A century long dynamics of silver fir population in mixed silver fir-european beech forests

Matija Klopčič and Andrej Bončina (2012) A century long dynamics of silver fir population in mixed silver fir-european beech forests. Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva (97). pp. 43-54. ISSN 0351-3114

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Abstract

The long-term dynamics of silver fir in mixed silver fir-European beech forests in Slovenia was studied in three geographically dislocated study areas, i.e. Leskova dolina, Trnovo and Jelovica. In the study, archival data on forest stands for the past century were used to create the GIS database, which included data for the periods 1912-2004 for the Leskova dolina study area, 1897-2003 for the Trnovo study area, and 1899-2002 for the Jelovica study area. In the observed period, substantial changes in diameter structure of silver fir and its proportion in stand volume were recognized. In Leskova dolina and Trnovo, the silver fir population was ageing, while in Jelovica it rejuvenated. In Leskova dolina and Trnovo, the silver fir proportion in stand volume decreased in the observed period, indicating its reciprocal replacement with European beech. The analyses of regeneration and recruitment designated different future potential of silver fir in the study areas. The found dynamics of silver fir is underpinned by a complex array of influential factors, notably past forest use, the impact of large ungulates, and site conditions.

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