Journal of Forest Science, 2015 (vol. 61), issue 10

Long-term storage of service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) seeds and induction of their germinationOriginal Paper

H. Prknová

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):417-421 | DOI: 10.17221/57/2015-JFS  

Service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) is a significant species with regard to the biodiversity of specific habitats. Its reproduction in natural conditions appears to be problematic and in the interest of preserving the countryside, forests and their biodiversity, it is necessary to apply controlled reproduction procedures. Therefore, when applying such procedures it is of crucial importance to optimize the storage and use of seed material. The objective of the present article is to evaluate the germination rates of seeds which were stored in the long term. 95% of the seeds preserved at low temperatures above zero in a normal refrigerator for...

Estimating red deer abundance using the pellet-based distance sampling methodOriginal Paper

R.T. Torres, A.M. Valente, T.A. Marques, C. Fonseca

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):422-430 | DOI: 10.17221/52/2015-JFS  

Many European agricultural landscapes have been abandoned facilitating the comeback of large ungulates. In Portugal, the increase in red deer numbers caused local conflicts with landowners reporting economic losses in forest and agricultural plantations. A great effort is needed to mitigate human-red deer conflicts through management strategies. Successful management strategies require reliable information on population trends. Here we propose an easy and readily applied method to estimate an increasing ungulate population. We estimated the red deer population density in a Mediterranean environment located in northeastern Portugal: Lombada National...

Why was browsing by red deer more frequent but represented less consumed mass in young maple than in ash trees?!Original Paper

B. Konôpka, J. Pajtík

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):431-438 | DOI: 10.17221/70/2015-JFS  

European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) are considered amongst tree species as some of the most attractive forage for red deer (Cervus elaphus). The aim of this paper is to estimate branch and foliage mass browsing by red deer in young Sycamore maple and European ash in Central Slovakia and to analyze interspecific differences in browsing frequency and quantity. Altogether 665 ash trees and 701 maple trees were measured for height and stem diameter at the ground level. Red deer browsing, defined as leader shoot or lateral branch cropping, was recorded for all trees. A combination...

Comparison of linear mixed effects model and generalized model of the tree height-diameter relationshipOriginal Paper

Z. Adamec

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):439-447 | DOI: 10.17221/68/2015-JFS  

Models of height curves generated using a linear mixed effects model and generalized model were compared. Both tested models were also compared with local models of height curves, which were fitted using a nonlinear regression. In the mixed model two versions of calibration were tested. The first calibration approach was based on measurement of heights only in trees of the mean diameter interval, while the second calibration approach was based on measurement of tree heights in three diameter intervals. Generalized model is the mathematical formulation of a system of uniform height curves, which is commonly used in the Czech Republic. The study took...

Detection of the effects of management and physical factors on forest soil carbon stock variability in semiarid conditions using parametric and nonparametric methodsOriginal Paper

Y. Parvizi, M. Heshmati

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):448-455 | DOI: 10.17221/26/2015-JFS  

Forest soils in western parts of Iran are being degraded by inappropriate management. The soil organic carbon (SOC) stock was dominantly affected by this type of degradation. On the other hand, SOC is an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide and can play a key role in global warming. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of 15 different physical and 8 different management factors on the SOC content and to determine relative importance of these exploratory variables for SOC estimation in a semiarid forest using multiple least-squares regression, tree-based model, and neural network model. Results showed that the CART model with all...

Diameter increment of beech in relation to social position of trees, climate characteristics and thinning intensityOriginal Paper

J. Remeš, L. Bílek, J. Novák, Z. Vacek, S. Vacek, T. Putalová, L. Koubek

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(10):456-464 | DOI: 10.17221/75/2015-JFS  

1Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic 2Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Jíloviště-Strnady, Opočno Research Station, Opočno, Czech Republic ABSTRACT: We present the results of research on diameter increment in beech stands in the area of Hostýnské and Vsetínské vrchy. The data were collected on three series of permanent research plots (PRP) in middle-aged stands in the property of BFP Forests and Estates of Tomas Baťa, Ltd. established for the evaluation of the effect of different thinning regimes. Each series consists of one control plot and two plots with different...