Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Střeštík Author-Workplace-Name: Psáry, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Šamonil Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Ecological valence of expanding European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) Abstract: In 2002 a study focused on the evaluation of height and density of expanding natural regeneration of Fraxinus excelsior L. (FE) was carried out on Velká hora Hill, a locality in the Bohemian Karst (Český kras). The examined area is located in Karlštejn National Nature Reserve and takes up around 31 ha. The parent rock is limestone. The expansion depends on soil and exposition conditions and relates to the water balance gradient. FE reached the highest densities (up to 6,000 individuals/400 m2) on Velká hora's peak plateau on medium-deep, heavy-textured decarbonized soils. The lowest expansion (508 individuals/400 m2) was found on slopes fully exposed to south (S) with water retention capacity lower than 20 mm. In total, the average density was 1,190 individuals/400 m2. FE natural regeneration reached the highest average heights (around 210 cm) on Fageto-Quercetum illimerosum mesotrophicum, the smallest heights on Carpineto-Aceretum saxatile. Average height in the locality was 47 cm. No relation was found between FE natural regeneration height or density and the distance of a fertile specimen. The distance exceeded 70 m only in 3.4%. FE seeds could be detected almost everywhere at the area. FE is capable to establish itself on any location of the studied locality except ecologically extreme parts of rock steppe without forest and Fagus sylvatica L. stands occupying S slopes. On less favourable sites it is capable to use the protection of other tree species and as a low growing tree it can eventually dominate the site. In more favourable conditions it expands on the whole area, where it can dominate the undergrowth already at 1-m height. If the forest sites are left to natural development, a distinctive change in the tree species composition could take place in a short time period. Such a change could have an essential impact on light conditions, energy flux and species composition of plant and animal communities. Keywords: Bohemian Karst, European ash, expansion, oak, forest ecosystem classification Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 293-305 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/4511-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4511-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-200607-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:4511-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Ďurský Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry Faculty, Technical University Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Škvarenina Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry Faculty, Technical University Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Minďáš Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: A. Miková Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry Faculty, Technical University Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Title: Regional analysis of climate change impact on Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) growth in Slovak mountain forests Abstract: The paper presents the results of a regional analysis of climate change impacts on Norway spruce growth in the north-western part of Slovakia(Orava region). Radial increment was determined from nine X-tree sample plots established in the forests of natural character in the region. The analysis of PTT radial increment was done on tree disks cut from a height of 1.3 m by measurements of four perpendicular directions corresponding to the cardinal points. It was derived from the tree-ring width measured at breast height (1.3 m) while all the basic principles of tree-ring analyses were observed (transport and borehole treatment, measurements with digital positiometer to the nearest 0.01 mm, synchronisation of the tree-ring diagrams). A dendroclimatic model belongs to the category of empirical models based on the statistical evaluation of empirically derived dependences between the time series of tree-ring parameters and the monthly climatic characteristics. This statistical evaluation is based on a multiple linear regression model. Climatic models were used as basic tools for climatic change prediction. There is a scenario coming from the GCM category, which is derived from the models of Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis in Victoria (British Columbia, Canada), used for a solution of this task. It is the latest connected model from the second generation designated CCCM 2000. For the purpose of this study the area averages were modified for the meteorological station Oravská Polhora with the 1951-1980 reference period. The modification includes two climatic characteristics, total monthly precipitation and monthly temperature means. The frequency analysis indicates that 24.4% of trees would react to the assumed climatic change negatively, i.e. by decreasing the increment, and 75.6% of trees would react positively. Most of the reactions are moderately positive. It is to conclude that 14.6% of trees will react to a climatic change significantly in a negative way, the reactions of 34.1% trees are considered to be unchanged and 51.3% of trees should react to the assumed climatic change positively (P = 0.95). It results from the analysis of the climatic change impact that the highest effect on stands situated on the upper forest limit can be expected. Keywords: climate change impact, tree ring, radial increment, dendroclimatology, Norway spruce Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 306-315 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/4512-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4512-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-200607-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:4512-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Čermák Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Mazal Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: D. Palovčíková Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Jankovský Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Application of image analysis in plant pathology and forest protection Abstract: By means of computer-based image analysis it was possible to accelerate and automate a number of originally time-consuming activities in plant pathology and forest protection. In 1997-2005, image analysis was applied to the measuring of the size of colonies of fungi in vitro, feeding mark area, mass measuring of the size of spores and other microscopic objects, assessment of the progress of rot in a stem etc. The paper brings particular examples of the application of image analysis including methodical procedures and examples of research results obtained using Lucia G and Quick Photo Micro programs. Keywords: image analysis, methods, plant pathology, area of colonies, Lucia G, Quick Photo Micro Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 316-323 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/4513-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4513-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-200607-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:4513-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Kupka Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Recreational load as a driving variable for urban forests Abstract: Green areas and urban forests represent important factors of urbanized environment which attracts more and more attention of forest management and silviculture. Recreational load and its types are the most important driving variable for the management framework in which basic silvicultural methods should be applied. The problem of the required combination of natural and social limits is resolved by a matrix which takes into account forest ecosystem quality and recreation. The matrix defines 9 or 27 units (their number depends on the fact if we take into account the age of stand or not) for which basic management rules could be prepared. The basic rules concerning biological aspects are described in a general way in the article. Keywords: urban forests, recreation, silvicultural method, management in forests Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 324-328 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/4514-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4514-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-200607-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:4514-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Čermák Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Mrkva Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Effects of game on the condition and development of natural regeneration in the Vrapač National Nature Reserve (Litovelské Pomoraví) Abstract: In 2001-2005, the effects of game on the condition and development of natural regeneration of a floodplain forest were studied in three permanent transects in the Vrapač National Nature Reserve (NNR). Fraxinus excelsior, Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer campestre and Acer platanoides predominated in the regeneration. The species were markedly damaged by roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) browsing, the most affected being Acer pseudoplatanus. In spite of always newly occurring trees from self-seeding, the abundance of trees decreased during the studied period, self-seeding did not grow up from a height of 30-40 cm, the proportion of Acer pseudoplatanus decreased and that of Fraxinus excelsior increased. In addition to browsing, in 2003 and 2005 browsing damage to bark was noted in some places and in 2005 also the breaking of trees with subsequent browsing of terminal shoots, the causal agent of both types of damage being fallow deer. The development of natural regeneration is limited in principle by trophic preferences of game and by the tolerance of particular species to repeated damage. On the basis of these conditions it is necessary to consider the present game stock to be contradictory with objectives of area protection and preservation. Keywords: natural regeneration, Capreolus capreolus, Dama dama, browsing, tree growth Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 329-336 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/4515-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4515-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-200607-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:4515-JFS