scholarly journals The Strong Position of Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) in Fertile Variants of Beech and Oak-Hornbeam Forests in the Light of Studies Conducted in the Sudetes

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1203
Author(s):  
Maciej Filipiak ◽  
Janusz Gubański ◽  
Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska ◽  
Anna Napierała-Filipiak
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Potential Natural Vegetation ◽  
Drastic Reduction ◽  
Industrial Air Pollution ◽  
Intensive Forest Management ◽  
Strong Position

Silver fir is one of the longest living and tallest trees in Europe, it has major commercial importance and may be found in various communities predominantly connected with lower mountainous locations in Central Europe. One of the northernmost ranges in the region is the Sudetes. Currently, the once numerous fir is greatly dispersed, with just several specimens to be found together at one site on average. This drastic reduction in the number of specimens is mainly attributable to intensive forest management, based on the artificial cultivation of fir, conducted in the 19th and 20th centuries, and high industrial air pollution (mainly in the 20th c.). Because practically no firs have been cultivated for the last 200 years, the remaining sites of the species that are remnants of its bigger populations should be regarded as natural. This paper compares fir locations with areas of potential natural vegetation. The obtained results indicate that firs may grow in various types of habitats, with the preferred one being fertile beech woods and richer variants of oak-hornbeam forests. In our opinion, the presented findings are of great importance for the knowledge of the ecology of the species in question and for providing appropriate forest management.

scholarly journals Impact of Industrial Pollution on Radial Growth of Conifers in a Former Mining Area in the Eastern Carpathians (Northern Romania)

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 640
Author(s):  
Cristian Gheorghe Sidor ◽  
Radu Vlad ◽  
Ionel Popa ◽  
Anca Semeniuc ◽  
Ecaterina Apostol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Industrial Pollution ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Mining Operation ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Local Pollution ◽  
Eastern Carpathians ◽  
The Impact

The research aims to evaluate the impact of local industrial pollution on radial growth in affected Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) stands in the Tarnița study area in Suceava. For northeastern Romania, the Tarnița mining operation constituted a hotspot of industrial pollution. The primary processing of non-ferrous ores containing heavy metals in the form of complex sulfides was the main cause of pollution in the Tarnița region from 1968 to 1990. Air pollution of Tarnița induced substantial tree growth reduction from 1978 to 1990, causing a decline in tree health and vitality. Growth decline in stands located over 6 km from the pollution source was weaker or absent. Spruce trees were much less affected by the phenomenon of local pollution than fir trees. We analyzed the dynamics of resilience indices and average radial growth indices and found that the period in which the trees suffered the most from local pollution was between 1978 and 1984. Growth recovery of the intensively polluted stand was observed after the 1990s when the environmental condition improved because of a significant reduction in air pollution.

Variability of Abies alba-dominated forests in Central Europe

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 495-518
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Świerkosz ◽  
Kamila Reczyńska ◽  
Karel Boublík
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Habitat Conditions ◽  
Ecological Analysis ◽  
R Software ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Alps

AbstractUsing vegetation databases from Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and our own material collected during a field work, we have analysed the variability of species composition of Abies alba-dominated communities in Central Europe. Analysis was performed using a modified TWINSPAN algorithm in the JUICE software. Ecological analysis was performed on the basis of mean Ellenberg indicator values with a MoPeT_v1.0.r script prepared in R software. In general, the findings indicated that there are at least 8 types of Central European silver fir-dominated forests with different patterns in species composition and habitat conditions. These are the oligotrophic subcontinental silver fir forests of the Polish highlands, oligotrophic (sub)montane silver fir forest, hygrophilous silver fir forests, oligo-mesotrophic (sub)montane silver fir forests, mesotrophic (sub)montane silver fir forests, submontane and montane calcicolous silver fir forests of the Alps and the Carpathians, eutrophic silver fir-beech forests and silver fir ravine forests. The main conclusion is that the diversity of species composition of Abies alba-dominated forests in Central Europe is lower than described in current regional synthesis, which was confirmed by ecological analyses.

scholarly journals Variation patterns of mitochondrial DNA of Abies alba Mill. in suture zones of postglacial migration in Europe

2011 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duśan Gomory ◽  
Roman Longauer ◽  
Sascha Liepelt ◽  
Dalibor Ballian ◽  
Robert Brus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Balkan Peninsula ◽  
Gene Marker ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Recent Meeting ◽  
Variation Patterns ◽  
Postglacial Recolonization ◽  
Romanian Carpathians

Thirty silver fir populations originating from the putative suture zones of the postglacial recolonization (Slovenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Ukraine) were studied using a mitochondrial <em>nad5-4</em> gene marker. The geographical distribution of mtDNA haplotypes in the Ukrainian Carpathians and their northern foothills indicates a very recent meeting of migration streams arriving from the Romanian Carpathians and Central Europe. In the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, two counterparallel migration streams are the most plausible explanation of the pattern observed. The haplotype typical for the Balkan Peninsula predominates along the Adrian coast, whereas the CentralEuropean haplotype is more represented in the inland.

scholarly journals Epicuticular wax on stomata of damaged silver fir trees (Abies alba Mili.)

2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Bačić ◽  
Ljiljana Krstin ◽  
Jadranka Roša ◽  
Željko Popović
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Gas Exchange ◽  
Preliminary Report ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Abaxial Surface ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Very High ◽  
Scanning Electron

Condition of epistomatal wax on the abaxial surface of the current and previous-year needles of damaged silver fir trees (<em>Abies alba</em> Mill.), both from the polluted Risnjak and "clean" Donja Dobra sites in Gorski Kotar region, both influenced by pollutants coming from Europe, during two years, three times a year, were examined with Scanning Electron Microscope. In the course of time the wax tubules on the epistomatal rims of stomata in polluted, but also in "clean" needles surface, become fused and agglomerated rapidly to various extents of morphologically different types of amorphous wax crusts, primarily compact and particulate ones. This process begins very early, especially in polluted Risnjak site, and may be interpreted as a possible result of air pollution. However, the recrystalization, or production of new tubules, also appears relatively quickly in mostly cases. Quantitative estimations indicate a very large total amount of amorphous wax crusts in the current-year needles, and a very high percentage of the same wax in previous-year needles. Amorphous wax crusts cover stomatal pores, as well as the rims, disturbing the normal gas exchange. Statistically there is a signicant tendency of increase in wax degradation in the needles of the polluted site in comparison with those of the unpolluted one, but there is an insignificant wax degradation among the needles of damaged trees within each site. These results confirmed most of the research done in our preliminary report.

scholarly journals Foliar P nutrition of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) depends on the season but remains unaffected by co-cultivation with silver fir (Abies alba Mill.)

2020 ◽  
Vol 139 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-868
Author(s):  
Fengli Yang ◽  
Ruth-Kristina Magh ◽  
Mladen Ivanković ◽  
Miran Lanšćak ◽  
Simon Haberstroh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
P Fractions ◽  
Black Forest ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Forest Sites

Abstract Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and silver fir (Abies alba) are often cultivated in mixed stands and, hence, compete for water and nutrients. Besides nitrogen (N), also phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient for growth and development. Beech trees in Central Europe grow on both P-poor and P-rich soils, thereby showing similar growth and low variation in foliar P. The central aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that variations in foliar P contents of beech are driven by seasonal changes rather than by the competition with silver fir. It was further hypothesized that P contents in silver fir needles depend on needle age and forest site. To test these hypotheses, P contents and P fractions, i.e. organic-bound P (Porg) and inorganic phosphate P (Pi), were measured in the foliage of beech trees from pure beech and mixed beech/silver fir plots as well as in needles of silver fir of the mixed plots. The forest sites investigated are located in Central Europe in the Black Forest, Germany, and in Croatia near the south-eastern distribution limit of beech and are all poor in plant-available soil P. The analyses showed that the main driver of P contents and P fractions in beech leaves at all forest sites is the season and that competition with silver fir had no effect. Hence, the present results demonstrate the high plasticity of beech trees to adapt to both poor plant-available soil P and competition with silver fir. Total P contents of silver fir needles were higher at the Croatian site compared to the Black Forest sites and originated from higher foliar Pi contents. One third of the P present in current-year needles in late summer was remobilized and exported until the needles reached the age of 1 year. The difference in P contents between current-year and 1-year-old needles can be seen as the amount of P resorbed from 1-year-old needles in summer during the generation of new needles to support the P demand of current-year needles for growth and development.

scholarly journals Number of Cells in Xylem, Phloem and Dormant Cambium in Silver Fir (Abies Alba), in Trees of Different Vitality

IAWA Journal ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jožica Gričar ◽  
Luka Krže ◽  
Katarina Čufar
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Growth Ring ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Anatomical Structure ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Growth Rings ◽  
Axial Parenchyma ◽  
Xylem Growth ◽  
Number Of Cells

We investigated the anatomical structure of phloem and xylem growth rings as well as the dormant cambium in relation to vitality in 81 adult silver fir trees (Abies alba Mill.). Specifically, we investigated the number of cells produced in the current phloem growth ring (PR), xylem growth ring (XR) and their ratio, the number of cells in the dormant cambium (CC), and the structure of the PR, which included characterisation of the early phloem (EP), the late phloem (LP), and the presence, absence, and continuity of tangential bands of axial parenchyma (AP). EP was relatively stable with respect to number and types of cells as PR width changed, but LP was quite variable. The CC of more vital trees produced more xylem than phloem cells. The ratio of XR to PR number decreased with decreasing vitality of trees and in the most severely affected trees (4% of the study group), more cells were formed in the PR than in the XR. The number of cells in phloem, xylem and dormant cambium is positively correlated. The use of width and structure of phloem and the ratios between PR, XR and CC can provide information on tree conditions and, consequently, can be a useful tool for forest management.

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.

scholarly journals Reaction of Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) plantation to fertilization

2012 ◽  
Vol 51 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Kupka
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Sensitive Period ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Growth Status ◽  
Browsing Damage ◽  
Game Browsing

Silver fir as a domestic species is an important tree in our forests. Unfortunately it has suffered from serious dieback in Central Europe in the last decades. Reintroduction of Silver fir is not an easy task as seedlings and saplings are sensitive to many environmental harmful factors and to game browsing damage especially in early stages after germination. The fertilization of Silver fir saplings could help shorten the sensitive period of the tree species. Silver fir research plots were founded in 1999 to observe an impact of different fertilizers on its height growth. Applications of conventional as well as modern fertilizers confirmed the positive influence on the height growth of the species. Apical dominance ratio was used to evaluate the growth status of saplings.&nbsp;

scholarly journals Reductions in tree-ring widths of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) as an indicator of air pollution in southern Poland

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 44-51
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Łuszczyńska ◽  
Małgorzata Wistuba ◽  
Ireneusz Malik
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Abies Alba ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Industrial Region ◽  
Southern Poland ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Post War

AbstractThe aim of the study was to investigate how the emission of pollutants to the atmosphere from the late 19th century until modern times has been recorded in rings of silver fir trees growing in southern Poland. Samples were collected from 24 firs growing in the Beskid Niski Mountains (Western Carpathians). Using a Pressler borer, a single core was collected from each tree. Within the samples, tree-ring widths were measured. On this basis, reductions of tree-ring widths were calculated and subsequently divided into three classes according to their severity. Study results indicate that growth reductions at the site studied were influenced by the pollution emitted from the now-defunct Central Industrial Region, which developed most rapidly from 1920 to 1940, and began to decline after World War II. These emissions were probably responsible for reductions in the trees sampled in the years 1928–1947. On the other hand, reductions of tree-ring widths dating from 1951 to 1989 were caused by the post-war development of heavy industry throughout Poland, and in particular in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region, which developed at its most rapid rate from 1960 to 1990. The results obtained demonstrate that reductions of tree-ring widths in the silver firs studied are related to industrial air pollution in the 20th century. As industrial production declined and environmentally friendly technologies were introduced in the early 1990s, air pollution levels decreased and an increase in tree-ring widths followed in the silver firs studied. Further reductions of tree-ring widths have been observed in recent years (since 2009), which may be caused by air pollution due to low-stack emissions from domestic boilers. The analysis conducted demonstrates that a reduction in tree-ring widths in silver fir is a sensitive bioindicator of air pollution.

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