In the next decade we want to increase use of renewable forest resources, while also achieving environmental and social objectives of forest management. In addition, forest management will be influenced by environmental change: environmental pollution, invasive organisms, changing land use and climate. In these difficult conditions silviculture has to improve tending strategies and thus significantly contribute to the success of multipurpose forest management. The purpose of this contribution is to highlight the principal silvicultural problems in Slovenia and stimulate developmental thinking. In the first part we present the achievements and problems of silviculture in the past decade and the strategic directions for the future. The second part highlights most important research topics in the field of silviculture in Slovenia and Central Europe, and suggests policies to promote developmentoriented silviculture.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3190694
Assumption that forest reproductive material is better adapted to local conditions is the basis of current forest policy that promotes the use of local material. Genetic diversity and structure of two approved seed stands and three nonapproved stands of Fraxinus excelsior L. were analysed with nuclear microsatellites to get genetically based support for the use of its reproductive material in Slovenia. Genetic diversity was high (HE = 0.80) and diff erentiation between populations measured as FST (FST = 0.018) low to nonexistent when measured with genetic distances. Calculated allelic indices for seed stands were the same or a bit above the Slovenian average with two exceptions. Based on the analysis of fi ve microsatellite loci, no restrictions for transferring forest reproductive material within the studied range can be presented. However, collection of forest reproductive material from seed stand Rodik should follow good seed collection practices to ensure high genetic diversity of reproductive material.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3405990
Beech is a climax species, so we have to take into account at least some of its basic ecological characteristics, when designing regeneration strategies: 1) irregularity and unpredictability of beech crop years, 2) beech pollen in stand extends mostly to distances up to 100 m, 3) the distance of fallen seeds generally does not exceed a distance of 20 m from the parent tree, 4) beech regeneration is sensitive to frost, drought, browsing and competition from herb layer, 5) shadetolerant beech is a species that achieves the best stem quality at higher densities and in moderately open stands, and this greatly reduces the possibility of admixture of light demanding species.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3529126
Green alder is an important species in the process of overgrowing of abandoned agricultural land. This paper provides phytosociological tables that describe scrub and forest communities with Alnus viridis in the Slovenian Alps. We described three new associations: Rhododendro hirsuti-Alnetum viridis (a green alder community on calcareous bedrock in the Eastern and Southeastern Alps), Huperzio selagi-Alnetum viridis (a green alder community in the silicate rocks under Mt. Komen in the eastern Savinja Alps) and Alno viridis-Sorbetum aucupariae (a successional stage of mountain ash and green alder on potential beech sites in the foothills of the southern Julian Alps; similar stages are known also elsewhere in the Alps), and presented additional three associations (Polysticho lonchitis-Fagetum, RhodothamnoLaricetum and Rhododendro hirsuti-Pinetum mugo) whose stands comprise green alder.
COBISS.SI-ID: 36547373
Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is regarded as a typical climax species susceptible to environmental change. We analyzed a protected silver fi r stand growing in an unusual combination of conditions: The stand is in secondary succession and is located at low elevation on limestone substr ate. Stand history was revealed by an old military map and stand structure, the radial growth of dominant trees, and tree regeneration were sampled. In addition, five characteristic relevés were taken according to the standard Braun-Blanquet method. The results confi rmed that the stand originated from secondary succession; however, fir vitality and dominance as well as stand structure, including regeneration, suggested long-lasting stadia of almost pure silver fi r (77 % of the growing stock). The growth pattern of dominant trees and large age variability of fir indicated that the stand did not originate from a completely open space. It is likely that fir gradually colonized the pioneer forest from neighboring stands. The stand was characterized by a high volume of live trees (773.6 m3ha–1) and a low share of dead trees (4.1 %) in the growing stock. The most similar associations in terms of floristic composition are a secondary association Asperulo-Carpinetum betuli M. Wraber 1969 and a hornbeam-fir association ( Abio albae-Carpinetum betuli Marinček 1994). This study shows that fi r can form almost pure stands during secondary succession of abandoned pastures on some sites and therefore expands the prevailing view that silver fir decline throughout human history has been due to anthropogenic influences. Due to the complex interactions between silver fir, its competitors, environmental factors, and human-induced disturbances, additional research is needed to support the conservative manage-ment of silver fir in decline.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3706534