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The transformation process of even-aged forest stands to irregular forest stands on waterlogged sites after 20 years effort was analysed. Data from two 1-ha PRP was analysed with special focus on structural (Shannon Evenness Index, Simpson Index and Gini Index) and species (Shannon Evenness Index and Simpson Index) diversity. Different development on study plots confirmed that the highest structural diversity is not often compatible with the concept of species diversity. On PRP 1 high diameter differentiation has led to lower values of species diversity, while on PRP 2 rather moderate diameter differentiation supported higher species diversity in lower DBH classes. The Gini Index was confirmed to be the best indicator for monitoring the diameter differentiation in the course of stand transformation.

The issue of afforestation of non-forest land (e.g. agricultural land use) is currently a significant trend in land management. Sustainable development and maintenance of its ecological stability are among the reasons. The paper compares the 30-year development of the beech stand originated from artificial regeneration on former agricultural land in the area where the Ipeľ River rises in central Slovakia. Two methods of tending were used on three long-term research plots (LTPs) established at the age of 20 years: negative crown thinning, free crown thinning and the third LTP was left to its spontaneous development. The results confirmed the positive impact of tending on the development of these stands. Compared to naturally regenerated stands under comparable site conditions, their higher quantitative production was found. Regarding the qualitative production expressed by the number of trees of selective quality, the worst results were obtained on the control plot. Based on these results, it is recommended to pay more attention to the planting stock quality used for afforestation.

Soil properties and foliar chemistry of Douglas-fir stands were evaluated in four regions with historical cultivation of this introduced species in the Czech Republic. All the localities are on acidic sites with pH (KCl) ranging between 4 and 5, low in concentrations of base cations particularly at the soil depth between 10 and 40 cm and also low in phosphorus. Sufficient to increased content of nitrogen and, on the other hand, the deficiency of phosphorus, potassium and occasional deficiency of magnesium were found in foliage. Studied Douglas-fir stands are apparently proximate to the acidic limit of convenient site conditions, however, neither the foliage discoloration nor the growth suppression has been observed. Sensitive management to ensure the nutritional balance sustainability is proposed.

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) represents the major climax tree species in the forests of Central Europe growing at many sites. The reintroduction of this species is an important silvicultural topic because of stability and diversity of forest ecosystems and vitality of forest soils in this region. The present study documents the growth, quality of growth and vitality of beech plantations in two positions at the same site (580 m a.s.l., forest habitat type 5K8 - acid fir-beech site, soil type Cambisol): underplantings at 50% of the light intensity of open space and clear-cut. Plantations were established in 1994 by bare-root plants on the same day of April, at a 1 × 1 m spacing, the shelter at the underplanted locality was removed in 2010. In 2017, the plantations showed very different characteristics (underplanting/clear-cut position): density 5,900/3,750 trees.ha-1, mean DBH 6.8/7.0, mean height 8.7/6.9 m, basal area 21.41/14.42 m2.ha-1. Underplanting was documented as a very proper way of beech reintroduction into the species composition of Czech forests. The reintroduction of beech at the newly originated clearcuts should be done with the use of ecological shelter of the mature stands.

Over the course of the last few decades, many countries across the globe have experienced mass desiccation of spruce plantations. The subject of our research was the spruce forests of the Russian Perm Krai's mixed forest zone. Spruce is a shade-tolerant tree species and low plantation density may adversely affect the spruce health. The aim of this research is to establish how influential the spruce stand density is on causing desiccation in mixed zones in the Perm Krai. The results of an on-site survey which had recorded spruce desiccation in 2017 were analysed. Within the boundaries of the aforementioned forest areas, 2017 saw the desiccation of spruce trees in 301 forest allotments covering an area of 5,343.7 ha. The value of the weighted average category of spruce forest health in Prikamye varies from 2.7 (severely weakened) to 4.2 (desiccating), and the percentage of the volume of spruce deadwood varies from 17% to 59.5%. When the spruce stand density rises from 0.4 to 0.8, spruce stand resilience to desiccation increases.

Control and supervision activities in the field of forest management are a type of activity of state authorities to detect, prevent forest violations. The purpose of this study is to analyse the dynamics and nature of violations in the forest sector on the example and in comparison of such regions of Russia as the Krasnodar territory and the Republic of Bashkortostan. The research methodology is selected taking into account the characteristics of the object under study. With the assistance of employees of the environmental inspectorate, search operations were organized in the areas where the greatest amount of forest damage occurs in the studied regions. The authors concluded that one of the reasons for the existing problems is the lack of interest of the state in the development of this sector of economy. The paper focuses on specific types of forest violations and the problems of their prevention. The authors believe that illegal logging belongs to the most common and socially dangerous forest violations. The article concludes that when adopting new regulations for control and supervisory activities in the field of forest management, the legislator must take into account requirements of administrative reform, regulatory guillotine, and risk-based approach.

The impacts of deforestation on edaphic mesostigmatid mites were investigated in oak forests of Lordegan, southwestern Iran, from April to October. A total of twenty-one species belonging to eighteen genera and ten families were collected and identified. The Shannon-Wiener, Simpson, Jaccard's and Margalef biodiversity indices were used for data analyses. Among the collected species, Antennoseius bacatus with 29% and Sessilunchus hungaricus with 16% relative abundance were the most abundant and dominant species in human-disturbed and natural forests, respectively. The estimated values were higher in natural oak forest than in disturbed and cultivated habitat. Significant differences were observed in soil nitrogen content and soil organic carbon between the two habitats, but not in pH values. Significant effects of sampling time and habitat were found on all four indices, but the effect of their interactions on these indices was not significant. It can be concluded that the changes in soil quality that resulted from deforestation may have a major role in reducing the soil mite density and related diversity indices in disturbed forests.

The Levels-of-Growing-Stock study for ponderosa pine was a collective effort among western Research Stations within the US Forest Service. The experiment was established to test sustainable productivity across a wide range of densities by periodically thinning the plots. Beyond the original purposes for wood production, contemporary applications of these long-term studies have been to determine stand density effects on (i) both overstory and understory responses to stand development of even-aged ponderosa pine, (ii) biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration, (iii) plant diversity and wildlife habitats, and (iv) forest resiliency to insects and pathogens, droughts, and wildfires. Furthermore, these installations have served as a showpiece for the public and natural laboratories for professional foresters and students. For the past half century, the study has helped guide land managers and stakeholders on public and private lands about the value of thinning in overstocked young stands of ponderosa pine across its range. We hope that it will continue to serve as a springboard for addressing future issues facing forest management.

In recent years, the cork oak forests that characterise the Mediterranean region have been exposed to various factors that result in their degradation. These cork oak trees, due to increasingly accentuated anthropogenic activity, undergo withering at different scales.The objective of the study is to assess the impact of various factors that degrade cork oak forests in the Mediterranean region located in northeastern Algeria, and this was achieved by prospecting 22 sampling locations. This allowed the creation of a database containing 745 trees that were observed and 27 measured variables. Different readings were then taken into consideration based on measurements and sometimes on ratings. The impact of several biotic and abiotic factors, which affect and damage the health of cork oak, was identified. These factors include in particular the infestations by xylomycetophagous insects such as Platypus cylindrus and Xyleborus sp., which can potentially infest the cork oak trees that we observed one year after bark harvesting. On the other hand, the stationary descriptors such as altitude, slope, exposure, etc., are important for the dendrometric and exploitation characteristics, but their unfavourable values do not necessarily lead to tree mortality; for example, medium to low slopes, associated with average altitudes of 600 m a.s.l., may ensure the healthiest trees like in our case study. Finally, we were able to find that certain decline factors may affect a particular category of trees, either because they are older, taller or have a large girth, or because they are subject to inadequate debarking.

The success of forest and agricultural plant establishment program mainly depends on the quality of reproductive material. The study intends to offer engineers and farm owners a solution for small-size seed improvement before sowing. The effect of low-intensity coherent light on the seeds of various crops is theoretically and empirically hypothesized. The seedlots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) of Russian diploid hybrid RMS-127 were germinated in a controlled environment. The germinants were produced from six seed fractions, previously irradiated with 1.274 W.m^-2 at the 632.8 nm wavelength with 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 min exposure to a standard laser system, plus untreated control. Pine germinants were measured on day 15, beetroot on day 10 after germination. An increase in exposure time reduced Scots pine germination energy and capacity, while for sugar beet the results were not conclusive. On the contrary, increasing the exposure time had a positive effect on both the height and biomass growth of both Scots pine and sugar beet germinants. The 10-min exposure time resulted in maximum values for sugar beet height and biomass and Scots pine height, while the 15-min exposure time produced maximum Scots pine biomass.

The study focused on natural regeneration of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European larch (Larix decidua) within very small and four times bigger size gaps following a disturbance at a mixed temperate forest in the Czech Republic. In spring 2013, experimental gap design starts, when 1 m2 circular sampling plots along transects were delineated within four selected naturally occurring canopy openings with size below 20 m2. In December 2013, these initial canopy openings were artificially enlarged by felling to 226 m2 for small and 904 m2 for big gaps. Regeneration was monitored in the next two consecutive growing seasons after disturbance. Light conditions were measured before and after disturbance. Results indicated that four times larger gaps increased twice levels of light conditions, and that diffuse light starts to equilibrate to direct light there. Large gaps were favouring larch regeneration. Beech regeneration was predominant, independently on gap size as the study area belongs naturally to Beech Forest Vegetation Zone, however, the decline of spruce regeneration was presumably linked to drought. Gap size explained variation of larch regeneration in gaps. Contrarily, gap size could not be associated with the prolific regeneration of beech and abysmal regeneration performances of spruce in gaps.

Tree growth is one of the main variables needed for forest management planning. The use of simple models containing traditional equations to describe tree growth is common. However, equations that incorporate different factors (e.g. site quality of the stands, crown classes of the trees, silvicultural treatments) may improve their accuracy in a wide range of stand conditions. The aim of this work was to compare the accuracy of tree diameter growth models using (i) a family of simple equations adjusted by stand site quality and crown class of trees, and (ii) a unique global equation including stand and individual tree variables. Samplings were conducted in 136 natural even-aged Nothofagus antarctica (Forster f.) Oersted stands in Southern Patagonia (Argentina) covering age (20-200 years), crown class and site quality gradients. The following diameter growth models were fitted: 16 simple equations using two independent variables (age and one equation for each stand site quality or crown class) based on Richards model, plus a unique global equation using three independent variables (age, stand site quality and crown class). Simple equations showed higher variability in their accuracy, explained between 54% and 92% of the data variation. The global model presented similar accuracy like the better equations of the simple growth models. The unification of the simple growth models into a unique global equation did not greatly improve the accuracy of estimations, but positively influenced the biological response of the model. Another advantage of the global equation is the simple use under a wide range of natural stand conditions. The proposed global model allows to explain the tree growth of N. antarctica trees along the natural studied gradients.

This paper presents the first comprehensive checklist of vascular plants for an especially important area for biodiversity, namely National Park "Ethnikos Drymos Oitis" - Natura 2000 site (GR2440004) and the surrounding area in Greece. This list includes a total of 1,153 plant taxa, including 79 endemic taxa and two local endemic species (Allium lagarophyllum Brullo, Pavone & Tzanoudakis and Veronica oetaea Gustavsson). It is noteworthy that 551 plants are new records for the flora of Mt. Oiti. A total of 67 taxa are protected by national and international legislation, while 52 orchid taxa are also protected by the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Veronica oetaea, a priority species of Annex II of the Directive 92/43, is also protected by the Berne Convention. The high plant species diversity and endemism make Mt. Oiti National Park an important area with high conservation value, thus providing baseline information which could be utilized for further research.

The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris Linnaeus) is one of the most important commercial tree species in Central Europe, yet we know very little about the variability of its wood properties. The aim of this study is to primarily analyse the impact of different tree growth rates and site characteristics on the shrinkage of Scots pine wood. The investigated forest stands are located at two sites of the Czech Republic that are characteristic for Scots pine silviculture. At each site, sample trees were selected from two stands representing two variants of the silvicultural treatment, i.e. a clear-cutting and shelterwood system with long regeneration period. Wood shrinkage in radial and tangential directions and volumetric shrinkage were determined in accordance with Czech standards. Lower values of shrinkage were found out in forest stands regenerated by the shelterwood method. The wood in the central part of the trunk shows lower shrinkage values than in the basal part in both stands. The unambiguous effect of the horizontal position in the trunk stem was demonstrated in forest stands regenerated by the clear-cutting method, whilst stands regenerated by the shelterwood method showed a more even distribution of shrinkage along the trunk width. Furthermore, it was found that the shrinkage of the Scots pine has a medium dependence on wood density.

We evaluated the potential of crushed amphibolite and artificial slow-release N-P-K-Mg fertiliser to stimulate the survival, growth and nutrition of Norway spruce planted on an acidified air-polluted mountain site. Control plots and treatments with slow-release fertiliser (SRF) and amphibolite (AMT) were installed. In the SRF, forty grams of tabletted amendment were applied in the close vicinity of the trees. In the AMT, two kilograms of amendment were incorporated into the soil inside the planting hole of each tree at planting. The SRF application resulted in a significant growth stimulation of spruces. The growth stimulation by amphibolite was perceptible but not significant; this amendment, however, significantly reduced mortality. None of the amendments induced marked changes in foliar nutrient concentrations.

Monitoring of visitor arrivals is one of the tools which help to ensure good-quality and suitable management of the respective area. This paper is aimed at the monitoring of visitor arrivals when the visitors are counted automatically using a field counting device, namely a pyroelectric sensor. In 2015, visitor arrival monitoring using a pyro sensor was conducted on the selected forest roads in the Křtiny Training Forest Enterprise of Masaryk Forest. Since this method should be employed in another project, it was necessary to find out whether the pyroelectric sensor is a reliable tool and whether it can be used for further research. The aim of this paper is to perform a regression analysis of the data collected at the selected site in order to determine whether the pyroelectric sensor provides relevant information. Two data sets acquired during the first week of the monitoring of visitor arrivals at the single site will be compared. The one set includes data obtained by automatic monitoring using the pyro sensor, the other set contains data gained by means of manual counting by students of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology. Two directions of visitor flows were monitored - in and out. The data were statistically processed using the ADSTAT software. Results of the regression analysis show that the results of the visitor arrival monitoring carried out using a pyro sensor differ just slightly from those gained by manual counting.

The forests in the north of Iran are located on steep terrains. The stump heights were measured in three compartments under selective management in Caspian forests. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of site characteristics on stump heights. The trees were felled with a Stihl chainsaw in the region. Each compartment included three slope categories (0-15, 15-30, and 30-60%) and three diameter categories (40-60, 60-80, 80-100 cm). Also, three snow depths were identified in the felling places (0-15, 15-30, and 30-45 cm) because of the felling season. The results of ANOVA test indicated that slope categories and snow depth had significant effects on stump heights (P < 0.01). In addition, the results proved that the stump diameter of harvested trees had no significant effect on residual stump heights (P > 0.05). Besides, there is a multiple linear relationship between stump height (dependent variable) and ground slope and snow depth as the independent variables.

Three sites including "less disturbed", "moderately disturbed" and "severely disturbed" were selected in Zagros forests in Kurdistan province (Iran). Three forest stands with similar physiographic conditions of each site were selected and three 400 m2 plots were assessed in each stand to record the floristic information and soil sample (0-30 cm). Different diversity indices were calculated for each sample. Cluster analysis and to collect soil samples detrended correspondence analysis were applied to categorize and investigate the vegetation trend. Indicator species analysis was used to determine the characteristic species. Tukey test was used to compare the variables amongst sites. The results showed that 47, 25, 15 species were exclusively observed in less disturbed, moderately disturbed and severely disturbed sites, respectively. Furthermore, cluster analysis illustrated the distinction amongst sites and detrended correspondence analysis result showed that the vegetation of the regions was ordinated by disturbance gradient. 21, 5, 7 characteristic species were respectively indicated in less disturbed, moderately disturbed and severely disturbed sites. In general, plant composition, plant diversity and soil quality were decreased dramatically along the disturbance gradient.

The aim of the present study was to develop allometric equations for predicting aboveground biomass of Norway spruce (Picea abies (Linnaeus) H. Karsten) applicable to the typically managed spruce forest on acidic and nutrient-medium sites in the Czech Republic. The models were based on an extensive data set of 139 spruce trees collected in 25 stands on 15 sites. The biomass in dry mass was modelled using linear regression equations with one (diameter at breast height - D), two (D, slenderness ratio - H/D) or three (D, H/D, site index - SI, or tree age - A) predictors. The models were validated using the leave-one-out method. The value of the root mean square error of cross-validation was chosen as the main criterion for the best-model selection. Both the total aboveground biomass and stem biomass were best predicted by three-variable models (D, H/D, SI). For crown and foliage biomass the simple one-variable model (D) is recommended.

We examined the influence of tree health on annual diameter increment of trees along gradients in stand site quality, crown classes and tree age in Nothofagus pumilio forests of Southern Patagonia. Healthy trees had higher annual diameter increment than unhealthy trees along all gradients (site quality, crown class, tree age). We argue that tree health could be employed as a qualitative variable in models of tree growth to estimate aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in this forest system.

We investigated the growth parameters of 20-year-old plantations of Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold and Picea abies (Linnaeus) H. Karsten and their impact on understory woody plants and we compared them with a natural stand in above-timberline mountain areas. 30 sample plots (each of 400 m2 in area) were systematically established on each site. Tree height, DBH, collar diameter, crown diameter and crown length of all trees were measured in each sample plot. The results of the diameter growth analysis of both species covered by this study showed higher numerical values in P. nigra than in P. abies. On the contrary, what was observed for data concerning height growth, showed higher numerical values in P. abies than in P. nigra. These conclusions showed that P. nigra has a lower slenderness ratio than the other species and is therefore more resistant to the adverse weather. Considering the effects on biodiversity, the planting of P. nigra showed a significant increase in density and species richness of woody plants while it decreased the diversity and evenness compared to the natural stands and plantations of P. abies.

The effects of silver fir (Abies alba Miller) on the soil compared to Norway spruce (Picea abies (Linnaeus) H. Karsten) were evaluated. Altitude of the study site is 790 m a.s.l., mild slope of 10° facing SW, forest site is spruce-beech on acid soil. The forest floor and top soil horizons (L + F1, F2 + H, Ah) were sampled in 4 replications beneath unmixed Norway spruce and silver fir groups. Comparing the soil-forming effects of both species, few significant differences were found in the Ah horizon - contents of total C, N, exchangeable Al and plant available Ca were higher beneath spruce. The soil improving role of silver fir compared to spruce was confirmed at the studied locality.

Mixed stands are currently supported as effective management options to reduce forest vulnerability to climate change. However, our issues about benefits of mixtures, mechanisms of their incidence and conditions for their effectiveness have yet been only partly clarified. We assessed the crown condition of Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ Karst) and occurrence of symptoms caused by Armillaria spp. on spruce in a small area in the Drahanská vrchovina Highlands (Czech Republic) in differently mixed stands in 2002 and 2019. We found that although the broadleaf abundance affected the total defoliation of Norway spruce, the effect was unstable in time. The observed effect of altitudinal zones and Norway spruce abundance on the occurrence of symptoms of Armillaria root rot in spruce was also unstable. The drought during recent four years and the implemented forestry measures (salvage and intermediate felling) can be reasons for the relationship instability. We did not identify any statistically significant relationship between tree species diversity (Simpson's Index) and defoliation.

In this study a new method of locating culverts is presented with the composition of achieved discharge from hydrological analysis and simulated forest roads in RoadEng 3D simulator to improve drainage condition. Locating culverts was performed on a small scale (1:20 000, using GIS) and large scale (1:2 000, road geometric design simulator). The small-scale study regarding the achieved discharge from streams shows that the installation of some culverts is not necessary. The large-scale study also showed that the geometric design of forest road has a significant effect on locating culverts and its accuracy. To improve drainage conditions 6 culverts and 2 waterfronts taking into account the geometric design of forest road, hydrological conditions and appropriate intervals (155 m) have been proposed. No installation or lack of accuracy to find the best location of culverts may result in the occurrence of creep and landslide, so the cost of destruction would be several times higher than the cost of technical buildings construction.

According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, there has been an increase in forest cover in Poland from 27.8% to 29.6% over the last 25 years. This increase contributed to an increase in the possibility of wood obtaining and processing for energy purposes. The aim of the study was to analyse the efficiency of a chipping machine manufactured by the American Company Bandit Industries (Bandit 990XP chipper) based on the working day chronometer. The study was carried out in specific conditions related to the place of the chipper application because the machine was used to process the material obtained from standing trees in the framework of park maintenance. As it was shown during the analysed working day, the effective capacity W1 in the work cycle of the Bandit 990XP machine was 9.2 m³∙h^-1 chips. Specific working conditions made it impossible to organize the work smoothly. Ongoing obtaining of the material for chipping from standing trees resulted in low productivity during the exploitation time of the shift W08 on the level of 1.3 m³∙h^-1 chips.

The paper presents the maps of ecosystems and 11 dominant woody species of Ambrolauri municipality, Georgia (Europe). Forest cover comprises approximately 68% of the study area, most of which are natural forests. Almost all formations of natural forests, depicted on the Georgian section of the Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe, are still preserved in the research area. Nearly 40% of the forested land is broadleaf forest. Woody species are better preserved in the upper reaches of rivers, while an anthropogenic transformation is most visible in the Lower Racha Floodplain. A majority of the species discussed in the paper are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The paper also deals with the issues of forest land degradation and threats imposed by invasive species to biodiversity.

Experimental results from the first thinning in mixed stands are not broadly experienced by forestry practice. To extend the experience with the thinning of a mixed stand, we studied thinned and unthinned mixtures of Norway spruce with European beech on two study sites in the Czech Republic, which represented different conditions: Všeteč (age of 19-35 years) - originally beech dominated site at 440 m a.s.l. and Deštné (age of 17-33 years) - originally spruce with beech site at 990 m a.s.l. Spruce and beech were mixed individually or in small groups. As the for number of trees, mixtures were 35-54% beech and 46-65% spruce at a lower altitude and 7-30% beech and 70-93% spruce at a higher altitude. In the period 1997-2013, we observed annually: mortality, diameter at breast height of all trees and height of trees (minimum 30 individuals) that represented diameter distribution. Results showed that the growth and development of young mixed spruce/beech stands were positively influenced by the first pre-commercial thinning on both locations. The most pronounced effect of thinning consisted in a decreased amount of basal area of dead trees. On control plots, salvage cut accounted for 34 and 46%, while on thinned plots it reached only 7-8% (thinned from above) and 18% (thinned from below) of basal area periodic increment during the 16-year study period. In contrast, diameter distribution was still relatively wide (i.e. an important amount of thin trees was left) at the end of observations on all plots of both study sites. Thinned stands also showed the better static stability (expressed as an h/d ratio) of dominant spruces compared to unthinned stands on both locations. Additionally, thinning supported the spruce share at a lower altitude and the beech share at a higher altitude.

This study is focused on testing progenies of common and narrow-leaved ash based on the measurement of provenance trial plots established in various forest regions under different site conditions within the Czech Republic in the spring of 1999. Height and diameter growth of 35 provenances was measured and evaluated at the stand age of 10-14 years. The main goal of this research is to analyse and compare differences in growth between progenies originating from alluvial versus scree habitats as well as between the two evaluated ash species. Moreover, the influence of localities on growth was tested using standard provenances planted on all plots. The results of the last measurement were compared with those from the first survey in 2000 at the age of 4-5 years (1 year after planting). With the exception of DBH on the Koněprusy plot, statistically significant differences in height and diameter growth between provenances were verified. The results confirmed a very strong site influence on growth. The main conclusions indicate significant differences in growth parameters between provenances, faster growth of alluvial versus scree provenances on most lowland plots, and generally faster growth of narrow-leaved ash as compared to common ash.

The paper analyses the growth, structure, production and soil chemistry of different tree species stands 20 years after allochthonous spruce dieback. The experiment was carried out at lower altitudes (300 m a.s.l.) at rich sites of the Central Europe region. Norway spruce (Picea abies Linnaeus) and beech (Fagus sylvatica Linnaeus) stands established by artificial regeneration were compared with silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), aspen (Populus tremula Linnaeus) and birch-aspen stands, which were regenerated naturally. Spruce stands showed a decrease of site index (site index 3), compared with the previous generation (site index 2). This leads to an expected lower production at the age of 100 years, compared to mature beech stands, which showed a site index of 1. The highest production (tree overbark volume) was found out in the aspen stand - 294 m³.ha^-1. The production (tree overbark volume) of other monoculture stands was comparable and reached 201-222 m³.ha^-1. Most of the soil chemical characteristics under the compared stands (Ca and Mg content, Al content and active and potential soil reaction) were significantly better under aspen and decreased in the following trend: birch - beech - spruce.

Scots pine covers large areas on sandy soils in lowlands of the Czech Republic. These sites can be threatened by non-sustainable biomass removal after clear-cutting. Totally 14 young pine stands at 14-26 years of age were analysed. Particular biomass components were separated, weighed and analysed to investigate their biomass and nutrient contents such as N, P, K, Ca and Mg. Results showed that leaving slash (needles and branches) plus belowground biomass (stumps and coarse roots) on the site represents 51% of calcium, 62% of magnesium, 74% of nitrogen, 67% of phosphorus and 72% of potassium. The total nutrient pools (without fine roots) were 171-377 kg.ha^-1 for nitrogen, 34-72 kg.ha^-1 for phosphorus, 74-172 kg.ha^-1 for potassium, 82-180 kg.ha^-1 for calcium and 19-42 kg.ha^-1 for magnesium. Needles and live branches are the most important pools of nutrients and the extraction of these parts of biomass can negatively affect the nutrient balance of forest stands on nutrient-poor sites. Stumps with coarse and fine roots also represent a significant pool of nutrients which is left on the studied sites.