Beskydy 2013, 6, 9-16
The development of tree species composition of the species-rich natural forest during the last 33 years
The presented study is aimed on the analysis of inventory data from the old-growth mixed forest of National Nature Reserve (NNR) Sitno. A special attention was paid to the temporal variation of the tree species composition. Study analyzes data acquired in the decadal periodic inventory campaigns during the last 33 years. Analysis of dynamic changes in portion of partial tree species in NNR Sitno revealed the significant continuous decrease of oak trees during analyzed period. Evaluation of temporal changes showed the significant decrease of oaks regarding the number of trees thicker than 8 cm (8 %) as well as the volume of large wood (11 %). On the other hand, the European beech is achieving the dominant position within the upper tree layer on the behalf of oaks and other tree species. Inventory revealed slight decrease of beech in term number of tree individuals that is connected with significant increase of the large wood volume. We recorded the increasing abundance of maples (Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides) and common ash in the natural regeneration.
Keywords
natural forest, oak decline, NNR Sitno, stand structure, inventory.
