Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: R. Naghdi Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Iran Author-Name: S. Maleki Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Iran Author-Name: E. Abdi Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran Author-Name: R. Mousavi Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Iran Author-Name: M. Nikooy Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Iran Title: Assessing the effect of Alnus roots on hillslope stability in order to use in soil bioengineering Abstract: The role of plant roots in stabilizing slopes is obvious, but the amount of the effect is varied in different species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of alder (Alnus subcordata) roots on hillslope stability. The profile trenching method was used to obtain root characteristics and a standard Instron testing machine was used for determining the tensile strength of roots. Direct shear test with undisturbed samples was used for determining the soil strength parameters. Using the results of biotechnical characteristics and the Wu model, the reinforcement effect was calculated. Using the reinforcement values and soil strength parameters and Slip4Ex program, factor of safety with and without vegetation was calculated. The obtained results indicated that the root density and number of roots decreased with increasing depth and the average root area ratio was 0.071% ± 0.01. Tensile strength decreased with increasing diameter of roots following the power function with an average of 16.29 ± 3.10 MPa. The minimum and maximum of reinforcement were 0.55 KPa and 110.76 KPa, respectively. The results of this paper augment the knowledge about biotechnical characteristics of root systems of Alder species and indicate that this species increases the factor of safety about 16.79%. Keywords: biotechnical properties of root, soil reinforcement, factor of safety Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 417-423 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/47/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/47/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201311-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:11:id:47-2013-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Kobliha Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Dendrology and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Stejskal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Dendrology and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Lstibůrek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Dendrology and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Marušák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Dendrology and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Slávik Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Dendrology and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Selection of European larch provenances based on productivity and economic values Abstract: Productivity of individual European larch provenances was evaluated on the basis of height and diameter growth and volume production at the age of 40 years. This work was focused on identifying differences among European larch provenances using a growth simulation model (SIBYLA). Based on the growth simulations, all selected provenances had greater mean height, stem diameter and stem volume at the age of 120 years than the control seed source. Provenance 49 (Krnov-Loučky, Jeseníky, CZ) had the greatest height growth and volume, but it ranked the fourth in diameter. Provenances 16 (Cavalese, Italy) and 71a (Jaroměřice-Chroustov, Vysočina, CZ) ranked the highest in stem diameter and volume growth. With respect to a different tree number per hectare these characteristics are different when expressed as total per-hectare volume production. Despite that fact, the control material is inferior also in this category. In addition to production, timber assortment and economic balance of the same provenances at the age of 120 years were evaluated. Keywords: growth, production, forest tree breeding Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 424-435 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/49/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/49/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201311-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:11:id:49-2013-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: B. Konôpka Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Pajtík Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Foliage and fine roots in terms of growth efficiency - a comparison between European beech and Norway spruce at early growth stages Abstract: The quantification of stems (under- and overbark), foliage and fine roots in 14-year-old stands of European beech and Norway spruce grown on the same site were evaluated. Therefore, 60 trees of each species were sampled, dry masses of stems and foliage were established and expressed by allometric equations with stem diameter as an independent variable. The spruce allocated a much larger portion of biomass into the foliage than beech. The equations on a tree level were constructed also for specific leaf area and one-sided projected leaf area. Moreover, the quantity and morphological characteristics of fine roots in both stands were surveyed through soil coring. While standing stocks of fine roots were similar in the stands of both tree species, significant interspecies differences occurred in morphological properties of roots. Growth efficiency, expressing annual stem production on a variety of foliage and fine root parameters was calculated. The largest differences, specifically fivefold in favour of spruce, were found in growth efficiency based on a number of root tips. Keywords: allometric equations, fine root morphology, leaf area, stem diameter, stem mass production, interspecies differences Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 436-446 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/56/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/56/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201311-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:11:id:56-2013-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Trombik Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: T. Hlásny Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Title: Free European data on forest distribution: overview and evaluation Abstract: A growing need for the evaluation of prospects and sustainability of forest resources calls for the availability of harmonized data on forest distribution. We described and evaluated nine datasets providing such information: Corine LandCover, four European forest maps and four tree species distribution maps. Apart from providing a condensed overview of these datasets, we focused on the match between selected forest maps and forest management plans (FMPs) of Slovakia, which can be thought of as highly accurate information on forest distribution. The degree of match between forest and species area, within 306 forest administrative districts of Slovakia, was used as an indicator of accuracy. In addition, the match between the total forest and species area in Slovakia, given by FMPs and by evaluated datasets, was addressed. We found a high degree of match for the datasets on forest distribution (R-square 0.77-0.93, depending on the dataset), as well as strong agreement in total forest area (± 5%). Both indicators are worse in the case of forest type evaluation (coniferous and broadleaved). Poor results were obtained for tree species maps, which under- or overestimated species areas by tens of per cent, although differences were highly variable among species. The obtained results are valid mainly for temperate forests. Keywords: tree species distribution, data quality, forest management plans, accuracy assessment Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 447-457 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/58/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/58/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201311-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:11:id:58-2013-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Drössler Author-Workplace-Name: Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden Author-Name: N. Fahlvik Author-Workplace-Name: Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Silviculture and Forest Protection, Technical University Dresden, Tharandt, Germany Author-Name: B. Elfving Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,, Umeå, Sweden Title: Application and limitations of growth models for silvicultural purposes in heterogeneously structured forest in Sweden Abstract: The paper addresses the problem of estimating future stand development in heterogeneously structured forests in Sweden; specifically, multi-layered spruce stands and mature pine stands with advanced spruce undergrowth. We first introduce various supporting concepts and models with their empirical databases, model validation and constraints. Secondly, Swedish single-tree growth functions designed for more heterogeneously structured forest are tested using data from inventory plots, a thinning experiment in an uneven-aged forest stand, and yield plots in pristine forest. Future growth of a managed, multi-layered forest was simulated and is compared with other selected functions. Simulation results, expected errors and time constraints are discussed. For most models, projected stand basal area growth deviated 10-20% from the observed growth in individual stands. In single stands, the deviation ranged from 0 to 60%. Validation periods were often 5-15 years, sometimes even more than 30 years. For Swedish single-tree basal area growth functions, on average, a 5% overestimate was found for heterogeneously structured forest across Sweden. Observed growth in a boreal single-tree selection forest was underestimated by 12.5% fifteen years after thinning from above. Keywords: continuous cover forestry, heterogeneous forest structure, forest growth, stand development, growth models, Heureka, Sweden Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 458-473 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2013 DOI: 10.17221/33/2013-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/33/2013-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-201311-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:59:y:2013:i:11:id:33-2013-JFS