Journal• ISSN: 1756-3275
Forestry Journal
About: Forestry Journal is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Beech & Ecology (disciplines). It has an ISSN identifier of 1756-3275. Over the lifetime, 126 publications have been published receiving 658 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present information on the projected drought exposure of Central Europe, describes the anticipated dynamics of the regional forests, and identifies measures facilitating the adaptation of forests to climate change-induced drought risk.
Abstract: Abstract The paper presents information on the projected drought exposure of Central Europe, describes the anticipated dynamics of the regional forests, and identifies measures facilitating the adaptation of forests to climate change-induced drought risk. On the basis of an ensemble of climate change scenarios we expect substantial drying in southern Slovakia and Hungary, while such trends were found to be less pronounced for the Czech Republic and Austria. In response to these climate trajectories, a change in species composition towards a higher share of drought tolerant species as well as the use of drought resistant provenances are identified as paramount actions in forest adaptation in the region. Adaptation to aggravating climate change may need to use artificial regeneration to enrich local gene pools and increase the drought tolerance of stands. Increasing risks from pests, pathogens and other disturbances are expected as a result of more frequent and severe droughts, underlining the need to put a stronger focus on risk management principles rather than on indicators of productivity in silviculture and forest planning. A consolidation of disturbance monitoring systems and a broader use of pest dynamics and hazard rating models are paramount tools to facilitate this adaptation process in forest management. The effectiveness of all the suggested measures needs to be controlled by efficient forest monitoring systems, the consolidation of which seems to be a timely task. Systematic and long-term implementation of the presented measures should increase forest stability and resilience, and further secure the sustainable provision of ecosystem services under climate change. Abstrakt V článku sú prezentované informácie o očakávanom vývoji sucha v oblasti strednej Európy, je opísaná možná dynamika lesov v podmienkach zmeny klímy, a je vypracovaný systém opatrení umožňujúcich adaptáciu lesov na zmenu klímy. Na základe kolekcie scenárov zmeny klímy bol identifikovaný výrazný nárast intenzity sucha v oblastiach južného Slovenska a Maďarska, zatiaľ čo v oblasti Českej republiky a Rakúska bola zmena relatívne nevýrazná. S ohľadom na tento vývoj predstavuje úprava drevinového zloženia smerom k vyššiemu zastúpeniu sucho tolerujúcich drevín a širšiemu využívaniu proveniencií rezistentných voči suchu jedno zo základných adaptačných opatrení. V prípade výrazných zmien klímy narastá význam umelej obnovy, ktorá predstavuje nástroj na zlepšovanie druhovej a genetickej diverzity porastov a zvyšovanie ich tolerancie voči suchu. Narastajúci vplyv škodcov súvisiaci s rastúcim vplyvom sucha a ďalších abiotických činiteľov naznačuje potrebu orientovať pestovanie a hospodársku úpravu lesa viac na manažment rizík ako na maximalizáciu produkcie. Konsolidácia systémov monitoringu škodlivých činiteľov a širšie využívanie modelov dynamiky škodcov a hodnotenia rizík patria medzi ďalšie dôležité opatrenia podporujúce adaptáciu lesov na zmenu klímy. Všetky uvedené opatrenia musia byť podporené informáciami získanými na základe dlhodobého monitoringu lesa, ktorý však vyžaduje urýchlenú konsolidáciu. Systematická a dlhodobá realizácia prezentovaných opatrení podporí stabilitu a rezilienciu lesov a vytvorí predpoklady pre udržateľné poskytovanie ekosystémových služieb a funkcií v podmienkach zmeny klímy.
126 citations
TL;DR: Stand dynamics during the observation period was characterised by increased tree mortality, the presence of dead wood and reduction of stand density from 1983 to 1992, while the most severe impairment of health status and stand stability occurred in 1982–1987.
Abstract: The structure and health status of waterlogged or peaty spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) forests in the summit parts of the Krkonose Mts. in the Czech Republic were studied in 1979–2014. The objective was to evaluate the stand structure, dead wood, trend of the health status and productivity on four permanent research plots (PRP) in relation to air pollution (SO2 and NOx concentrations) and climatic conditions (temperatures and precipitation amounts). Stand structure was evaluated on the base of the measured parameters of individual trees on PRP. The health status of trees was evaluated according to foliage, and their vitality was assessed according to their radial growth documented by dendrochronological analyses. The radial growth was negatively correlated with SO2 and NOx concentrations. Stand dynamics during the observation period was characterised by increased tree mortality, the presence of dead wood and reduction of stand density from 1983 to 1992, while the most severe impairment of health status and stand stability occurred in 1982–1987. The foliage mass of living trees has been gradually increasing since 1988, but no pronounced improvement of tree vitality was documented after the decrease in SO2 concentration. However, particularly physiologically weakened spruce trees were attacked by the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus). The process of forest damage is manifested not only by foliage reduction but also by symptoms of various necroses on the assimilatory organs. In terms of climatic data, the weather in April had the most important effect on radial growth. Diameter increment showed positive statistically significant correlation with temperature in growing season, but the precipitation effect was low.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a model was developed to assist forest managers in deciding on levels of thinning intensity for increasing the stability of Norway spruce stands, while still maintaining productivity, to assess their general susceptibility to storm damage.
Abstract: Norway spruce is one of the most widespread and economically important coniferous species in Europe and is also one of the tree species most mechanically sensitive to windthrow and consequently, is frequently damaged by storms. As height-to-diameter (HD) ratio has long been identified as an indicator of stand static stability, the main factors affecting the ratio in Norway spruce stands in the Western Carpathians were analysed to assess their general susceptibility to storm damage. A model was developed to assist forest managers in deciding on levels of thinning intensity for increasing the stability of such spruce stands, while still maintaining productivity. Data from the National Forest Inventory (260 plots) and previously existing research projects (48 plots) were used. Plots were distributed over the major part of the Western Carpathian range covering most variability in forest site factors. The final model incorporated the most relevant characteristics; those indicating ecological conditions: altitude and site index; and others related to stand properties: crown ratio, stand density, and mean stand height. The results indicated that intensive early thinnings must be applied, specifically on very rich sites at low altitudes, to decrease the HD ratio to a more stable range.
30 citations
TL;DR: The results of biometric measurements and subsequent predictions by the SIBYLA forest biodynamics simulator indicate that the stands are insignificantly structured, mature, productive beech stands with the absence of individuals in the lower tree layer.
Abstract: Abstract The paper presents the results of the study of the current and simulated structure of beech forests in the Lány game preserve, which is situated in the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area in the Czech Republic. The research was conducted at two permanent research plots (PRP) of 0.25 ha in size in a mature beech forest using the FieldMap technology. Typological, soil and phytocoenological stand characteristics and the history of management of both PRP are comparable; however, they differ in the protection against wildlife. The results demonstrated that deer species including red deer (Cervus elaphus L. - 300 head), sika deer (Cervus nippon nippon Temm. - 300 head), mouflon (Ovis musimon Pallas - 250 head) and fallow deer (Dama dama L. - 300 head) is a limiting factor for successful development of natural regeneration of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Natural regeneration on PRP 1 with wild boar herd (Sus scrofa L. - 150 head) is sufficient in relation to site and stand conditions. On the contrary, there is no regeneration on PRP 2 with the occurrence of deer species. The results of biometric measurements and subsequent predictions by the SIBYLA forest biodynamics simulator indicate that the stands are insignificantly structured, mature, productive beech stands with the absence of individuals in the lower tree layer. Abstrakt V příspěvku jsou prezentovány výsledky studia struktury a dynamiky vývoje bukových porostů v Lánské oboře, která se nachází v Chráněné krajinné oblasti Křivoklátsko v České republice. Výzkum se uskutečnil v dospělém bukovém porostu na dvou trvalých výzkumných plochách (TVP), každá o velikosti 0,25 ha s použitím technologie FieldMap. Typologické, půdní, fytocenologické i porostní charakteristiky obou porovnávaných TVP jsou srovnatelné, odlišují se pouze způsobem ochrany proti zvěři. Výsledky ukázaly, že limitujícím faktorem zdárného vývoje přirozené obnovy buku (Fagus sylvatica L.) je vysoká zvěř, a to jelen evropský (Cervus elaphus L. - 300 ks), jelen sika (Cervus nippon nippon Temm. - 300 ks), muflon (Ovis musimon Pallas - 250 ks) a daněk skvrnitý (Dama dama L. - 300 ks). Přirozená obnova na TVP 1 s černou zvěří (Sus scrofa L. - 150 ks) je dostatečná vzhledem ke stanovištním a porostním poměrům. Naproti tomu na TVP 2 s ostatními druhy zvěře se obnova nevyskytuje. Z výsledků biometrických měření a následných vizualizací pomocí simulátoru biodynamiky lesa Sibyla vyplývá, že se jedná o nevýrazně strukturované, dospělé, produktivní bukové porosty s absencí jedinců spodního stromového patra.
24 citations
TL;DR: These results agree with earlier findings that wounding and few fungal inoculations can increase tree resistance in the medium term given not too severe water stress and clarify how water stress affects the availability of non-structural carbohydrates for secondary metabolism.
Abstract: Abstract We performed an inoculation experiment using the blue-stain fungus Endoconidiophora polonica at the Rosalia Roof study site, which was set up to study drought effects on Norway spruce susceptibility to attacks by the European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. Tree resistance parameters such as resin flow rate and extent of hypersensitive wound reaction in the phloem were investigated prior to and after fungal infection. Sample trees with different drought treatments (trees fully covered or semi-covered by roofs, control trees) were inoculated with E. polonica in July 2014. In order to check for areas of phloem necrosis, the outer bark around the inoculation holes was scratched off 6 weeks later. We recorded the amount of resin exudation within 12 hours overnight in August and September 2013 and 2014. Although wound reaction zones did not differ in size between tree collectives of the various treatments, fully covered trees tended to exhibit larger necrotic areas compared to control trees. The least water supplied trees showed lowest resin flow rates prior to fungal inoculation, but were the only group to show significantly enhanced resin flow five weeks after the evaluation of defence reactions. Our results agree with earlier findings that wounding and few fungal inoculations can increase tree resistance in the medium term given not too severe water stress. Further investigations will clarify how water stress affects the availability of non-structural carbohydrates for secondary metabolism, when depletion of resources eventually occurs, and at which point trees are most susceptible to bark beetle attack.
20 citations
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 56 |
| 2024 | 44 |
| 2023 | 31 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2016 | 25 |