Search

The goal of this study was to analyse the quality and dormancy of beechnuts originating from different harvesting sites within large UA and to determine the homogeneity of seed lots from large-scale areas. Currently, European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) accounts for 7.21% of the forested area of this country. Almost 24,000 ha of beech are registered as units of approval (UA) for harvesting of reproductive material. About 40% of these UA are made up of areas of 10 ha consisting of stands with different micro-sites. Beechnut dormancy and thus the chilling require - ments for the rate of germination are affected by provenance and weather conditions (precipitation and temperature) during seed maturation. Beechnuts collected from different harvest sites reached significantly different germination and also showed different degrees of dormancy. Results illustrated that beechnut seed lots collected from large areas (a set of different stands) can show high heterogeneity in germination and dormancy and this can significantly affect the uniformity of pre-sowing treatment and emergence in nurseries.

The investigation of the hydrothermal exposure effect on the glue-line strength is obvious when outdoor application of wood products is in option. In our research the bonding quality of oak ( Quercus L.) and beech ( Fagus syl- vatica L.) wood was tested in different conditions according to EN 205. After each exposure the lap joint test specified the shear strength of wood bonded with PVAC and PU adhesive. In our research different behaviour concerning both types of adhesives and selected wood species was observed. The most significant decrease (-80%) of the shear strength was found when the PVAC was used to bond oak wood. Therefore the PVAC adhesive is most likely less suitable for the bonding of the block board in outdoor conditions. On the contrary, the best results in the same conditions were obtained by the oak when the polyurethane adhesive was used. It indicates that the PU adhesive is more suitable for the bonding of oak wood. Considering results of beech wood, there were not found this interaction.

The paper deals with assessment of a long-term experiment (45 and/or 53 years of investigation) in the 90-years-old European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) stand in a selected region of East Slovakia. The research was performed from 1960 to 2013 on subplots managed by four different methods: ( i) plot with heavy thinning from below (C grade ac - cording to the German forest research institutes from 1902), ( ii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 5 years), (iii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 10 years) and ( iv) control plot (with no thinning). The diameter and

We developed optimal models for predicting the aboveground biomass of European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) applicable to the national forest inventory data of the Czech Republic. The models were based on a data set of 81 beech trees collected in 19 stands that represent a wide range of stand and site conditions. The relationship between biomass and tree dimensions (diameter D, height H) was modelled using non-linear regression equations with one ( D) or two ( D, H) independent variables and two or three parameters (D2, DH2, DH3 models). Subsequently additional predictor variables, i.e. tree age, site index and altitude, were added to the basic models. The inclusion of tree age ( T) and altitude (

The results of long-term monitoring of beech bark necrotic damage in a mature stands in Czech Re - public, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria are presented in paper. Overall, 10,863 beech trees were evaluated at 121 localities. The majority of trees (6,679) were evaluated at 55 localities in Slovakia and the re - maining 2,684 trees at 50 localities in Bulgaria. In each country, we noted a wide interval of the values of beech stem necrotization index (I SN ) - e.g. in Bulgaria from 0.22 to 1.50 and in Slovakia from 0.53 to 1.97. The average value of I SN in Slovakia (1.22) was higher than the value in all other countries except for the Czech Republic (1.35). Overall, in Bulgaria, we found a more favourable state of beech bark necrotic damage than in Slovakia. As much as 80% of the Bulgarian localities had I SN values 1.5, whilst there was no Bulgarian locality recorded in this interval. We consider Slovakia and Bulgaria as the countries where the issue of beech bark necrotic damage is relatively well established.

In this research the spruce plywood board and combined spruce-beech plywood board were prepared in laboratory conditions using two levels of processing pressure. The bending properties in perpendicular and lon - gitudinal direction were measured and compressibility and density were specified. Considering the obtained results, there was found an overall increase of the bending properties in spruce plywood manufactured by the higher pressure and a decline of properties perpendicular to the grain in combined spruce-beech plywood board. On the other hand, combined spruce-beech plywood boards produced by the common processing pressure performed better than both types of spruce plywood.

The issues related to appropriate management methods of beech stands have been considered as a crucial topic from the past up to now. Although the positive effect of tending on wood quality in beech stands is a generally known fact, the results from long-term experiments are very scarce. We investigated the qualitative production of beech forests, treated by different thinning methods during a long-term period of 53 years. For this purpose two long-term (lasting 53 years with a measurement interval of 5 years) series of research plots were used. On each plot three different thinning methods were applied: i) heavy thinning from below (C-grade according to the German forestry research institutes in 1902), ii) free crown thinning (original thinning method developed in Slovak Republic), and iii) control plot (without treatments). As much as 6,316 trees at the beginning of research and 864 trees at the last measurement were assessed and measured. Chi-squared test was used to quantify the effect of different thinning methods on qualitative wood production. The results showed the highest proportion of target trees, as well as the best average quality of the stem and crown on plots where the free crown thinning was applied followed by the plots with heavy thinning from below and control ones. We found that the proportion (expressed out of the total growing stock of crop trees) of veneers was the highest on plots managed by the free crown thinning (30 and 36%) and the lowest on control (unthinned) plots (10 and 19%). It is concluded that no significant differences between the two studied sites were found, which demonstrates a similar effect of the investigated thinning methods at different places across the region of Slovak Republic, but with similar site conditions. On the other hand, the most appropriate and hence successful thinning method was proved to be the free crown thinning, which is also recommended for management of beech forests from the aspect of silvicultural wood quality.

The prosperity of various forest regeneration methods was evaluated on the prepared windthrow area established in 2010 in a previously allochthonous coniferous stand growing in mid-elevations of the Czech Republic. The forest regeneration variants were as follows: (1) "planting" of target species ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and Fagus sylvatica (L.), (2) "seeding" of pioneer (non target) species ( Betula pendula Roth) and (3) spontaneous "succession". Two years after windthrow the "planting" was evaluated in accordance with the Czech forestry law as regeneration method with sufficient attributes, density (6,000-9,000 indd·ha -1 ) and regular spatial distribution of target tree species. The "seeding" and "succession" variants showed a insufficient attributes of target tree species-total density ca 3,000 indd·ha -1 (being ca 1,000 indd·ha -1 higher than 20 cm) and irregular distribution across the plot. The non-target species birch on the "seeding" variant showed a high density of plants (131,000 indd·ha -1 ) being eight times higher than the succession variant. The cost of the regeneration treatment was different between the variants-planting: 5,000-6,000 EUR·ha -1 , 1,300 EUR·ha -1 , succession: 1,000 EUR·ha -1 . Comparing to "planting" the higher diversity of tree species and higher density of non-target species (20,000-134,000 EUR·ha -1 ) in the "seeding" and "succession" variants promise success for the future, however the real potential of regeneration methods that were used will be clear after long-term observations.

The purpose of the research was to examine the decomposition rate of beech ( Fagus sylvatica) and aspen (Populus tremula) logs after an oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus) infection as well as the effect of fruit body formation on the chemical composition of wood. The highest mean value of biological efficiency (B.E.) was found on beech logs (29.05%), but relatively high values of B.E. were recorded also on aspen logs (21.69%). The average content of N was about 37% higher in inoculated logs than in the control (not inoculated) ones. The ash content was about 90% higher in inoculated logs. The content of the mineral elements Ca, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Al, B, and Mg had an increasing tendency in inoculated logs compared with control ones. The logs with minimal production of fruit bodies had the highest content of the mineral elements Pb, Al, Fe, Mg and P.

Correlations of increment indexes with average monthly temperatures and total monthly precipitation were studied on annual ring series of 455 trees of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.), sessile oak (Quercus petrea Liebl.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Data on precipitation from the period 1901–2005 and on temperatures from the period 1931–2005 were used. Statistically significant dependences with correlation coefficients in the range of 0.2–0.5 were confirmed. All tree species react positively to precipitation mainly in June and July. An increase in precipitation by 1 mm when compared with the long-term average results in an increase in increment index of spruce almost by 0.13%. This index in oak and beech increases only by a half value of the value for spruce. Precipitation from the second half of the vegetation period of the previous year is also important. Higher temperatures during the vegetation period affect increment changes mostly negatively. With temperature increase by 1°C, when compared with the long-term average, the increment index of trees decreases by about 1–2%.

The paper summarizes the main characteristics of a mixed stand during 80-year transformation to the mixed stand with permanent selective structure. The initial main stand was mostly composed of conifers with group arrangement, broadleaves as the reserved trees created the upper storey. Partial opening by thinnings prepared the stand for regeneration. Heavy thinning in 1959 (22% of the growing stock) opened the main stand and released the advance growth of broadleaves. Subsequent stand development was negatively affected by air pollution. Mainly fir and spruce responded to air pollution by deteriorated health condition and increment reduction. Beech and other broadleaves gradually increased their proportion in the stand (64% of the growing stock in 2008). Initial diameter distribution was sinistral, reserved trees affected the frequency of thick trees. Final diameter distribution resembled the model curve for selective forests, the number of thin trees was below the model curve for broadleaved forests with selective structure in these types of localities. Mean increments of individual species changed according to their stand position. Low fecundity of trees, weed infestation and game damage limited natural regeneration, artificial regeneration dominated for the whole time. The complicated structure corresponding to selective forest occurred rarely during the monitored period, the stand was differentiated mainly by spatial arrangement.

We studied old beech trees individually dispersed in spruce monocultures after having found wildlings in their vicinity. The goal was to define stem and crown dimensions of the trees in dependence on their position in the primary spruce stand and to find out what kind of development they went through before reaching the current condition. We made an inventory of 883 trees in about 800 ha of stands growing in the fir-beech forest altitudinal zone (FAZ). A detailed biometric analysis conducted on two research plots of a total area 19 ha included 110 trees. Their age is 140–180 years as indicated by the analysis of annual rings. Thus, they grow in the second generation of the spruce stand. The fact gives them an absolute competitive advantage, which can be documented by their size (dbh = 49–93 cm as compared with the spruce = 15–66 cm, crown width 8–17 m as compared with the spruce = 1–10 m) as well as by the relation of their disposable (ADISP) and social (ASOC) areas to the size of horizontal crown projection. Regarding the size, the good condition of the crown and the expected recurrent fructification, we can consider these trees suitable for use in the systematic conversion of spruce monocultures into mixed forests for a long time.

The effect of ethephon (80, 100 and 120 mg·l -1 ) and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) (40, 300 and 1,000 mg· l -1 ) on the germination capacity (GC) and mean germination time (MGT) of European beech ( Fagus sylvatica (L.)) dormant beechnuts or beechnuts pre-chilled for four weeks was determined. Compared to the control (dormant untreated seeds) or beechnuts treated with tap water no significant increase in mean GC was detected after the application of ethephon or GA 3 to dormant seeds. Conversely, both ethephon and GA 3 treatments reduced (ethephon significantly) GC when applied to beechnuts chilled for four weeks prior to treatment. The effect of the treatments on germination speed (MGT) and dormancy release significantly improved when beechnuts were chilled for four weeks prior to the application of ethephon or GA 3 . However, the effect of GA 3 on MGT of chilled beechnuts was not so distinct compared to dormant untreated seeds. Reduction in MGT was most obvious in seeds hydrated with 1,000 mg· l -1 GA 3 prior to germination. Their cold requirement time was reduced by three weeks compared to beechnuts hydrated in tap water.

Interspecific comparisons of the fine root "behaviour" under stressful situations may answer questions related to resistance to changing environmental conditions in the particular tree species. Our study was focused on Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) grown in an acidic soil where acidity was caused by past air pollution in the Kysucke Beskydy Mts., North-Western Slovakia. Between April and October 2006, the following fine root traits were studied: biomass and necromass seasonal dynamics, vertical distribution, production, mortality, fine root turnover and production to mortality ratio. Sequential soil coring was repeatedly implemented in April, June, July, September, and October including the soil layers of 0-5, 5-15, 15-25, and 25-35 cm. Results indicated that spruce had a lower standing stock of fine roots than beech, and fine roots of spruce were more superficially distrib - uted than those of beech. Furthermore, we estimated higher seasonal dynamics and also higher turnover of fine roots in spruce than in beech. The production to mortality ratio was higher in beech than in spruce, which was hypothetically explained as the effect of drought episodes that occurred in July and August. The results suggested that the beech root system could resist a physiological stress better than that of spruce. This conclusion was supported by different vertical distributions of fine roots in spruce and beech stands.

During 2004-2006, another permanent research plot ( no. 12) on Pop Ivan Marmarosh Mt. in the Za - karpattya province of Ukraine was renewed, i.e. re-measured and re-analyzed. The plot was originally established in the 30 ' s of the 20 th century. The tree layer is dominated by European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.), with silver fir ( Abies

In 1997, long-term thinning experiment Vsetec in Southern Bohemia was established in the young 19-year-old mixed beech and spruce stand. Three variants (0.10 ha each) were investigated: 1 - control unthinned plot (only salvage cut was done), 2 - plot with positive selection from above and 3 - plot with negative selection from below. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the first results from the eleven-year investigation (at the age of 19-29 years) focused on the effect of thinning on growth, species composition, litter-fall and humus in young mixed stands in this experiment. Thinning (both variants) resulted in decreased salvage cut (dead, broken and uprooted trees). Continual diminishing of spruce portion (started quickly after dry season in 2003 on control unthinned plot) was slow or soft on both thinned plots. Annual litter-fall in experimental young spruce and beech mixed stands at the age of 27-29 years varied from 4.6 to 5.5 thousand kg/ha and dry biomass of humus horizons L, F and H represented altogether approximately 91 and 128 thousand kg/ha on plots 3 and 1, respectively (plot 2 was omitted from this part of investigation).

Abs Tr AcT: A pedological survey was carried out in a spruce monoculture, beech stand, and in a mixed stand at a field research station in Rajec-Němcice of the Institute of Forest Ecology (IFE), Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry (MUAF) in Brno in the region of the Drahanska Upland in 2004-2006. The aim of the paper was to evaluate (i) humus reserves and forms, ( ii) soil reaction, ( iii) reserves of total carbon and nitrogen for the forest floor layers and () carbon/nitrogen ratio. Soil analyses were carried out on samples taken at the end of the growing season in a spruce, beech and mixed stand. The highest reserves of forest floor were found in the spruce stand (71.8 t/ha), which also corresponded to the exchangeable soil reaction 3.3 ± 0.4, the C/N ratio being 27.3 ± 3.0. The lowest reserves were found in the beech stand (46.7 t/ha), the soil reaction was 3.6 ± 0.5 and the C/N ratio was 26.0 ± 5.2. The mixed stand represented an intermediate value between extreme positions.

The paper analyzes data on browsing damage to food-attractive woody species, viz. Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides, Fraxinus excelsior, Sorbus aucuparia and most often eudominant Fagus sylvatica. The field survey was carried out in 2005-2007. Analyzed data come from 34 transects at 15 localities in the CR with different abundance of ungulates ( Capreolus capreolus, in some areas also Cervus elaphus or Dama dama). Trees occurring in natural regeneration under a stand were monitored up to a height of 150 cm and the presence of new browsing damage was monitored. Differences between the percent of damaged individuals of the given species of a food-attractive woody species and the percent of damaged individuals of all woody species in the transect as well as the proportion of these parameters significantly correlate with the dominance of the given species being suitable parameters for the analysis of a relationship between the intensity of damage and dominance. At the same time, the higher the proportion of Fagus sylvatica, the higher the relative intensity of damage to monitored food-attractive species.

ABSt RAct : The phenology of four deciduous forest tree species ( Carpinus betulus L., Fagus sylvatica L., Quercus dalechampii Ten., Tilia cordata Mill.) was studied in a submountain beech forest stand in Central Slovakia. Two spring phenological phases - bud-burst and leaf unfolding as well as one autumn phase - autumn leaf colouring were moni - tored over the period of 13 years. The results documented interannual variability in the dating of phenological phases within the species, while the differences among the species were also revealed. Significant correlations ( P < 0.05) were detected between the dating of leaf unfolding and air temperature; the coefficients of correlation ( r) ranged from -0.86 (hornbeam and beech) to -0.92 (oak). Significant relationships were also revealed between cumulative precipitation amounts and timing of autumn leaf colouring phase ( r-value ranged from -0.73 in oak to -0.81 in hornbeam). The trend analysis showed that the onset of phenological phases was slightly shifted to the earlier dates during the period of 13 years. However, the trends were not statistically significant.

rd VT occupies 45.6% of the study area - from 190 m a.s.l. up to 430 m a.s.l. Fagus sylvatica is a dominant tree (with the height of 35-40 m). Quercus robur and Quercus petraea have their ecological optimums there with the representation of up to 30%. Abies alba occurs in the crown level with the representation of up to 10%. 4 th oc- cupies 35.2% of the study area - from 310 m a.s.l. up to 650 m a.s.l. Fagus sylvatica is dominant (the height over 50 m). Abies alba occurs in the co-dominant level (sporadically in the level exceeding the main level) with the representation of ±20% and the height of up to 50 m. Quercus petraea and Quercus robur occur only as an interspersed species with the representation of up to 10%, they do not reach the co-dominant tree level any more. Carpinus betulus is represented regularly only in the overtopped tree level.

Beechnuts from three Fagus sylvatica lots were dried at 20°C to 5–6% or 8–9% (fresh weight basis) moisture content and stored at –7°C or –22°C for 3.5 or 4.5 years in sealed polyethylene bags containing air and routinely used for the long-term storage of beechnuts or vacuumed (de-aerated) polyethylene bags with air removed before sealing. The germination and viability (tetrazolium test) of beechnuts were determined according to the Czech Technical Rules (1997) once a year during storage. The results were subjected to factorial ANOVA and the means were compared using the Scheffe test at P > 0.05. Compared to beechnuts dried to an 8–9% moisture content a significant decrease in both germination and viability occurred in beechnuts dried to a 5–6% moisture content regardless of how long the beechnuts were stored. However, the effects of the other treatments (type of storage bag, storage temperature) were not significant.

The study analyses the growth of beech seedling fine roots and their development in the first five years. The research plots were established in 1997-2003 in community forests of Starý Plzenec (Western Bohemia, Czech Republic). The data are based on annual reviews of beech samplings extracted from surveyed plots. The whole root volume as well as the fine root volume is significantly (on a 95% significance level) growing during the first years after outplanting and there is not any disruption of growth immediately after outplanting.

The aim of this study was to compare the structure of beech juvenile and mature wood in relation to wood density. The comparative analysis between juvenile and mature wood examined the diameter of vessels, the width and height of pith rays, and the number of vessels and pith rays per 1 mm 2 . The results show that the average vessel diameter as well as the width and height of pith rays reach statistically lower values in juvenile wood than in mature wood. On the other hand, no significant difference between the two types of wood has been found in terms of the frequency of vessels per 1 mm 2 . Having said that, the difference in the frequency of rays per 1 mm 2 between juvenile and mature wood is far from being negligible; juvenile wood has three times as many pith rays as mature wood. The density of juvenile wood is higher (ρ 12 = 726.07 kg/m 3 ) than the density of mature wood (ρ 12 = 701.50 kg/m 3 ).

Vegetative propagation of forest tree species is of great importance not only for breeding programmes but also for the conservation of valuable populations of tree species. Important is also a possibility of improving the genetic quality of established stands. Beech is a tree species that can substantially increase the stability of forest ecosystems. Minimal information is available about the ontogenesis of rooted cuttings of beech in forest stands for the time being. In our experiments that were gradually established since 1993 we acquired the first significant results of the evaluation of health status, phenological phenomena and growth of these plants. Our findings indicate that it is possible to use rooted cuttings as an element stabilising man-made forest stands including the transferred genetic quality. The evalu - ation of the 2 nd generation rooted cuttings of beech also provided positive results.

This paper presents the results of investigations on natural forest regeneration in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) monocultures in the Ukrainian Beskids with the use of FORKOME model prognostic possibilities. Different variants of regeneration methods are presented. Selective cutting with planting was determined as the most effective: spruce selective cutting with simultaneous planting of target species: beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and fir (Abies alba Mill.) with admixture of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.). Beech and fir biomass increases rapidly over the first 20 years – then it stabilizes. After another 20–30 years the initial form of beech forest is recognizable and it is possible to speak about an increase of beech forest, which in the course of time achieves a higher degree of similarity to natural stand. In the Ukrainian Beskids the potential forest stand consists of beech and fir (Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum).