Journal of Forest Science, 2014 (vol. 60), issue 11

Biomass allocation of chestnut oak (Quercus castaneifolia C.A. Mey) seedlings: effects of provenance and light gradientOriginal Paper

F. Babaei Sustani, S.G. Jalali, H. Sohrabi, A. Shirvani

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):443-450 | DOI: 10.17221/1/2014-JFS  

Patterns of biomass allocation were determined for seedlings of five provenances of Quercus castaneifolia from west to east of the Hyrcanian forest along a rainfall gradient. Experimental design was executed under controlled conditions at seven different light levels (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 100% full light). We quantified the biomass allocation patterns to leaves, stems and roots. For all provenances total mass increased with irradiance at low light levels, reaching an optimum at an intermediate level but decreasing at a high irradiance level. As results show, in drier provenances and at high light levels, the seedlings invest more...

Analysis of woodchip heating capacity calculated according to technical standards and measurements of calorific valueOriginal Paper

M. Lieskovsky, J. Dvořák, P. Natov, J. Chojnacki, K. Rokosz

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):451-455 | DOI: 10.17221/70/2014-JFS  

Woodchip sampling may be done according to two methodologies, based on the volume or calorific value of the fuel. The paper compares heating values obtained through relative humidity measurements according to Slovak technical standards and through determination of calorific value according to the ISO 1928:2003 Standard. The aim is to compare values obtained by both methods from a selection set and to determine possible reasons in case various values are obtained. Based on the results obtained it may be confirmed that differences between the heating value calculated according to the ISO 1928:2003 Standard and according to the STN 48 0057 (2004) and...

Evaluation of the efficacy duration of different types of pheromone dispensers to lure Ips typographus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)Original Paper

P. Zahradník, M. Zahradníková

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):456-463 | DOI: 10.17221/15/2014-JFS  

We presentthe results oftesting10pheromonedispensersused to lure the sprucebark beetle-Ipstypographus(Linnaeus, 1758). A comparisonwas made between boththeir efficacyand also the decrease intheir efficacyafterapplication. DispensersPheagrITand ITEcolureTubusare effectivethroughout the wholeflightactivity ofI. typographus; the efficacy of ITPheagrExtra was partly similar. The others areeffectivefor a declaredperiod ofefficacy, with the exception ofdispenserPheropraxA, which initiallyhad a very good level of catches, butsoonsubsided, and the efficacydid not reach eitherthetimeorthe efficacy ofallthe declaredshelf-life. Overall,themost...

Use of nonparametric regression methods for developing a local stem form modelOriginal Paper

K. Kuželka, R. Marušák

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):464-471 | DOI: 10.17221/56/2014-JFS  

A local mean stem curve of spruce was represented using regression splines. Abilities of smoothing spline and P-spline to model the mean stem curve were evaluated using data of 85 carefully measured stems of Norway spruce. For both techniques the optimal amount of smoothing was investigated in dependence on the number of training stems using a cross-validation method. Representatives of main groups of parametric models - single models, segmented models and models with variable coefficient - were compared with spline models using five statistic criteria. Both regression splines performed comparably or better as all representatives of parametric models...

Stakeholders' preferences and the assessment of forest ecosystem services: a comparative analysis in ItalyOriginal Paper

A. Paletto, G. Giacovelli, G. Grilli, J. Balest, I. De Meo

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):472-483 | DOI: 10.17221/85/2014-JFS  

Values are qualities and beliefs orientating human actions and they change according to socio-economic variables such as gender, culture, education and income. Incorporating stakeholders' values and attitudes in the forest planning is essential for reducing conflicts among forest users and ensuring successful formulation and implementation of the plans. The paper focuses on the analysis of stakeholders' attitudes and preferences to the forest ecosystem services considering three types of attitudes: biocentric attitudes, social-altruistic attitudes, and individual attitudes. The stakeholders' preferences were analysed in four case studies in Italy,...

Warmer and wetter might not be betterReview

A.J. Woods

J. For. Sci., 2014, 60(11):484-486 | DOI: 10.17221/18/2014-JFS  

As the climate continues to change, gaps in our understanding of how the altered environment will affect forest hosts and their pathogens widen. In some areas pathogens thought to be present for centuries are changing their behaviour. Dothistroma needle blight caused by the fungus Dothistroma septosporum in northwest British Columbia (BC), Canada, is a good example. In this area both the pathogen and the host, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia), are considered native species, but here Dothistroma has been responsible for killing mature host trees, which is unprecedented. A plausible link between warmer,...