Journal of Forest Science, 2013 (vol. 59), issue 11

Assessing the effect of Alnus roots on hillslope stability in order to use in soil bioengineeringOriginal Paper

R. Naghdi, S. Maleki, E. Abdi, R. Mousavi, M. Nikooy

J. For. Sci., 2013, 59(11):417-423 | DOI: 10.17221/47/2013-JFS  

The role of plant roots in stabilizing slopes is obvious, but the amount of the effect is varied in different species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of alder (Alnus subcordata) roots on hillslope stability. The profile trenching method was used to obtain root characteristics and a standard Instron testing machine was used for determining the tensile strength of roots. Direct shear test with undisturbed samples was used for determining the soil strength parameters. Using the results of biotechnical characteristics and the Wu model, the reinforcement effect was calculated. Using the reinforcement values and soil...

Selection of European larch provenances based on productivity and economic valuesOriginal Paper

J. Kobliha, J. Stejskal, M. Lstibůrek, R. Marušák, M. Slávik

J. For. Sci., 2013, 59(11):424-435 | DOI: 10.17221/49/2013-JFS  

Productivity of individual European larch provenances was evaluated on the basis of height and diameter growth and volume production at the age of 40 years. This work was focused on identifying differences among European larch provenances using a growth simulation model (SIBYLA). Based on the growth simulations, all selected provenances had greater mean height, stem diameter and stem volume at the age of 120 years than the control seed source. Provenance 49 (Krnov-Loučky, Jeseníky, CZ) had the greatest height growth and volume, but it ranked the fourth in diameter. Provenances 16 (Cavalese, Italy) and 71a (Jaroměřice-Chroustov, Vysočina, CZ) ranked...

Foliage and fine roots in terms of growth efficiency - a comparison between European beech and Norway spruce at early growth stagesOriginal Paper

B. Konôpka, J. Pajtík

J. For. Sci., 2013, 59(11):436-446 | DOI: 10.17221/56/2013-JFS  

The quantification of stems (under- and overbark), foliage and fine roots in 14-year-old stands of European beech and Norway spruce grown on the same site were evaluated. Therefore, 60 trees of each species were sampled, dry masses of stems and foliage were established and expressed by allometric equations with stem diameter as an independent variable. The spruce allocated a much larger portion of biomass into the foliage than beech. The equations on a tree level were constructed also for specific leaf area and one-sided projected leaf area. Moreover, the quantity and morphological characteristics of fine roots in both stands were surveyed through...

Free European data on forest distribution: overview and evaluationOriginal Paper

J. Trombik, T. Hlásny

J. For. Sci., 2013, 59(11):447-457 | DOI: 10.17221/58/2013-JFS  

A growing need for the evaluation of prospects and sustainability of forest resources calls for the availability of harmonized data on forest distribution. We described and evaluated nine datasets providing such information: Corine LandCover, four European forest maps and four tree species distribution maps. Apart from providing a condensed overview of these datasets, we focused on the match between selected forest maps and forest management plans (FMPs) of Slovakia, which can be thought of as highly accurate information on forest distribution. The degree of match between forest and species area, within 306 forest administrative districts of Slovakia,...

Application and limitations of growth models for silvicultural purposes in heterogeneously structured forest in SwedenOriginal Paper

L. Drössler, N. Fahlvik, B. Elfving

J. For. Sci., 2013, 59(11):458-473 | DOI: 10.17221/33/2013-JFS  

The paper addresses the problem of estimating future stand development in heterogeneously structured forests in Sweden; specifically, multi-layered spruce stands and mature pine stands with advanced spruce undergrowth. We first introduce various supporting concepts and models with their empirical databases, model validation and constraints. Secondly, Swedish single-tree growth functions designed for more heterogeneously structured forest are tested using data from inventory plots, a thinning experiment in an uneven-aged forest stand, and yield plots in pristine forest. Future growth of a managed, multi-layered forest was simulated and is compared with...