Projects / Programmes
The design of monitoring of the conservation status of minor Natura 2000 forest habitat types in Slovenia
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 4.01.01 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Forestry, wood and paper technology |
Forest - forestry |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B430 |
Biomedical sciences |
Sylviculture, forestry, forestry technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
forest, Natura 2000, minor habitat types, mapping, factor of endangerment, monitoring
Researchers (11)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
In Slovenia forest is prevailing type of vegetation (60%) and among forests beech forests are predominant (75 %). There is only small amount of sites (habitats) under timberline that beech cannot conquer or as characteristic species has major influence on ecosystem. Ecological parameters that prevent the dominance of beech are soil conditions (hydromorphic or very shallow and dry soils, unstable colluvial deluvial soils), high cover of stones or rocks, cold climate with short vegetation period. In such cases beech is replaced by other tree species. In (Central) European conditions sites with such characteristics are usually not distributed on large surfaces, therefore are treated as minor habitats that we want to protect and conserve. In Slovenia this is especially valid for sites of noble hardwood in ravines, depressions and gravelly bases of slopes that are dispersed on small surfaces within the belt of beech and hornbeam forests. Slightly more evident are natural sites of Black and (or) Scots Pine on steep sunny or shady dolomite rocks in Alps, Prealpine and Dinaric mountains. They are preserved only on most extreme sites, everywhere else they are replaced in the succession by the beech. Areas of flooded forests are due to anthropogenic influences into the watercourses (regulations, dams, melioration, gravel digging) significantly reduced and are still under threat of new reductions. Bog woodlands are mainly protected but extremely vulnerable to changes in the environment. Alpine larch forests have been only recently recognized as separate forest community.
We considerably researched these minor habitat types during our studies in the last years. Larch alpine forests, hardwood noble forests, bog woodlands and riparian willow, alder and ash forests were studied in detail, described popular-technically described and phytosociologically researched. Vegetation research of Black and Scots Pine communities will be upgraded by popular-technical elaboration within this project. Experience with detailed mapping of selected habitat types was gained with research of larch forests and pilot study was already done for one of the fourteen forest management areas (Tolmin) for noble hardwood and riparian forests.
Within the project we will describe site characteristics, species composition, structure and function of selected habitat types (9180* Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines, 91D0* Bog woodlands, 91E0* Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae), 91R0 Dinaric dolomite Scots pine forests (Genisto januensis-Pinetum), 9530* (Sub-) Mediterranean pine forests with endemic black pines, 9420 Alpine Larix decidua and/or Pinus cembra forests). For minor habitat types we will produce distribution maps. For each habitat type we will make a selection of indicators for monitoring and proposal of surfaces and plots to be included in the monitoring. For each habitat type we will provide list of threats and pressures and make suggestions of measures for conservation or improvement of conservation status of habitat types.
For the achieving the objectives of the project we will integrate several databases of involved institutions (vegetation plots, maps, data from various monitoring) and also collaborate with Slovenia forest service and The Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation.
Results of the project will enable setting up of monitoring of forest habitat types and reporting of Slovenia according to Article 17 of Habitat directive about conservation status of habitat types to EU.
Significance for science
Rezultati projekta bodo neposredno vplivali na razvoj znanosti in stroke.
K razvoju vegetacijske znanosti bodo doprinesli rezultati novega poznavanja ekologije in razširjenosti obravnavanih gozdnih združb.
Za razvoj stroke bo pomemben predvsem novo zasnovani monitoring gozdnih habitatnih tipov, ki bo neposredno prilagojen poročanju Slovenije Evropski komisiji. Do zdaj je država poročala na podlagi ekspertnih mnenj, z zasnovo monitoringa pa bo poročanje temeljilo na kvantificiranih podatkih. Ker v Evropski skupnosti ni enotno predpisanega monitoringa, ga bomo lahko prilagodili našim razmeram, po drugi starni pa bo lahko uporaben tudi za nove članice s podobnimi habitatnimi tipi in ekološkimi razmerami (severozahodni Balkan).
Izkušnje pri razvoju kazalnikov bodo uporabne tudi za podoben razvoj kazalnikov monitoringa negozdnih habitatnih tipov, ki jih mora Slovenija tudi še pridobiti.
Significance for the country
Gozdovi plemenitih listavcev so gospodarsko vredni in natančno poznavanje njihovih rastišč in ekologije lahko pripomore k podrobnejšemu in učinkovitejšemu trajnostnemu načrtovanju in gospodarjenju na gozdnih površinah, kjer se njihove združbe pojavljajo, s ciljem čim večje vrednostne proizvodnje ob ohranjanju ravnovesja v ekosistemih.
Obrečni gozdovi so pogosto »žrtev« energetskih interesov in del konfliktov ob gradnji hidroelektrarn. Njihove natančno poznane površine bodo v pomoč pri presoji vplivov na okolje in tehtanju o bodočih hidroelektrarnah.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2015,
2016,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2015,
2016,
final report
