Journal of Forest Science, 2015 (vol. 61), issue 6

Generalized additive models as an alternative approach to the modelling of the tree height-diameter relationshipOriginal Paper

Z. Adamec, K. Drápela

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):235-243 | DOI: 10.17221/14/2015-JFS  

Generalized additive models were tested using three types of smoothing functions as an alternative for modelling the height curve. The models were produced for 23 forest stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) in the territory of the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny. The results show that the best evaluated and recommended for practical use at the level of forest stand was the LOESS function (locally weighted scatterplot smooting) when using a greater width of the bandwidth. Due to the frequent overfitting and the associated unrealistic behaviour of the function, smoothing by spline functions cannot be recommended...

Forestry and wood sector and profitability development in the wood-processing industry of the Czech RepublicOriginal Paper

V. Kupčák, Z. Šmída

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):244-249 | DOI: 10.17221/113/2014-JFS  

Economic viability of sustainable forest management has been included in particular forestry strategic documents since 2003. In these documents, it is stated, among other things, that economic viability is a key pillar of sustainable forest management and is of conclusive significance in preserving forests and their multiple benefits for the society. At the same time - the economic viability of sustainable forest management depends essentially on wood-producing functions of forestry. The paper aims at an identification of this key concept and at a situation analysis of economic viability under current conditions of the forestry and wood sector in the...

Phytoremediation concept: biomass production and growth of Populus deltoides under compost leachate irrigationOriginal Paper

T. Abedi, Sh. Moghaddami

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):250-254 | DOI: 10.17221/121/2014-JFS  

Compost leachate is produced by conversion of municipal waste to compost. It contains significant amounts of organic materials, nutrients, soluble salts and small amounts of some heavy metals. Adding compost leachate to the soil can pollute it, and also improve soil fertility. In this study, we investigated absorption and growth performance of Populus deltoides under irrigation with leachate of the Compost Plant of Rasht. At the beginning of the growing season, in mid-March 2013, cuttings were processed from young, one-year-old seedlings of Populus trees in the greenhouse of the Safrabaste Poplar Research Station. Cuttings were planted...

Automated procedure to assess the susceptibility of forest to fireOriginal Paper

A. Majlingová

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):255-260 | DOI: 10.17221/18/2015-JFS  

The paper deals with the introduction of DSS tools and methodological approach that was developed in the framework of a dissertation thesis, aimed at the problem of assessment of forest susceptibility to forest fire. To automate the assessment procedure, a decision-making model was developed in the NetWeaver environment, organized in a hierarchical network. In the assessment, an approach was applied that is based on multicriteria assessment of various factors, assumed to have an impact on the occurrence and spread of fire in the natural environment. In the article original results of susceptibility assessments are presented, performed for an area situated...

Spatial pattern and disease severity of charcoal canker in Hyrcanian forests, north of IranOriginal Paper

J. Karami, M.R. Kavosi, M. Babanezhad

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):261-267 | DOI: 10.17221/4/2015-JFS  

This research investigated the population density of infected trees with charcoal canker disease and the interaction across the severity of the disease on Quercus castaneifolia in Hyrcanian forests, north of Iran. We used two-dimensional spatial analysis tools with data gathered in point-centred quarter format in 2013. We investigated the co-occurrence of the severity of the disease symptoms using the paired quadrat covariance analysis. The results showed that nearly 54% of the oak trees were affected by the disease so that the dead trees and high disease severity were strongly clustered at broader scales (800 m), the trees with only limited...

Does prolonged stratification of Douglas fir influence the yield of seedlings?Original Paper

K. Houšková, A. Martiník

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):268-273 | DOI: 10.17221/7/2015-JFS  

The paper analyses the influence of an extended period of cold stratification on the germination capacity, emergence rate and yield of seedlings in the Douglas fir as well as on the morphological parameters of one-year-old seedlings. A total of ten seed lots were used for evaluating germination capacity, originating from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and the USA. Germination capacity, emergence rate and yield of seedlings were analysed for two seed lots of Czech provenance on seed beds in the settings of a forest tree nursery. Tested variants involved (a) no pre-sowing treatment, (b) seed stratified for 21 days, and (c) seed stratified for...

Double-spined bark beetle (Ips duplicatus) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a new host - Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)Short Communication

J. Kašák, J. Foit

J. For. Sci., 2015, 61(6):274-276 | DOI: 10.17221/28/2015-JFS  

Spruces (Picea spp.) are considered to be the primary host trees of the double-spined bark beetle Ips duplicatus (Sahlberg, 1836), but occurrences on pines (Pinus spp.) are often reported. This paper documents the first recorded successful development of I. duplicatus on Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) (Mirbel) Franco. Two densely infested Douglas fir trees were found in a forest dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies) (L.) H. Karst., close to the village of Valšovice (Czech Republic). Ips duplicatus is an oligophagous species that attacks different coniferous tree species but was...