Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Salehi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmehsara, Iran Author-Name: N. Ghorbanzadeh Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmehsara, Iran Author-Name: E. Kahneh Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Centre of Guilan, Rasht, Iran Title: Earthworm biomass and abundance, soil chemical and physical properties under different poplar plantations in the north of Iran Abstract: We evaluated earthworm abundance and biomass in plantations of different poplar species and clones as well as the effect of some soil chemical and physical properties on them. Even-aged poplar species and clones, planted at Safrabasteh Poplar Research Station about 18 years ago in the north of Iran, included: Populus deltoides Bartr. cv. 69/55 (P. d. 69/55), Populus deltoides Bartr. cv. 63/51 (P. d. 63/51), Populus euramericana Guinier. cv. 45/51 (P. e. 45/51), Populus euramericana Guinier. triplo (P. e. triplo), and Populus caspica Born M. (P. caspica), as endemic and endangered poplar species, were selected in this study. Earthworm abundance and biomass, soil texture, bulk and particle density (BD, PD), pH, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K) were evaluated. The results showed that the earthworm abundance and biomass, OC, P and N in P. d. 63/51 were higher than in the other poplar species and clones. The correlation coefficients showed a positive correlation of OC, N and a negative correlation of pH, clay, BD and P with earthworm biomass. Based on the results, compared to the other species and clones P. d. 63/51 creates favourable conditions to produce more organic matter and higher abundance and biomass of earthworms, hence it could be beneficial for maintaining the soil quality status for successive plantings. Keywords: soil properties, populus clones, populus caspica, organic carbon, poplar Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 223-229 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/41/2012-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/41/2012-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201306-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:41-2012-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D. Kacálek Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Jíloviště-Strnady (Prague), Opočno Research Station, Opočno, Czech Republic Author-Name: D. Dušek Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Jíloviště-Strnady (Prague), Opočno Research Station, Opočno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Novák Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Jíloviště-Strnady (Prague), Opočno Research Station, Opočno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Bartoš Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Jíloviště-Strnady (Prague), Opočno Research Station, Opočno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The impact of juvenile tree species canopy on properties of new forest floor Abstract: To keep forest soils fertile, forest practitioners plant mixed stands that are composed of both economically efficient trees such as conifers and soil-improving broadleaves. This is a mandated practice in the Czech Republic. As the new forest grows, it creates a dense canopy. The canopy is a principal source of organic matter to the forest soil. The formation of new forest humus is particularly important in first-generation forests on the former agricultural soil. Former meadow is a suitable site for forest floor and soil investigation since forest-floor humus covering the surface of the soil is a completely new layer. Both pure evergreen conifer and mixed treatments were planted in 2001. The experimental plot was established in order to investigate performance of tree species and restoration of forest-site conditions. We sampled dead-plant material and 0-10 cm topsoil to investigate their properties under the 10-year-old stands. We compared the treatments by descriptive statistics using both univariate and multivariate techniques. Dry mass (medians of weight) varied among the treatments from 11 to 19 Mg.ha-1. The forest floor nutrient concentrations appeared to be dependent on the presence of admixed deciduous tree species (sycamore maple, small-leaved linden and European larch) as these forest floors (EL1, EL2, NS3, SM) were higher in base cations and phosphorus compared to pure spruce (NS1, NS2) and pure Douglas fir (DF) treatments. The first axis of PCA ordination plot revealed 45% of total variability and showed a clear distinction between evergreen coniferous and mixed species treatments. Young plantations produced forest floors of different quality; however it was not reflected in the topsoil properties. Keywords: afforestation, agricultural land, forest floor, topsoil, nutrients Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 230-237 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/3/2012-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3/2012-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201306-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:3-2012-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Buriánek Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady, Jíloviště, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Novotný Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady, Jíloviště, Czech Republic Author-Name: K. Hellebrandová Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady, Jíloviště, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Šrámek Author-Workplace-Name: Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady, Jíloviště, Czech Republic Title: Ground vegetation as an important factor in the biodiversity of forest ecosystems and its evaluation in regard to nitrogen deposition Abstract: : We documented the current typological and phytosociological characterisation of the ground vegetation as an essential component of biodiversity in 154 Czech forest monitoring plots and to describe its changes during the past 15 years in regard to the deposition and concentration of nitrogen in the soil. Plots were classified as vegetation units in accordance with the UNECE and FAO nomenclature and on the basis of their potential natural vegetation and compared in terms of the occurrence and coverage of the indicative selected nitrophilous species. In all the soil horizons tested statistically significant differences in the C/N ratio were observed between areas with and without the presence of certain selected nitrophilous species (Geranium robertianum, Impatiens parviflora, Sambucus nigra, Urtica dioica). In the areas with the presence of the Geranium robertianum and Urtica dioica species, statistically significantly higher concentrations of nitrogen were recorded in some soil horizons than in those areas with the absence of these species. The findings concerning the influence of nitrogen on nitrophilous herbaceous indicators were compared with the European results obtained in the framework of the ICP Forests international programme and with those of other foreign studies. Keywords: forest monitoring, nutrificiation, nitrophilous species, vegetation diversity Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 238-252 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/16/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/16/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201306-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:16-2013-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Štefančík Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Development of target (crop) trees in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stand with delayed initial tending and managed by different thinning methods Abstract: We evaluated the research on silviculture-production in the last 45 years in a 105-year-old beech stand, not tended up to its stand age of 60 years. Four alternatives (tending regime) were studied for development of the target (crop) trees. These were: (i) plot with heavy thinning from below (C degree according to the German Forest Research Institutes from 1902), (ii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 5 years), (iii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 10 years), and (iv) control plot (with no thinning). Target trees in the stand were selected and marked at the beginning of the study. Their development was analysed in relation to the method of tending. Based on the 45-year research period, we conclude that the most favourable results were obtained on plots tended by free crown thinning (thinning interval of 5 or 10 years) in comparison with plots tended by heavy thinning from below or with the control plot (without any tending). Keywords: European beech, target (crop) trees, different tending Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 253-259 Volume: 59 Issue: 6 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/9/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/9/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201306-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:6:id:9-2013-JFS