DIGITALNA ARHIVA ŠUMARSKOG LISTA
prilagođeno pretraživanje po punom tekstu




ŠUMARSKI LIST 7-8/2020 str. 37     <-- 37 -->        PDF

Response of black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) to selective thinning of various intensities: a half-century study in northeastern Slovenia
Odziv crne johe (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) na različite intenzitete selektivne prorjede: pedesetgodišnja istraživanja u sjeveroistočnoj Sloveniji
Simon Lendvai, Jurij Diaci, Dušan Roženbergar
Summary
Pure black alder stands are specific and require adapted silvicultural models. To determine the best intensity of selective thinning in such stands, research plots were established in Polanski Log in 1967. Three thinning intensities were selected: control, moderate and high. These stands are presently in a mature phase. In 1967, 1973, 1979, 1983, 1993, 1998 and 2018 diameter at breast height was measured and social status, vitality, tendency, silvicultural role, crown length and overall quality were estimated. The differences in black alder responses to thinning intensities were analysed and the results were compared with recommendations for selective high thinning and newer crop tree situational thinning models. Diameter increments were lower than expected regardless of thinning intensity. In moderately thinned plots and control plots diameter increment was the same (0.33 cm/year); high intensity thinning plots showed higher increment (0.37 cm/year). Dominant trees had slightly higher increment regardless of thinning model. Compared to thinning models with a lower number of crop trees, density and basal area of studied stands were significantly higher and diameter increments lower. We attribute the small diameter increments and small differences among thinning models to insufficient intensity and partially to inconsistent thinning. The results indicate that thinning must be of higher intensity and the largest-diameter trees which display the best vigour, quality, tendency, and which have well formed, long crowns, must be promoted from the beginning.
Key words:: black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), thinning, diameter increment, traditional selection model, situational thinning model
INTRODUCTION
UVOD
In central Europe the selective thinning is a widespread practice for tending young and mature forest stands. With it, crop trees in regular spacing across the whole stand are favoured with removal of competing inferior trees. The density of crop tree decreases with age and their grid may adapt with each new entry (Schädelin, 1934). Conventional black alder thinning models were based on long rotations, sometimes longer than 100 years, which accelerated root rot formation (Claessens et al., 2010). Authors of