Stand diversity in the Dinaric fir-beech forests

Milan Kobal and David Hladnik (2009) Stand diversity in the Dinaric fir-beech forests. Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva (90). pp. 25-42. ISSN 0351-3114

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Abstract

Data from forest research and permanent sampling plots were used to quantify stand structure and forest diversity in uneven-aged Dinaric silver fir and beech forest at the level of forest management unit. The study examined the indicators that are expected to be used in the monitoring of biodiversity and the favourable conservation status of forest habitat types in Natura 2000 sites. By comparing the present and past stand structures, it was possible to establish the developmental dynamics of the stands and the changes of structure indices of the forest stands on the 2-hectare research plots in the last 50 years. We adopted the indicators for the assessment of biotic and stand structure diversity based on tree species composition, stand densities, mean DBH and coefficient of variation, species and DBH-based Shannonćs index, spatial mingling and size differentiation of trees on the permanent sampling plots. The indicators confirmed stand structural diversity in four forest management classes of uneven-aged Dinaric fir-beech forests in the Leskova dolina (valley) of the Sneznik-Javorniki high Karst region. Continuous forest inventory and the presented indicators of stand structure and diversity may potentially represent the framework for the monitoring of the favourable conservation status of forest habitat types.

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