Robust and cost-effective system for measuring and logging of data on soil water content and soil temperature profile

The paper describes the system for measuring and logging of data on soil water content and soil temperature profile. The system was tested in a field and shows great potential for performing continuous measurements. It has several benefits including ease of manufacture, low cost, reliable performance and the ability to download the data without specialized software

Are Forest Functions a Useful Tool for Multi-objective Forest Management Planning? Experiences from Slovenia

The concept of forest functions evolved in Central Europe as an important tool in the practice of multi-objective forest management. It is based on designating forest function areas that are relatively more important for the selected services. Recent practice has raised a number of concerns regarding the suitability and effectiveness of the concept of forest functions in satisfying increasing social demands on forests. This paper presents the main results of a survey of forest functions in Slovenia as seen by forestry experts (n=162). There was broad agreement among respondents that there are too many forest function types, and that at most two levels of importance should be applied. Principal component analysis identified four main purposes for designating forest function areas: harmonisation of forest uses, identification of conflict areas, and argumentation for land use planning; setting management priorities and strategies such as limitations for harvesting and skidding; providing a framework for financial subsidies for adjusted forest management; guiding forest road planning and construction. Respondents identified designation of forest function areas in both public and private forests, and their high importance for land use planning as the major strengths of the concept. Major weaknesses were an insufficient monitoring and planning system, and complicated forest function mapping. It seems that forest functions have remained an important tool in the practice of multi-objective forest management. However, improved planning methods, increased public participation and greater integration of forest functions in forest policy are needed

Are Forest Functions a Useful Tool for Multi-objective Forest Management Planning? Experiences from Slovenia

The concept of forest functions evolved in Central Europe as an important tool in the practice of multi-objective forest management. It is based on designating forest function areas that are relatively more important for the selected services. Recent practice has raised a number of concerns regarding the suitability and effectiveness of the concept of forest functions in satisfying increasing social demands on forests. This paper presents the main results of a survey of forest functions in Slovenia as seen by forestry experts (n=162). There was broad agreement among respondents that there are too many forest function types, and that at most two levels of importance should be applied. Principal component analysis identified four main purposes for designating forest function areas: harmonisation of forest uses, identification of conflict areas, and argumentation for land use planning; setting management priorities and strategies such as limitations for harvesting and skidding; providing a framework for financial subsidies for adjusted forest management; guiding forest road planning and construction. Respondents identified designation of forest function areas in both public and private forests, and their high importance for land use planning as the major strengths of the concept. Major weaknesses were an insufficient monitoring and planning system, and complicated forest function mapping. It seems that forest functions have remained an important tool in the practice of multi-objective forest management. However, improved planning methods, increased public participation and greater integration of forest functions in forest policy are needed

Fotosintetski odziv mladih stabala bukve (Fagus sylvatica L.) na odabranim plohama u različitim svjetlosnim uvjetima

In view of evident changes in the reaction of European beech (Fagus sylvaticaL.) to environmental changes, five plots with young trees of the same age were established and studied on natural beech sites. Beech trees were equally distributed along the light gradient and were divided according to light conditions. The parameter used for evaluation of light conditions was the indirect site factor (ISF) obtained by the WinScanopy analysis. Three groups of canopy – light conditions were defined: stand conditions (ISF25). In all categories light saturation curves and curves describing dependence between intercellular CO2concentration in leaves and assimilation rate (A-Ci) were measured under the same fixed parameters (temperature, flow and CO2concentration, humidity, and light intensity) with Li-6400, to compare responses between different light categories and different plots within comparable light conditions. Differences between canopy, edge and open area responses were confirmed with high significance on all plots as well as between studied forest complexes. On plots from Kočevje region, young beech indicated more shade tolerance, the response to increased light intensity and different CO2concentration was greater than the response of young beech on Pohorje plots within the same light intensities. Responses of trees on plots in managed and virgin forest were also different: young beech response in virgin forest plot was more shade-tolerant, compared to response of young beech from plots in managed forest.Glede uočenih promjena u reakciji bukve (Fagus sylvaticaL.) u odnosu na ekološke promjene, odabrano je pet ploha mlade bukve jednake starosti na prirodnim staništima, koje su bile jednakomjerno raspoređene na svjetlosnom gradijentu od zastora odrasle sastojine, šumskog ruba do svjetlosnih uvjeta na otvorenome. Kriterij za grupiranje bio je neizravni stanišni čimbenik (ISF), dobiven analizom hemisfernih snimaka pomoću sustava Win-Scanopy: zastor krošanja (ISF25), koji su bili jednaki na svim plohama. Za izmjere fotosintetskog kapaciteta, krivulje svjetlosnog zasićenja (0, 50, 250, 600 i 1200 µmol/m2s) i A-Ci krivulje (0, 100, 400, 700 i 1000 µmol CO2/l) dobivene su pomoću Li-Cor LI-6400 u kontroliranom okruženju (temperatura, protok i koncentracija CO2, zračna vlaga). Analize sadržaja dušika u lišću napravljene su Leco CNS-2000 analizatorom. Potvrđene su signifikantne razlike u reakciji mladih bukava između odabranih kategorija, kao i između različitih šumskih kompleksa. Mlade bukve na plohama iz Kočevskog pokazale su veću toleranciju na sjenu, a odziv na porast koncentracije CO2je pri istim intenzitetima osvijetljenosti bio veći nego kod mladih bukava iz Pohorskog kompleksa. Odziv mladih bukava bio je signifikant no različit između prašume (Rajhenav) i gospodarske šume unutar istog šumskog kompleksa: odziv u prašumi pokazuje veću toleranciju na sjenu

An analysis of horizontal structure in beech stands using data from permanent sample plots

Na vzorcu petih izbranih gozdnogospodarskih enot smo po glavnih sestojnih tipih analizirali horizontalno zgradbo bukovih sestojev. Zgradbo smo prikazali z indeksi diverzitete, podrobneje smo obravnavali razmestitev dreves in diferenciacijo njihovega premera. Ugotavljali smo vpliv nekaterih okoljskih dejavnikov ter intenzivnosti poseka na razmestitev. Za analizo smo uporabili podatkovno zbirko stalnih vzorènih ploskev (SVP) Zavoda za gozdove Slovenije. Razmestitev v sestojih se priblizuje naključni enakomerni razmestitvi, opazne so posamezne tendence dreves k sopasti oziroma sistematični razmestitvi. V sestojih prevladuje povprečna diferenciacija premerov, kar kaze na veèjo enomernost. V mlajših razvojnih fazah je nekoliko močneje nakazana sopasta razmestitev, diferenciacija premerov je manjsa. Na manjšo diferenciacijo premera vplivamo z večjo intenziteto poseka, šopasta razmestitev dreves je močneje nakazana na terenih s strmejsimi nakloni. Različne indekse diverzitete lahko izračunamo s podatki s SVP, ki so primerni predvsem za metodo izbranega drevesa in njegovih štirih najbližjih sosedov. Vzorec horizontalne zgradbe omogoča natanènejsi vpogled v sestojno zgradbo, pomemben je pri ocenjevanju mehanske stabilnosti sestojev, biodiverzitete, sestojne gostote in učinkov gospodarjenja.On the sample of five forest management units, we analysed horizontal structure of beech stands by prevalent stand types. We used several diversity indices to describe horizontal stand structure (spatial distribution of trees and differentiation of their DBH). We checked if spatial distribution is influenced by site parameters and cutting intensity. Data was used from measurements on permanent sample plots of the Slovenia Forest Service. The results show mainly average DBH differentiation and random tree positions withsome tendency to clustered and regular arrangement. Trees in younger stages are prone to clustered distribution and their DBH differentiation is smaller. Small DBH differentiation in younger stages is caused by higher intensity of cutting and clustered arrangement is more common on steeper slopes. Several diversity indices can be calculated based on data from PSP, which are suitable mostly for sampling method of reference tree and its four nearest neighbours. A pattern of horizontal stand structure gives a more precise insight in stand structure and is also important when assessing stand stability, biodiversity, stand density and management impact

Phenological phases of trees on the intensive forest monitoring plots in Slovenia

Preučevanje razvojnih faz gozdnega drevja v dolgem časovnem nizu je vse pomembnejše orodje za ugotavljanje medsebojne odvisnosti vremenskih spremenljivk in z njimi povezanih bioloških odzivov. V naši raziskavi smo analizirali nastop fenofaz prvih listov in iglic ter splošnega rumenenja listja za listavce na 11 ploskvah intenzivnega monitoringa gozdnih ekosistemov v Sloveniji v letih od 2004 do 2011. Obravnavali smo fenofaze za dob (Quercus robur L.) na ploskvah Krakovski gozd in Murska šumabukev (Fagus sylvatica L.) na ploskvah Lontovž pod Kumom, Temenjak na Vinski gori, Borovec v Kočevski Reki, Fondek v Trnovskem gozdu, Gorica v Loškem Potokusmreko (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) na ploskvah Kladje na Pohorju in Krucmanove Konte na Pokljukirdeči bor (Pinus sylvestris L.) na ploskvi Brdo pri Kranjučrni bor (Pinus nigra Arnold) na ploskvi Gropajski Bori pri Sežani. V povprečju je fenofaza prvih iglic (BGS) smreke nastopila na 166 julijanski dan. Za rdeči bor je BGS nastopila na 128 julijanski dan, za črni bor pa 149. julijanski dan. Fenofaza prvih listov (BGS) je za bukev v povprečju nastopila na 128, za dob pa 117. julijanski dan. Splošno rumenenje listov (EGS) za bukevje v povprečju nastopilo na 297, za dob pa 308. julijanski dan. Dolžina vegetacijskega obdobja (LGS) doba je bila v povprečju 75 dni daljša kot za bukev. Ugotavljamo, da se je v obdobju od leta 2004 do 2011 nakazoval zgodnejši nastop fenofaze prvih iglic (BGS) smreke, rdečega bora ter črnega bora na vseh obravnavanih ploskvah. Zgodnejši nastop prvih listov (BGS) bukve in doba smo zaznali le na posameznih ploskvah, ne pa vseh. Kasnejši nastop splošnega rumenenja listov (EGS) za bukev smo zaznali le na dveh ploskvah (Borovec in Gorica), za dob pa smo ugotovili kasnejše pojavljanje EGS le na ploskvi Murska Šuma. Značilna je velika variabilnost dolžine vegetacijskega obdobja (LGS) za bukev in dob po letih. Daljšanje LGS za bukev je statistično značilno za tri ploskve (Fondek, Borovec in Gorica), za dob pa spremembe LGS v opazovanem obdobju niso bile statistično značilne.Study of developmental stages of forest trees in a long time series is of increasing importance for determination of interdependence between meteorological variables and the associated biological responses. In our study we analyzed the needle appearance and leaf unfolding of conifers and deciduous trees and the autumn colouring for broad-leaved tree species. We considered the phenological phases for oak (Quercus robur L.) in research plots Krakovski gozd and Murska šuma, beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in research plots Lontovž, Temenjak, Borovec, Fondek, Goricaspruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in research plots Kladje and Krucmanove KonteScotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the research plot Brdo, black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) in the research plot Gropajski bori. On average, the needle appearance (BGS) of spruce started on the 166th Julian day. BGS of Scotch pine started on the 128th Julian Day, BGS of black pine on the 149th Julian day, respectively. The leaf unfolding (BGS) for beech started, on average, on the 128th Julian day and BGS for oak on the 117th Julian day, respectively. The autumn colouring(EGS) for beech, on average, started on the 297th Julian day, for oak on the 308th Julian day. It was assessed that BGS possibly commenced earlier for spruce, Scotch pine and black pine in all research plots during the 2004 to 2011 period. However, earlier BGS for beech and oak was noticed only in limited number of pots. Later EGS for beech could be confirmed in only two plots (Borovec in Gorica), whereas changes in EGS for oak were later only in plot Murska Šuma. There was a large variability of LGS for beech and oak over the years. Prolonged growing season (LGS) of beech was statistically significant for 3 plots (Fondek, Borovec in Gorica) during the 2004 to 2011 period. For oak prolonged LGS was not statistically significant during the observation period