity. We aim to analyze the influence of environmental factors on the occurrence of groups of TreMs by comparing primary and managed forests. We collected data for the managed forests in the Black Forest (Germany) and for the primary forests in the Western (Slovakia) and Southern Carpathians (Romania). To model the richness and the different groups of TreMs per tree, we used generalized linear mixed models with diameter at breast height (DBH), altitude, slope and aspect as predictors for European beech (Fagus sylvatica (L.)), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.)) and silver fir (Abies alba (Mill.)) in primary and managed temperate mountain forests. We found congruent results for overall richness and the vast majority of TreM groups. Trees in primary forests hosted a greater richness of all and specific types of TreMs than individuals in managed forests. The main drivers of TreMs are DBH and altitude, while slope and aspect play a minor role. We recommend forest and nature conservation managers to focus: 1) on the conservation of remaining primary forests and 2) approaches of biodiversity-oriented forest management on the selection of high-quality habitat trees that already provide a high number of TreMs in managed forests based on the comparison with primary forests.

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