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ŠUMARSKI LIST 13/2005 str. 67     <-- 67 -->        PDF

PRESENTATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
Šumarski list - SUPLEMENT (2005), 61-68


THE STRUCTURE OF THE FOREST STAND WITH A SOIL CONSERVATION
FUNCTION IN THE LOCALITY PUSTY HRAD - ZVOLEN


Karol GUBKA*


SUMMARY: The Forest Land surface of the Slovak Republic is 2,008,000
ha. The forests cover an area of 1,929,000 ha, 12,7 % of which fulfill a priority
soil conservation and erosion control function (Green Report 2003). Forest
stands with this function occur in all vertical forest vegetation zones.


The locality Fusty hrad is an important component at the boundary between
the intravilan and the extravilan of the town Zvolen. It is a dominant feature
of its southwestern part. The archaeological findings confirm that the
area at the confluence of the rivers Hron and Slatina were settled already in
the Stone Age. The strategic trading and defense role ensured Zvolen a long-
term perspective.


Recently, Fusty hrad has become a place of archaeological research and a
tourist destination. The forests of the compartment 186 crossed by a tourist
path fulfill erosion-control function. Below the slope with the inclination of 40
to 100 %, there are important motor and rail communications, powerline,
concreting plant, housing estate and confluence of two rivers. Spontaneous
erosion or soil slide could lead to enormous economic damages.


The structure of the forest stand in the investigated locality is very differentiated
concerning tree species composition in relation to altitude. From the
phytosociological viewpoint, we found an important inversion of forest type
groups: at higher elevations, there are communities of the second forest vegetation
zone and at lower altitudes, there are forests of the third vegetation zone.
This is reflected in the tree species representation. In the higher locations
(approx. over 450 m), sessile oak is predominating (Quercus petraea,) in the
upper tree layer with lime (Tilia cordataj and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus^
in the lower layer. With a horizontal canopy closure of approx. 85% and herb
cover of 80%, natural regeneration, mainly seedling recruitment from natural
seeding is very difficult. At lower elevations tree community is more diverse. In
addition to the mentioned tree species, we recorded also the occurrence of maples
(Acer campestre, Acer platanoidesA wild cherry fCerasus avium,) and other
species. Many individuals were of sprout origin. The ecosystem in this part
becomes a one-layer vertically undifferentiated forest stand. Natural regeneration,
mainly that of maples, is very spontaneous. Due to a strong shading,
natural seeding survives only a short time and is not capable to form a second
layer. The ground vegetation does not hamper natural generative regeneration,
since an approx. 30 % cover can not negatively affect the process of tree
regeneration. During a ten-year period, a remarkable decline of individuals in
the lower layer occurred, whereby relatively share of canopy trees increased.


*
Doc. Ing. Karol Gubka CSc, TU Zvolen, Katedra pestovania
lesa, Masarykova 24, 96053 Zvolen, Slovakia