Increase of natural regeneration area of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) in the Kaszuby Lake District during the decade 2002–2012

The Kaszuby Lake District is located beyond the natural range of Norway spruce, however its share in local forest stands is considerable (14.8%) and its vitality and growth are here not less than within the natural range. The study presents the results of stock-taking of natural regeneration of Norway spruce in this region in year 2002 and 2012 and the relevant silvicultural recommendations. The stock of spruce natural regeneration was taken using the electronic database of the Regional Headquarters of State Forests in Gdańsk. The regeneration was put into following categories: seedlings (height below 0.5 m), lower advanced growth (height above 0.5 m and DBH below 7 cm), higher advanced growth (height above 3 m and DBH above 7 cm) and undergrowth (with dominating self sown spruce). In total 20 834 ha of Norway spruce natural regenerations were listed in year 2002 and 26 016 ha in year 2012 (increase by 24.9%). Most of them occur in fresh sites suited for mixed deciduous forests (LMśw) – in years 2002 and 2012 respectively 52.5% and 50.1%, and fresh sites suited for mixed coniferous forests (BMśw) – in years 2002 and 2012 respectively 30.4% and 32%. The increase of natural regeneration of Norway spruce in this period was connected with the 23.6% decrease in volume of spruce stands in age of above 40 years. Majority of spontaneously arriving spruce regenerations turn to the undergrowth, because of unfavorable light conditions under canopy and much to high density of seedlings and advanced growth. Good quality advanced growth on suited forest sites should be uncovered by thinning cuttings and consequently included into the future multispecies stands, with Norway spruce share up to 30%

Comparing natural regeneration of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) Karst. in the Kaszuby Lake District and in the other regions of northern Poland

The paper investigates the biometric characteristics natural Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) regeneration in the Kaszuby Lake District, which is beyond the acknowledged Norway spruce range, with the natural regeneration in the Augustów Forest situated deep within the natural range, Warmia, at the edge of the natural range and in the West-Pomerania Lake District far beyond the natural range

Light, earthworms, and soil resources as predictors of diversity of 10 soil invertebrate groups across monocultures of 14 tree species

Management of biodiversity and ecosystem services requires a better understanding of the factors that influence soil biodiversity. We characterized the species (or genera) richness of 10 taxonomic groups of invertebrate soil animals in replicated monocultures of 14 temperate tree species. The focal invertebrate groups ranged from microfauna to macrofauna: Lumbricidae, Nematoda, Oribatida, Gamasida, Opilionida, Araneida, Collembola, Formicidae, Carabidae, and Staphylinidae. Measurement of invertebrate richness and ancillary variables occurred ~34 years after the monocultures were planted. The richness within each taxonomic group was largely independent of richness of other groups; therefore a broad understanding of soil invertebrate diversity requires analyses that are integrated across many taxa. Using a regression-based approach and ~125 factors related to the abundance and diversity of resources, we identified a subset of predictors that were correlated with the richness of each invertebrate group and richness integrated across 9 of the groups (excluding earthworms). At least 50% of the variability in integrated richness and richness of each invertebrate group was explained by six or fewer predictors. The key predictors of soil invertebrate richness were light availability in the understory, the abundance of an epigeic earthworm species, the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium in soil, soil acidity, and the diversity or mass of fungi, plant litter, and roots. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that resource abundance and diversity strongly regulate soil biodiversity, with increases in resources (up to a point) likely to increase the total diversity of soil invertebrates. However, the relationships between various resources and soil invertebrate diversity were taxon-specific. Similarly, diversity of all 10 invertebrate taxa was not high beneath any of the 14 tree species. Thus, changes to tree species composition and resource availability in temperate forests will likely increase the richness of some soil invertebrates while decreasing the richness of others

Studies in History of Polish State and Law Vol. XX : Research on the development of political and legal institutions

Tytuł finansowany przez: Krakowską Akademię im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego, Uniwersytet im. Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie, Uniwersytet Gdański, Uniwersytet Warszawsk