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Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is one of the most widespread undergrowth species in the forests of Russia. It has not only important silvicultural significance but is also widely used in economic activities. Numerous works of Russian and foreign authors are devoted to its study. The article shows the results of geobotanical and forest inventory studies of a unique area of pine plantation in the Kirillovskiy district of the Vologda region. In the second understorey of which tree-form common juniper grows. The stand was classified as high-density (relative fullness – 0.85) and low quality (quality class – V–IV). The total stock of trunk wood on the site is 280 m3/ha, including the stock of juniper wood – 28 m3/ha. The average diameter of juniper trunks is 14 cm, the average height is 11 m and the age is 180 yrs. This is several times higher than its usual parameters in other forests. A significant number of specimens of juniper (50 pcs/ha) are in the stage of drying out or have already died and represent dead wood of different years. The number of small and medium-sized juniper undergrowth is 1.5 ths pcs/ha or 62.5 % of the growing. Undergrowth of European spruce, downy birch and black alder is also found. The existing undergrowth is assessed as promising, but Scots pine undergrowth is missing. The ground cover is dominated by green and sphagnum mosses as well as shrubs of the Ericaceae and Vacciniaceae families. The study of such objects, extremely rare not only in the north of the European part of Russia, but also everywhere, is of great practical importance. It is also important for understanding the biology of the only representative of the Cupressaceae family that naturally grows here. The tree-form juniper in the pine plantation has survived and reached a size not typical for this species due to the inaccessibility of the site, the lack of fires and forest felling. Such forest areas should be identified, protected, and subjected to stationary research. For citation: Evdokimov I.V., Dobrynin A.P., Armeeva N.A. Tree Form of Juniper (Juniperus communis L.) in the Forests of the Vologda Region. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 5, pp. 201–209. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-5-201-209

Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. (Betulaceae) est une espèce clé dans certaines formations alluviales et riveraines du continent européen. Au Maroc, elle se trouve en limite méridionale de son aire de distribution où elle est représentée par des formations relictes dans les zones refuges où elle a migré pendant les phases glaciaires du Pléistocène. Malgré sa grande valeur patrimoniale, il y a très peu de données sur son aire de répartition et l’état des peuplements. Ce travail a permis de localiser et cartographier les principaux peuplements dans la zone d’occurrence de cette espèce dans le Rif au nord du Maroc. La typologie des peuplements a été réalisée dans douze sites de référence en déterminant leurs principales caractéristiques telles que la nature du régime forestier, la composition, la taille, le recouvrement et la densité. Les caractéristiques dendrométriques ont permis de renseigner la structure et la dynamique des peuplements. Les résultats obtenus constituent un apport important de données quantitatives géoréférencées sur la répartition actuelle et la dynamique des peuplements d’A. glutinosa au Maroc. Étant donné l’état de conservation des peuplements, la dégradation de l’habitat et la faible régénération, cette espèce peut être considérée comme menacée et doit bénéficier de mesures urgentes de protection.

Research Background: Black alder (Alnus glutinosa) forests are in severe decline across their area of distribution due to a disease caused by the soil-borne pathogenic Phytophthora alni species complex (class Oomycetes), “alder Phytopththora”. Mapping of the different types of damages caused by the disease is challenging in high density ecosystems in which spectral variability is high due to canopy heterogeneity. Data obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may be particularly useful for such tasks due to the high resolution, flexibility of acquisition and cost efficiency of this type of data. In this study, A. glutinosa decline was assessed by considering four categories of tree health status in the field: asymptomatic, dead and defoliation above and below a 50% threshold. A combination of multispectral Parrot Sequoia and UAV unmanned aerial vehicles -red green blue (RGB) data were analysed using classical random forest (RF) and a simple and robust three-step logistic modelling approaches to identify the most important forest health indicators while adhering to the principle of parsimony. A total of 34 remote sensing variables were considered, including a set of vegetation indices, texture features from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a digital surface model (DSM), topographic and digital aerial photogrammetry-derived structural data from the DSM at crown level. Results: The four categories identified by the RF yielded an overall accuracy of 67%, while aggregation of the legend to three classes (asymptomatic, defoliated, dead) and to two classes (alive, dead) improved the overall accuracy to 72% and 91% respectively. On the other hand, the confusion matrix, computed from the three logistic models by using the leave-out cross-validation method yielded overall accuracies of 75%, 80% and 94% for four-, three- and two-level classifications, respectively. Discussion: The study findings provide forest managers with an alternative robust classification method for the rapid, effective assessment of areas affected and non-affected by the disease, thus enabling them to identify hotspots for conservation and plan control and restoration measures aimed at preserving black alder forests info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

La presencia de árboles en un ecosistema de pastoreo aumenta las poblaciones edáficas y, por ende, las relaciones simbióticas. En los ecosistemas altoandinos de la zona norte del Ecuador existen escasas investigaciones sobre esta temática. El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar el crecimiento poblacional de la fauna edáfica en los sistemas silvopastoriles, para este caso, el sistema silvopastoril tiene las siguientes combinaciones: aliso (Alnus acuminata) y mezcla forrajera, acacia (Acacia melanoxylon) y mezcla forrajera, y un testigo con mezcla forrajera. El conteo se realizó en dos épocas, julio y diciembre, en los años 2016, 2017 y 2018. Para el análisis estadístico se realizó un análisis de varianza y la prueba de Tukey, que permitieron mostrar probabilidades e identificar la mejor respuesta de crecimiento de especies en función del tratamiento silvopastoril. Los análisis estadísticos muestran la evolución del sistema en el primer año, en el cual no existen diferencias significativas, debido al trasplante y crecimiento de los árboles; a partir del segundo año ya existen cambios edáficos entre tratamientos por aumento de materia orgánica, lo que influye sobre las especies en el suelo. Los resultados estadísticos concluyen que el sistema silvopastoril con acacia tiene más población edáfica.

Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) is a tree of high economic and ecological importance, yet is subject to severe defoliation during episodic outbreaks of tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.). We evaluated variation in western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum Packard, 1864) (WTC) resistance among and within red alder populations and clones and investigated potential defense mechanisms. Bioassay feeding trials were conducted with WTC on 20 red alder clones from 10 provenances (two clones per provenance). Phenology and quality of red alder leaves were analyzed to determine whether bud burst, leaf chemical content, water content, or physical traits are determinants of WTC preference. Alder clones differed in percent leaf area eaten by WTC and in leaf defense traits. The concentrations of total phenolics, condensed tannin, and the diarylheptanoid oregonin were negatively correlated with the percent leaf area eaten by caterpillars. In addition, a potential threshold was observed above which the concentration of each of the chemicals appeared to reduce WTC feeding. In particular, foliar concentrations of oregonin >20% of leaf dry mass were consistently associated with reduced feeding. The effects of oregonin concentration in red alder leaves on tent caterpillar feeding is a novel finding.

Introduction Climate change leads to significant changes in biological productivity. The aim of the study was to model the potential productivity of forests in Ukraine under different climatic scenarios and compare the results with the actual productivity of forest-forming species in terms of forest-management zonation. Materials and Methods The CVP model of Paterson was used to calculate the potential forest productivity (PP) based on climate data (the baseline period 1961–1990; the current climate 1990–2010 and regional climate models of the EURO-CORDEX project (the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios). Potential forest productivity and actual forest productivity were studied within the forest-management zonation according to Gensiruk. By using Q-GIS maps, potential productivities were specified. An average growing stock change per year per hectare and average site index (bonitet) were estimated for seven forest tree species, namely Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), English oak (Quercus robur L.), common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) based on the ‘Forest Fund of Ukraine’ database. Statistical analysis, including correlation analysis, was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Results It was found out that in the baseline period the forest-management zones significantly differed in potential productivity (PP): with a maximum in the Carpathians and the minimum in the Southern Steppe (5.8 and 0.2 m3·ha-1·year-1, respectively), the average value for the country was about 4 m3·ha-1·year-1, which is equal to the average value of growing stock change. In the current climate (1991–2010), compared to the baseline, the average potential productivity increased by 0.3 m3·ha-1·year-1. In the Carpathians and Polissia, the potential productivity in 1961–1990 is higher than the value of the average growing stock change for all tree species (5.8 and 5.2 m3·ha-1 per year against 4.6 and 4.1 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). For the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe these stock changes are close to PP value – 4.0 m3·ha-1 per year. In the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe, the actual stock change is less than PP (3.9 against 5.03 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). Significant differences between the actual and potential productivities were observed for the Northern and Southern Steppes, where the average stock change (3.0 and 2.6 m3·ha-1 per year) is significantly higher than the PP (2.5 and 0.1 m3·ha-1 per year, respectively). In the middle of the century, PP values for Ukraine depending on the scenario will make 4.6 or 4.5 m3·ha-1·year-1; and at the end of the century – 4.5 or 5.4 m3·ha-1·year-1. The correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between the potential productivity for the period 1961–1990 with the weighted average site class of all studied tree species, except silver birch and Norway spruce, and a positive relationship with an average growing stock change of most species (except black alder and Norway spruce). The highest correlation coefficient with growing stock change was found for English oak of seed origin. Conclusions Compared to the period 1961–1990, at the current climate, the values of potential productivity have increased – on average by 0.3 m3·ha-1·year-1 (by 7.5%). In the future, under both climate change scenarios, by the middle of the century, the potential productivity will increase by 14.4% or 14.9% depending on scenario; at the end of the century, these changes will be 13.9% and 36.9%, respectively. The use of the Paterson index in the context of climate change allows predicting the dynamics of potential forest productivity in Ukraine due to climate change at the level of forest-management zones. However, to obtain more accurate results (e.g. for individual forestry enterprises), it is necessary to consider local edaphic and morphometric features. 1 Fig., 5 Tables, 19 Refs. Key words: EURO-CORDEX project, RCP 4.5 scenario, RCP 8.5 scenario, CVP model, average growing stock change; site index, main forest-forming species.

In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the coat hangers made of 2 different materials such as wood and plastic to evaluate the strength values, deformation amounts and deformation points of the coat hangers Wooden coat hangers are, highly recyclable and sustainable when compared to plastics. TS 9215 standard was used to measure strength properties. The experimental setup created according to the TS 9215 standard formed the model of the research and experiments. In the experiment, a total of 16 coat hangers, 8 of which were made of wood and 8 of which were made of plastic, were used. Each coat hanger was hung in the experimental setup for 8 hours with 5 kilogram masses hung from 3 points in accordance with the standard and were checked every 2 hours. The deformations formed as a result of the experiment were observed. Observed deformations was first photographed and then precisely measured with a millimetric ruler and noted. The metric data obtained were analyzed in M. Excel program and transformed in to tables and graphics. It has been observed deformation of the hook parts of the coat hangers made of both types was higher than the strength deformations body part of the coat hangers. The results obtained in this study showed that wooden coat hangers have higher strength and lower deformation index than plastic coat hangers. In addition, it has been determined that the wood material used in wooden coat hangers has a great effect on the strength properties. In this study, when comparing alder and eucalyptus species on wooden coat hangers, alder was found to be more durable, Bu çalışmada TS 9215’e göre ahşap ve plastik olmak üzere 2 farklı malzemeden üretilmiş elbise askılarında mukavemet deneyi yapılarak, hangi malzemeli elbise askısının daha iyi mukavemet değerlerinin olduğu, deformasyon miktarları ve deformasyon noktalarının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Ahşap elbise askıları, plastiklere göre geri dönüştürülebilmesi ve sürdürülebilirlik oranları yüksek olan bir malzeme olmaktadır. Mukavemetlerini ölçmek için de TS 9215 standardından yararlanılmıştır. Araştırmanın ve deneylerin modelini TS 9215 standardına göre oluşturulan deney düzeneği oluşturmuştur. Deneyde 8’i ahşap ve 8’i plastikten olan toplamda 16 tane elbise askısı uygulnan anket sonuçlarına göre seçilerek kullanılmıştır. Her bir elbise askı standarda uygun olarak, 3 noktadan asılabilir 5 kilogramlık kütleler ile 8’er saat boyunca deney düzeneğinde asılmış ve her 2 saatte bir kontrol edilmiştir. Deney sonucunda oluşan deformasyonlar gözlemlenmiştir. Gözlemlenen deformasyonlar ilk olarak fotoğraflanmıştır ardından milimetrik cetvel ile hassas bir şekilde ölçülüp not alınmıştır. Elde edilen metrik veriler M. Excel programında çözümlenmiş, tablo ve grafik haline getirilmiştir. Her iki türden yapılmış elbise askılarında kanca kısımlarındaki deformasyonun, elbise askılarının mukavemet deformasyonlarından çok daha fazla olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu araştırmada elde edilen bulgular, ahşap elbise askılarının plastik elbise askılarından daha fazla mukavemetli, deformasyon indeksinin daha az olduğunu göstermiştir. Bunun yanı sıra ahşap elbise askılarında kullanılan ağaç malzemenin de mukavemet özelliklerine büyük etki ettiği tespit edilmiştir. Araştırmada da ahşap elbise askıları üretici tercihli kızılağaç ve okaliptüs cinslerinden yapılmıştır. Bu iki cins arasındaki karşılaştırmada da kızılağacın daha mukavemetli olduğu bulunmuştur.

Converting data from national forest inventories to carbon stocks for greenhouse gas reporting generally relies on biomass expansion factors (BEFs) that expand stem volumes to whole tree volumes. However, BEFs for trees outside forests like trees in hedgerows are not yet included in the IPCC reports. These are expected to be different from forest trees as hedgerow trees are exposed to more solar radiation and have more growing space. We present age-dependent BEF curves for hedgerow-grown pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), common alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). We scanned 73 trees in northern Belgium using terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Via quantitative structure models, we estimated total volume and stem volume (diameter greater than 7 cm); we then calculated BEF as the ratio of total volume to stem volume. BEFs decreased exponentially with tree age, converging at 1.18, 1.9 and 1.92 for alder, birch and oak, respectively. For alder, this value is comparable to values of forest-grown alder; for birch and oak, these values are substantially higher, indicating a bigger part of the total volume is branch wood instead of stem wood. Total wood volume in hedgerows varied from 131.2 to 751.8 m3 per running kilometre, accounting for 30.0 to 222.8 Mg carbon stored, respectively. Only half of the produced wood in hedgerows was classified as stem wood, the other half as branch wood. Our findings show that hedgerow-specific BEFs should be used when applications for biobased economies are drafted. Also, hedgerows should be included in national carbon budgets as they represent non-negligible stocks.

Goal. To determine the most adapted wood breeds for plantation afforestation of different function in the conditions of drained peatlands of the Forest-Steppe. To study the peculiarities of growth and development of newly created forest crops in specific conditions of organogenic soils. To determine the influence of afforestation on the change of water-physical properties of drained organogenic soils. Methods. General scientific (hypotheses, inductions and deductions, analogies, generalizations) and special (field, laboratory, mathematical, statistical, computational) — for research and their generalization. Results. The best indicators of productivity in these conditions were shown by tree and bush willows, black poplar, sticky alder, and hybrids of Euro-American poplars. The optimal length of unrooted cuttings for the creation of energy plantations was 25 cm. For afforestation of black alder on drained organogenic soils, it is advisable to create forest crops with seedlings 1.0–1.2 m high according to the scheme 3.0×1.0 m, which ensures survival at the level of 98%. Over the last 52 years, the density of peat in the upper layer (0–30 cm) in the forest stand has not changed (the difference is 3%), while in the lower layers it has increased by 18–20%, but the soil density remains low (average 0.250 g/cm3) and high total moisture content (345%). The decrease in soil mineralization in forest stands compared to hayfields indicates a slowdown in the decomposition of peat organic matter under the forest, which is important for the preservation of peatlands. After the cycle of plantation afforestation, re-agricultural use of lands with improved water-physical properties of the soil is possible. Conclusions. The creation of forest plantations on drained organogenic soils is quite possible and expedient. With the use of different species composition and changes in planting density, you can create plantations of tree crops for different purposes. The highest indicators of productivity in these conditions had tree and bush willows, black poplar, alder sticky and hybrids of Euro-American poplars.

Tree species composition maps derived from hyperspectral data have been found to be accurate but it is still unclear whether an optimal time window exists to acquire the images. Trees in temperate forests are subject to phenological changes that are species-specific and can have an impact on species recognition. Our study examined the performance of a multitemporal hyperspectral dataset to classify tree species in the Polish part of the Białowieża Forest. We classified seven tree species including spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst), pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.), oak (Quercus robur L.), birch (Betula pendula Roth), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) and linden (Tilia cordata Mill.), using Support Vector Machines. We compared the results for three data acquisitions—early and late summer (2–4 July and 24–27 August), and autumn (1–2 October) as well as a classification based on an image stack containing all three acquisitions. Furthermore, the sizes (height and crown diameter) of misclassified and correctly classified trees of the same species were compared. The early summer acquisition reached the highest accuracies with an Overall Accuracy (OA) of 83–94 per cent and Kappa (κ) of 0.80–0.92. The classification based on the stacked multitemporal dataset resulted in slightly higher accuracies (84–94 per cent OA and 0.81–0.92 κ). For some species, e.g. birch and oak, tree size differed notably for correctly and incorrectly classified trees. We conclude that implementing multitemporal hyperspectral data can improve the classification result as compared with a single acquisition. However, the obtained accuracy of the multitemporal image stack was in our case comparable to the best single-date classification and investing more time in identifying regionally optimal acquisition windows may be worthwhile as long hyperspectral acquisitions are still sparse.

Black Alder Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. is an important tree commonly growing in Poland. Alders are actinorhizal plants that play an important ecological role in riparian ecosystems through atmospheric nitrogen fixation, filtration and purification of waterlogged soils as well as providing a refuge for terrestrial and aquatic organisms thus helping to stabilize stream banks. Black alder used to be considered a very pest and disease resistant species but, the situation changed in 2000, when an unprecedented decline of Alders was observed in Poland. In the Białowieża Forest District, this decline has been observed on wet meadow habitats and along rivers or watercourses. Currently, there are several hypotheses explaining Alder dieback, among them climatic changes and Phytophthora infections. In terms of climate, Black Alder requires a high atmospheric humidity during all phases of its reproductive cycle. It tolerates neither long-term summer flooding nor a significant decrease in the groundwater level. In terms of pests, oomycete pathogens of the genus Phytophthora are the most destructive plant pathogens known and many of them are present in forests and nurseries all over Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health of Black Alder along the Narewka River in the Białowieża Forest District. Selected areas were monitored in 2012 and 2018, but no relationship between drought and alder health was found. A preliminary analysis of soil and water samples by real time PCR revealed the presence of two Phytophthora species: P. alni and P. cactorum. Further and more detailed research is required to elucidate the role of these pathogens in Alder dieback.

Важливим етапом у процесі дослідження біопродуктивності лісів є агрегування дослідних даних про наявні для конкретного регіону тимчасові пробні площі (ТПП), які відображали б основні таксаційні показники та найпоширеніші типи лісорослинних умов деревостанів головних лісотвірних видів. Для дослідження фітомаси дерев і деревостанів використано методи лісової таксації: суцільного переліку та вибіркові. Пробні площі закладали за методикою П. І. Лакиди. Для інформативного забезпечення оцінювання біопродуктивності та екологічного потенціалу лісостанів Черемського природного заповідника застосовано 64 тимчасові пробні площі, з яких 44 закладено в деревостанах природного походження і 20 – у штучних насадженнях. Причому 2 ТПП заклав безпосередньо аспірант та 62 ТПП взято з фонду кафедри таксації лісу та лісового менеджменту Національного університету біоресурсів і природокористування України. Тимчасові пробні площі проаналізовано за деревними видами, походженням, типами лісорослинних умов, класами бонітету, відносними повнотами та групами віку. Використані ТПП адекватно описують найпоширеніші соснові, вільхові і березові деревостани головних лісотвірних порід заповідника і характеризують наявний стан лісів досліджуваного об'єкта. Деякі таксаційні показники (середній вік, діаметр і висота) аналізували на наявність в масиві даних випадаючих спостережень та екстремальних значень. Діаграми розмаху основних таксаційних показників вільхи клейкої показують, що у зібраних дослідних даних вони відсутні, а вибірка охоплює широкий діапазон спостережень. У масиві даних березових насаджень присутні "викиди" у розподілі за середніми віком і діаметром. Діаграми розмаху середніх таксаційних показників деревостанів сосни звичайної побудовано окремо для природного і штучного походження. Зібраний експериментальний матеріал є репрезентативним, що дає змогу на його основі розробити математичні моделі компонентів фітомаси модальних деревостанів та оцінити їхню динаміку.

In November 2004, the windstorm Alžbeta damaged over 12 thousand ha of forests in the High Tatra Mts. It was the largest wind disaster in the modern forestry history of Slovakia. The process of forest regeneration at the post-disturbance area has to be monitored together with the effectiveness of implemented forestry measures. Therefore, we focused on tree measurements at 90 monitoring plots (MP) in 1 × 1 km net placed in the post-disturbance area in the Tatra National Park. We recorded tree species, number of trees (density) and tree heights. Besides that, stem diameters of trees with breast height diameter over 7 cm were measured. The field work was performed in the growing season of 2019, i.e. about 15 years after the wind disturbance. In total, 20 tree species, 15 broadleaves and 5 coniferous ones, were recorded at MP. The most frequent (28.9% of all trees) species was Norway spruce followed by silver birch (18.6%), rowan (16.9%) and goat willow (15.2%). Four species, i.e. European larch, wild cherry, grey alder and common alder contributed to the total number of trees between 1.8 and 4.8% each. Share of all other species together was about 5%. Tree height frequency was left-sided for the whole sampling set (all species together), as well as for individual species. Most of young trees were less than 1m high, but some of them exceeded 10 m. Further, tree density of over 100 individuals per are (100 m2) was found at 1/3 of all MPs. As many as 25% of MPs were characterized with tree densities between 61 and 90 individuals. At 23% of MPs, the number of trees was up to 30 individuals per are, and 20% of MPs had between 31 and 60 small trees per are. The results suggested that the post-disturbance forest stands in the High Tatras would be more resistant to wind storms and very probably also to bark beetles after reaching maturity than those, which were destructed and declined at the beginning of 21st century.

Aboveground dead wood has a range of important ecological functions, including carbon (C) storage. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories established on the basis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, Lithuania is encouraged to quantify C pools in forests, including C in living biomass, soil and dead wood. The aim of this study was to assess species-specific dead wood density (DWD) and carbon content (CC) per decay class for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), silver birch or downy birch (Betula pendula Roth or Betula pubescens Ehrh.), European aspen (Populus tremula L.), grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench), black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), common oak (Quercus robur L.) and European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), as the main representative hemiboreal forest tree species. The study findings revealed that mean DWD significantly decreased, while mean CC slightly increased during the wood decomposition process, which led to carbon density (CD) reduction over five decay classes. The mean CC showed little variation among the eight tree species and ranged between 47 and 54%. The lower CDs in the dead wood of decay classes 1 and 2 were more associated with coniferous than deciduous species. The estimated CD significantly decreased in all species with increasing decay class. Dead wood at decay class 5 of Scots pine, silver or downy birch, European ash and common oak had the highest CD, followed by Norway spruce and grey alder, and the lowest CDs were obtained for European aspen and black alder.

Forest vegetation across Southern Carpathians is distributed in altitudinal layers. The aim of this study was to highlight the productivity differences between the Southern and Northern slopes of the Southern Carpathians for Norway spruce, silver fir, birch and black alder. Data from 45 forest management plans (46.329 stands from the Southern slopes and 32.787 stands from the Northern slopes) were used. For each stand, the mean diameter, mean height, age, standing volume, current volume increment and production class were assessed. Elementary statistical methods were used to identify the factors influencing productivity. Significant differences between the Southern and Northern slopes were recorded for silver fir. The volume and the current volume increment were higher on the Northern slopes. In the case of birch and black alder, the same two parameters recorded higher values on the Southern slopes. As regards Norway spruce, insignificant differences were recorded between the two slopes. The correlation between structure type and stand volume was positive and statistically significant in the case of Norway spruce, silver fir and birch, but it was negative in the case of alder. Analysing the correlation between stand volume and the main stand characteristics also revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between age and stand volume for all analysed species. The results of this study are especially interested for the forest managers and forest owners whose aim is to obtain a higher productivity for the studied species.

Floodplain forests, as diverse plant communities commonly related to riparian zones, host plant species with various ecological niches and origins. The phytosociological context of floodplain forests has been well described on national level in many European countries, however, there are still regions with relatively poorly known variability of their species composition and environmental drivers controlling their vegetation patterns. Vegetation sampling of floodplain forests using traditional European phytosociological approach along with the recording of environmental (climatic, edaphic, topographic) variables was carried out in the northern part of the Western Carpathians (Slovakia and Poland) in period of 2011–2016. We gathered dataset of 135 original phytosociological releves, which were classified using modified TWINSPAN algorithm. Five associations were distinguished: (i) meso-eutrophic black alder swamp forests (Carici acutiformis-Alnetum glutinosae), (ii) montane oligotrophic mixed spruce-alder forests on waterlogged sites (Piceo abietis-Alnetum glutinosae), (iii) riparian willow forests (Salicetum fragilis), (iv) meso-hygrophilous riparian alder forests (Stellario nemorum-Alnetum glutinosae) and (v) riparian grey alder forests (Alnetum incanae). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) with forward selection was used to show effect of environmental factors on species composition variation. The explained variance declined from marginal (13.9%) and conditional (8.6%) to pure effect (7.5%), with altitude (1.6%), total soil nitrogen content (1.6%) and soil pH (1.4%) being the most important predictors accounted for the highest variation in species compositional data.

Black alder (Alnus glutinosa subsp. barbata (C.A. Mey.) Yalt.) is an important tree species in Turkey both economically and ecologically. Accurate taper and volume equations are required by most inventory systems to estimate upper stem diameter, form, and tree volume. Stem analysis data were used to examine the differences in taper and volume of black alder trees grown in naturally regenerated, plantation, and coppice stands. Statistically significant differences were observed in taper and volume of black alder trees grown in stands from these three origins. Error in total stem volume inside bark was the greatest when the taper model was fitted to plantation data and applied to seed data compared with the model fitted to coppice data and applied to seed data. Therefore, to accurately predict upper stem diameter and total or merchantable stem volume, in addition to selecting species-specific taper models, forest managers should consider the origin of the model-fitting data when choosing an appropriate taper model for their stands.

Background Natural afforestation of former agricultural lands with alder species is common in Europe. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by actinomycetes associated with alder species has been widely used for improvement of soil properties of abandoned agricultural lands, but relatively little is known of the interactions of these processes with soil type and chemical composition. We conducted a space-for time study with soil sampling under and outside grey alder tree canopies on two different soil groups to explore effects of colonisation of former agricultural lands by alder on soil properties. Results The results were analysed using analysis of variance. During the first 25 years after afforestation of former agricultural lands there was a significant increase in content of Ctot, Ntot, K+, Fe3+, Mn2+ and available P in the topsoil (0–10 cm and 11–20 cm) of Dystric Arenosols soils, which are deficient in organic matter. Such trends were not evident in organic matter rich Endostagnic Umbrisols soils, in which exchangeable K+ concentration decreased and exchangeable Fe3+ and Al3+ concentration increased. Conclusions The results show that the effects of grey alder on soil chemical properties depend on initial soil properties. The invasion of agricultural land by grey alder leads to spatial variability of soil chemical properties creating a mosaic pattern.

Dünya nüfusunda meydana gelen artışa bağlı olarak orman ürünlerinin kullanımı yaygınlaşmıştır. Ancak, artan orman ürünleri ihtiyacını ekosistemi tehlikeye sokmadan karşılamak dikkat edilmesi gereken en önemli husus olmaktadır. Bu bakımdan ormanlardan elde edilen ağaç malzemelerin kullanım sürelerinin arttırılması araştırmacıların ilgi duyduğu konular arasında yer almaktadır. Bu çalışma ile ülkemizde doğal olarak oldukça fazla yayılış alanı gösteren, Karadeniz bölgesinde bolca bulunmasına rağmen endüstriyel olarak bir değeri bulunmayan kızılağacın (Alnus glutinosa subsp. barbata) kullanım ömrünün arttırılarak endüstriyel alanlara kazandırılması hedeflenmiştir. Çalışmada referans ürün olarak endüstride sıklıkla kullanılan sarıçam (Pinus sylvestris L.) odunundan elde edilen emprenyeli kamelyalar kullanılmıştır. Tanalith E ve Celcure AC 500 ile emprenye edilmiş kızılağaç ve sarıçamdan hazırlanan kamelyalar dış ortam koşullarına maruz bırakılmıştır. Daha sonra örneklerin biyolojik dayanımı (Coniophora puteana ve Poria placenta) ve yıkanma mekanizması incelenmiştir. Çürüklük testi EN 113 standardına göre, yıkanma testi AWPA E11 standardına göre yapılmış, yıkanmış su örnekleri ICP-MS cihazı ile bakır analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre çürüklük testinde emprenyeli ağaç malzemenin ağırlık kaybı kontrol gruplarına göre çok daha düşük oranda tespit edilmiştir. Bununla birlikte, en düşük yıkanma ve bakır oranları ise sarıçam odunu esaslı kamelya örneklerinde belirlenmiştir., Due to the increase in the world population, the use of forest products has become widespread. However, providing the increasing need for forest products without endangering the ecosystem will be the most important issue to be considered. In this respect, increasing the use of wood materials obtained from forests is among the subjects of interest of researchers. In this study, it is aimed to bring alder (Alnus glutinosa subsp. barbata), which both has a wide distribution area in our country and is abundant in the Black Sea region but has no industrial value, to industrial areas by increasing its useful life.. Impregnated camellias obtained from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood, which is frequently used in industry, were used as reference product. Camellias prepared from alder and yellow pine impregnated with Tanalith E and Celcure AC 500 were exposed to the external environment.Then, the biological strength of the samples (Coniophora puteana and Poria placenta) and washing mechanism were investigated. The rot test was carried out according to the EN 113 standard, the washing test was carried out according to the AWPA E11 standard and washed water samples were subjected to copper analysis with ICP-MS device. According to the results obtained, the weight loss of the impregnated wood material in the rot test was much lower than the control groups. Nevertheless, the lowest washing and copper rates were obtained from Scotch pine wood based camellia samples.

Two alder species (Alnus glutinosa and A. incana) have overlapping distribution, naturally occur in Lithuania, and are considered ecologically and economically important forest tree species. The objective of our study was to estimate the likelihood of spontaneous hybridizations between native alders in natural stands of Lithuania based on leaf morphology and nuclear microsatellite markers. The sampled trees were assigned to the three taxonomic groups of A. glutinosa, A. incana, and potential hybrids based on the leaf and bark morphological traits. The genetic differentiation and potential hybridization between these three groups was tested based on 15 nSSR markers. We identified studied Alnus spp. individuals as pure species and hybrids. Two microsatellite loci were reported as discriminating well between these species. We concluded that our results showed the highest likelihood of two genetic group structures, a clear genetic differentiation between the morphology-based groups of A. glutinosa and A. incana, and rather variable likelihood values in the putative hybrid group. The results provide important implications for genetic conservation and management of Alnus spp.

Wild pear (Pyrus pyraster (L.) Burgsd.) (P) and wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz) (S) are sporadic European tree species that are valued for their high-quality timber production. Although mixed plantations including companion species enhance timber quality of several trees, the performance of the association of P and S is not well known. The objective of this study was to assess growth and survival of P and S in pure plantations and in plantations mixed with other companion tree or shrub species in a non-native habitat. To answer the question of whether growth of these species is enhanced by mixtures, specific combinations of the main and companion species were established in central Chile and monitored for a 12-year period after planting. Besides each main species monoculture, five mixtures were tested: Mix1: P+S; Mix2: P+S+ the N-fixing tree Italian alder (Alnus cordata (Loisel.) Duby); and three associations of P and S including shrubs (Mix3: P+S+ Corylus avellana L., Mix4: P+S+ Sambucus ebulus L., and Mix5: P+S+ Sambucus nigra L.). Both P and S presented the highest height growth in Mix2, being 48.6% and 53.4% higher than in the monoculture, respectively. DBH growth was also enhanced in Mix2 for S. Wild service tree, which showed lower growth and survival than P, was more benefited from the mixture including Italian alder than P. Height growth, vigor and survival of the main species were highest in Mix2, even higher than in pure plantations and in Mix1 without companion species. Specific tree associations might increase the probability to obtain high-quality timber of noble species if a timely and adequate management of companion species is provided.

The radial growth of the trunks of the following flora species which do not have special protection on the southern hillsides of Greater Caucasus was studied in the article: Georgioan oak- Quercus iberica M.Bieb Common hornbeam - Caprinus betulus L. Common chestnut - Castanea sativa Mill. Black walnut - Juglans nigra L., Heart leaved alder - Alnus subcordata C.A.Mey. During the dendrochronological analyses, the dynamics of growth over the years were analysed based on the distances between the tree rings. The impact of the climatic factors on the growth of the trees was analysed and the ages of tree species were investigated. Based on the dendrochronological historical application, according to the numbers of tree rings, the ages of the trees were defined in the studied species. According to the numbers of tree rings, the oldest type of the rare and scanty flora types which have no special protection was identified as Caprinus betulus L. in the Zagatala region. The tree was taken from Zagatala district, planted in 1944, was 75 years old and had 330 cm diameter. The observation of dendrochronological researches indicates the formation of a new microclimate. It was observed that in the investigated species, radial growth was more intense during matureness, then it was weakened with age. In the comparative analysis, it was observed that the minimum radial growth was in 2010 and 2015, and the maximum growth was between 1973 and 1985 in the Zagatala region

The economic activities of the Klesiv State Forestry Enterprise are guided by the theoretical foundations of the integrated use of natural resources, which are concentrated on the territory of the forest fund. Forest ecosystems are a source of wood and non-forest forest resources, a factor forest soil protector against erosion and a climate-regulating. At the same time, amber is being mined on the territory of forestry enterprise. Such an intervention in the forest ecosystem will be reflected subsequently at the wood stock structure, and the process of its accumulation by trees. The aim of the study is to update the forest biometry indicators of pine stands in the forest fund forestry areas, which are characterized by the composition and structure that were destroyed as a result of amber mining and further analysis of the structure of wood stock. The object of the study is pure and mixed pine stands on lands that are not disturbed by amber mining, in humid “subir” in the forest fund of the Klesiv State Forestry Enterprise. The subject of the study is the stock structure of the mentioned object. Due to the active extraction of amber, not only the structure of stands, but also soil conditions, soil moisture and other components (forest plants, hydrological conditions, terrain) are significantly disturbed. The extraction of minerals by using of powerful water pumps leads to a significant disturbance of the terrain, the formation of significant abysses, intra-soil voids, which creates significant threats for forestry activities. Primary information about the object was obtained by the method of enumeration biometry. Structural analysis uses data on the distribution of the number of trees of a forest element beyond the thickness steps and size and quality categories as well as measured in three to five height trees for each thickness step. An inventory of the territory of the forest fund of the enterprise revealed seventeen sections identical for the composition and structure of stands destroyed by the amber mining. The middle-aged and ripe pine stands are clean or with a small admixture (up to 1-3 units) of birch, oak, aspen and alder. Pine stands are characterized by significant fluctuations in the index of bonitet class (from IV to Ic) and relative completeness (from 0.2 to 0.7). The stock within the forest element is divided into ten equal parts. The variability of a part of the stock of common pine, distributed beyond equal parts, is established. It was revealed that there are five types of pine stock distribution beyond equal parts of the stand. The type of distribution of the part of the pine stock is determined by the tree species, age group and t index of trunk diameter variation. The difference in the part of the stock between groups of objects for the tenth equal part is 10-12%, for the ninth - 4%, for other structural components - 1-3%. Structural analysis confirms the importance of silvicultural activities (timely felling, the intensity of tree sampling, the method of selecting trees for felling) on the distribution of pine stocks over equal parts of the forest stand. The amber mining in forest areas is an additional negative factor that must be taken into account when restoring forest stands, and developing a felling system for the formation and rehabilitation of stands in areas after the amber mining. An important task in the reproduction of highly productive stands in areas after amber extraction is to ensure the proper stands composition, timely cutting care in order to preserve the characteristic climatic impurities and timely removal from the plantations of birch trees hanging in the bush.

Riparian ecosystems provide critical habitat and functions while being some of the most productive areas in forests. Both conifers and hardwoods contribute to maintenance of habitat and function. To determine the impact of water stress on growth of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla [Raf.] Sarg.), we installed Nelder type 1a combined with replacement series plots on three Oregon Coast Range sites. Densities ranged from 988 to 85,400 trees/hectare, with ratios (hemlock:alder) of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100. In the first 4 years after planting, alder used water in the growing season at greater depths earlier than western hemlock. Higher densities resulted in greater water stress later in the growing season in weeded areas (maintained by herbicide applications), but stress was similar across densities in unweeded areas. Water stress at early ages was correlated with decreased size 14 or 24 years after planting for both species, but these correlations were confounded with other effects of density. Increasing water availability in areas with low summer precipitation could enhance growth of red alder and western hemlock, even in highly productive riparian areas.

Orientation of leaves in a mature hemiboreal mixed broadleaf stand (the Jarvselja RAMI birch stand) was measured using the high-density point cloud of terrestrial laser scanner hits. Leaf normal distribution in the upper part of crowns of tall aspen and birch trees is almost spherical, and slightly planophile in the lower part of crowns. Leaves of alder trees are rather planophile in the upper part of crowns, and strongly planophile in the lower part of crowns. Lime and maple trees form the lower layer of trees in the stand. Their crowns are mainly in shade, and therefore, their leaf orientation is strongly planophile throughout the whole crown. Parameters of beta distribution and elliptical distribution are provided for the approximation of empirical distributions. The acquired information about leaf orientation can improve performance assessment of radiative transfer models.

Although air pollution at the Central European “Black Triangle” sites has decreased since the 1990s, its legacy has persisted. Unlike the dominating Norway spruce that was planted again in order to restore forest cover, deciduous broadleaves were expected to improve soil. The objective of the study was to compare effect of N-fixing green alder on forest floor and soil properties compared to Norway spruce of comparable age. Forest floor layers [diagnostic horizons: litter (OL), fermentation (OF) and humified (OH)] and topsoil (A) were sampled in three replicates where green alder (GA), Norway spruce (NS), and mixture (GA + NS) were growing. Upper (OL, OF) horizons were affected positively where green alders were present and effect on OH and A horizons was weaker. Properties of GA + NS were in general intermediate to GA and NS. The improvement in soil was manifested by higher nutrient pools of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in both OL and OF; more dry matter, organic carbon and higher cation exchange capacity were shown in OF and lower acidity in all analyzed horizons. Lower P concentrations were found in GA, nevertheless with no effect on P-pools. Forest floor and topsoil conditions confirmed green alder’s capability for improving chemistry of the formerly polluted mountain soil.

Simulations of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks under climate change are partly subject to uncertainties deriving from the Global Climate Models (GCMs) used for weather projections of future climates. For this reason, SOC simulations are generally performed with a set of GCMs to avoid misleading results. SOC stocks were measured in different land covers in a forest area of Northern Iran (maple, alder, oak, cypress and a mixed natural forest), and the model RothC was used to predict SOC changes under climate change scenarios. We studied the effects on SOC stock changes deriving from an ensemble of nine GCMs and two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), projected on four future periods (FPs) of 20 years between 2020 and 2099. The frequency analysis of SOC stock changes indicated a different effect of the GCMs/RCPs ensemble in the four future periods, with patterns showing more evident nonlinear probabilities of SOC changes in the 2030s and 2050s compared to the almost linear probabilities in the remaining future periods. This would imply that the effect of the GCMs/RCPs ensemble is more important in very close and intermediate future scenarios (the 2030s and 2050s) compared to fully realized climate change scenarios (the 2070s and 2090s). Results indicated the need to provide assistance in the management strategies in the reforestation sector in close and intermediate climate change scenarios. In fact, maple and quercus plantations had the highest probability of cumulated SOC change proving more sensitive to climate change. Conversely, cypress and alder plantations could limit the decrease of SOC stocks representing a good option for GHG mitigation in close and intermediate climate change scenarios and should be preferred in the afforestation of the degraded natural forest, and in mixed plantation systems within maple and oak stands.

Application of mulch on compacted soil is a common engineering measure to suppress runoff and soil loss during ground-based mechanized forest operations. Despite the expanded use, efficacy of these rehabilitation treatments on soil quality as well as seedling survival and growth rate are crucial issues that require further attention. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of two soil amendment techniques including straw (1.27 kg m−2) and litter (1.67 kg m−2) mulch on soil properties and growth properties of Caucasian alder. Three treatments: straw mulch (SM), litter mulch (LM) and untreated trail (U) were applied on newly established machine operating trails subjected to low, medium, and high machine traffic intensity classes and compared to the undisturbed area (i.e., control; UND). Approximately 22 months after ground-based machine traffic and mulching application, seeds of Caucasian alder were sown in each treatment and in the undisturbed area and further extracted after the first growing season to assess their growth rates. Three years after applying mulch on the compacted soil, recovery values of soil physical and chemical properties (with the exception of soil C/N ratio) in all traffic intensities were significantly higher in LM than SM, compared to U treatment. Nevertheless, recovery values of soil physical and chemical properties were still higher than values in UND area over a 3-year period. All the measured growth and biomass responses of Caucasian alder seedlings changed significantly with increasing traffic intensities (all P ≤ 0.05). Significantly higher seed germination percentage was recorded in LM with low traffic intensity (54%). Significantly higher seedling stem height (17.3 cm), main root length (23.6 cm), seedling total (7.68 g), shoot (2.87 g), and root dry (4.81 g) biomass were observed in the UND area followed by LM with low traffic ≈ LM with medium traffic treatments, whereas the lowest values of seedling size and biomass were detected on U with low, medium, and high traffic intensities. Seedling root mass ratio (RMR; 61%) and root to shoot ratio (R/S; 1.89) were greatest in the UND area, while the RMR (40%) and R/S (0.86) were least in the U plots with high traffic intensity. We can conclude that the highest seedling growth, biomass, and allocation ratios and favorable soil physical, chemical, and bio-chemical properties can be attributed to UND, LM with low and medium traffic, and SM with low traffic treatments.

Information about nutrient dynamics is of upmost importance in order to contribute to the restoration of degraded forest environments in the Andes of southern Ecuador. This study aims to investigate the differences of nutrient dynamics between a native alder (Alnus acuminata) and an exotic pine (Pinus patula) tree species in this region. Based on litterfall, forest floor and mineral topsoil (0–20 cm) of two pine and two alder plantations, we studied the litterfall production and its seasonality; temporal variations of nutrient concentrations, stoichiometric ratios and potential nutrient return (PNR) of leaf-litterfall; mean residence times (MRT) of nutrients in the forest floor; and assessed soil biogeochemical properties. Our results showed that total litterfall production in pine was twice as high as in alder. Litterfall biomass seasonality was similar for both species and highly associated to periods with less precipitation. Pine exhibited the highest seasonality of nutrient concentrations and stoichiometric ratios. PNR of N, K, Ca, and Mn exhibited the major differences between the species. The annual PNR of N and Ca were higher in alder, while those of K and Mn were higher in pine. Pine exhibited higher MRT values for C, N, P, S, Cu, and Zn, while alder showed the higher for Mg, K, Mn, and Ca. In soils, alder exhibited higher concentrations and stocks of nutrients, but not for C. Although, the soil microbial biomass was similar under both species, microbial activity was different. C and net N mineralization were higher in alder, and nitrification dominated over ammonification processes. In general, our findings show a faster cycling of nutrients in alder than in pine.

The objective of the study was to examine changes in microbial parameters have been used to monitor changes in soil quality under different land uses in north of Iran. The microbial parameters included microbial respiration (MR), substrate induced respiration (SIR), carbon availability index (CAI), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), ratio of MBC/MBN, metabolic quotient (qCO2) and microbial ratio were determined under different land use/cover, i.e. virgin natural forest (VNF), degraded natural forest (DNF), alder plantation (AP), sequoia plantation (SP), improved fallow (IF) and home garden (HG) areas in northern Iran. Five composed samples per land use/cover were taken from the top 10 cm of the soil. MR and SIR (0.45 and 1.66 mg CO2-C g−1 day−1, respectively) were found to be significantly higher under AP land uses than in the other areas. CAI did not differ for the land uses; MBC (591 and 590 mg kg−1, respectively) had higher significantly under SP and VNF land uses than in the other areas. MBN (64.25 and 62.33, respectively mg kg−1) was significantly higher in AP and VNF land uses, ratio of MBC/MBN (17.02) was higher in SP land use than other areas, HG had significantly higher qCO2 (0.0012 μg CO2-C mg−1 MBC day−1) and finally microbial ratio was significantly higher under IF (599.16) in comparison with HG > AP ≈ DNF > VNF > SP areas. Overall, our results indicate that AP land use (Alnus subcordata C. A. Mey.) increase of soil quality and alder plantation is suitable for rehabilitation of degraded natural forests.

The radical scavenging activity and the content of proanthocyanidins, tannins, flavonoids, and total phenolic compounds in water extracts from whole bark and outer bark of alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), oak (Quercus robur L.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees growing in the coastal and continental zones in Kaliningrad region (Russia) were evaluated. The content of proanthocyanidins was highest in extracts from whole alder bark collected in continental zone (3.8 ± 1.2 mg g−1), which was 34–38 times more than in outer part. No significant difference in tannin content in alder and oak bark extracts was revealed. Pine bark samples had less tannins. The whole alder bark showed higher content of flavonoids (9.7–21.5 mg g−1), compared to oak bark (7.2–8.4 mg g−1) and, in particular, pine bark (2.1–5.2 mg g−1). The maximal total phenolic content was found in whole alder bark from continental zone (29.0 ± 5.3 mg g−1). High content of phenolic compounds was determined in whole oak bark (about 18.1 ± 3.5 mg g−1). All investigated species showed approximately 1.3–2.5 times lower total phenolic content in outer bark in comparison to whole bark. Maximal radical scavenging activity of alder extracts (up to 276 ± 29 mg g−1) and minimal of pine extracts (up to 23.8 ± 4.0 mg g−1) was established. A higher level of radical scavenging activity for all samples from continental zone in comparison to samples from coastal zone was revealed. Based on the results of a cluster analysis, it was first demonstrated that the phenolic compounds content and radical scavenging of bark extracts are influenced by a complex of factors, such as tree species, part of the bark and the place of growth. The results of this study proved that whole bark of alder may be considered as a valuable source of phenolic compounds with radical scavenging properties.

Artificial limitation of the living space of the population functioning in the conditions of semi-free maintenance of animals certainly causes a threat to the forest stand ecosystem integrity with subsequent processes of their degradation within the sanctuary boundaries. The basis for performing the forest taxation analysis of tree stands in the sanctuaries is the sub-compartment valuation descriptions of forest enterprises of Rivne and Volyn Regional Departments of Forestry and Hunting. There are 24 enclosures with the total area of ​​1524.1 ha in the territory of Western Polissya. The forest fund is found to occupy 1272.7 ha and field land – 251.4 ha respectively. The sanctuaries are characterized by 21 forest types. They are considered to be as follows: 5 in pine forest conditions, 5 in mixed coniferous forest conditions, and 11 in mixed broadleaved forest conditions. The most common forest types in Western Polissya are С4Влч (303.6 ha), В3ДС (245.5 ha) and С3ГДС (159.4 hectares). Mixed stands prevail covering the area of 396.2 ha (35.0 %) with predominance of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and birch (Betula pendula Roth.). They are represented by 16 types of forest. С3ГДС (188.8 ha), С4Влч (66.9 ha) and В3ДС (60.8 ha) occupy the largest area. Middle-aged stands dominate (174.3 ha) in mixed forest. Their growing stock is 0.70. Site index of tree stands are mainly Іа (61.3 ha), I (168.1 ha), and II (117.7 ha). Pine stands occupy the largest area among pure stands – 359.3 hectares (31.7 %). The area of ​​pure alder and birch stands is respectively 255.7 hectares (22.6 %) and 113.3 ha (10.0 %). Maturing stands dominate among pine forest stands. Their area is 138.6 ha, where there are 57.7 ha of artificial origin stands. Average growing stock is 0.71. The area of ​​the stands of Іа and I site indexes is 258.7 has (72.0 %). Pure alder stands are represented by 4 forest types, where С4Влч (235.6 ha) dominates. Middle-aged stands dominate according to the age structure – 172.0 ha (67.3 %). The growing stock of alder stands is 0.73. Tree stands grow in the Іа – V classes of site index. Middle-aged stands in the sanctuaries generally dominate in the region of research. Their area is 463.0 ha (40.9 %). The stands mostly grow by I (514.9 ha), Іа (167.4 ha), and II (334.0 ha) of site index. Forest taxation indicators of tree stands are to become the key factors in designing sanctuaries that will enable elaborating recommendations on the non-exhausting maintenance of sanctuaries in hunting farms in forests.

Grey alder (Alnus incana) is a highly productive indigenous tree species, potential for short-rotation forestry in the Baltic and Nordic countries. The aim of the study was to investigate t...

Aim of study: Evaluating the variability of physical and chemical soil properties under different soil uses in an experimental farmland of the southwestern Colombian Andes.Area of study: This research was conducted at the Botana Experimental Farm in the mountainous area of Nariño, at the south-western Colombia.Material and methods: nine soil variables were measured under six soil uses which included traditional agriculture, agroforestry systems, and a 67-year-old secondary forest that was used as a reference for comparisons with other soil uses. Data was analyzed through Principal Component Analysis and Duncan’s tests.Main results: organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, clay contents and base saturation were the variables with higher variability among soil uses. The secondary forest and an agroforestry system with alley-cropped wax laurel showed the best soil conditions, whilst pastures and monoculture potato crop plots showed the least desirable conditions for all variables.Research highlights: We found that soils under alley-crop with wax laurel presented the characteristics most similar to the secondary forest. Conversely, soils under alley-crop with alder resembled the soils under intensive management (pasture and potato monocrop); which is related to the inadequate management of this agroforestry systems, provoking that the woody component does not accomplish its goal when implemented.Keywords: soil; agroforestry systems; Andes; forest.Abbreviations used: ACAL, Alley cropping of Alder Trees, ACWL; Alley cropping of Wax Laurel; AFS, agroforestry systems; AWC, available water capacity; BD, Bulk Density; BS, Base saturation; CEC, Cation Exchange Capacity; CLA, Clay; CI, Confidence Intervals, INF, Infiltration; ANOVA, Analysis of Variance; OC, Soil Organic Carbon; PAST, Pasture; PCA, Principal Component Analysis; PC, Principal Component; POCR, Potato Crop; POR, Soil Porosity; SCAL, Scattered Alder Trees; SEFO, Secondary Forest; SU, soil uses; AU, Animal unit.

Practical methods for tree species identification are important for both land management and scientific inquiry. LiDAR has been widely used for species mapping due to its ability to characterize 3D structure, but in structurally complex Pacific Northwest forests, additional research is needed. To address this need and to determine the feasibility of species modeling in such forests, we compared six approaches using five algorithms available in R’s lidR package and Trimble’s eCognition software to determine which approach most consistently identified individual trees across a heterogenous riparian landscape. We then classified segments into Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa), and red alder (Alnus rubra). Classification accuracies based on the best-performing segmentation method were 91%, 92%, and 84%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate tree species modeling from LiDAR in a natural Pacific Northwest forest, and the first to model Pacific Northwest species at the landscape scale. Our results suggest that LiDAR alone may provide enough information on tree species to be useful to land managers in limited applications, even under structurally challenging conditions. With slight changes to the modeling approach, even higher accuracies may be possible.