Species conversion of spruce stands in the Wisła Forest District

The paper provides some guidelines on the choice of the target species compositions for plantations that would replace monocultural spruce stands growing on the sites of the Silesian Beskid Mts. Part of the guidelines relates to the rules governing the sequence in which the monocultures will be converted into mixed stands. It is suggested that those rules should be combined with the principles of the establishment of progenyplantations. The seed stands of the Istebna spruce are experimentally divided into four categories according to their abilityto perform the function of a seed stand. The following features of the stands are analysed: vitality, density, stage of regeneration, protective and cultural functions. The paper contains also an outline of the methods of species conversion and the relevant references

Variability of wych elm Ulmus glabra Huds. characteristics growing on an ex situ conservative plantation in the Oleszyce Forest District

The aim of this work was to investigate the variability of different features in wych elm Ulmus glabra Huds. populations growing in the conservative plantation in the Kolonia Forest Subdistrict (Oleszyce Forest District). We examined the survival rate, height, and spring flushing of the elm trees as well as the occurrence of two leaf morphotypes after ten years since the establishment of the plantation. Statistically significant differences were found between the studied populations in terms of survival and height growth, while no difference was observed for spring flushing, which may be due to the close proximity in which the tested populations grow. The highest rate of survival was observed in the Bircza 33a population (87.3%), whereas the Lutowiska 40b population grew tallest (344.3 cm). Elms with leaves typical of the U. glabra ssp. montana (morphotype A – 84%) dominated the stand, while elms with leaves characteristic for the U. glabra ssp. glabra (morphotype B) were a minority with only 4%. However, within the Lutowiska 137g population, the share of morphotype B was as high as 25

Substrate influences the height of one- and two-year-old seedlings of silver fir and European beech growing in polystyrene containers

The effectiveness of different peat-based substrates was compared for the propagation of two mountain tree species (silver fir and European beech). The experiment was set up in spring of 2006, and seedlings were grown in polystyrene multipots for 2 years. Four types of substrate were applied: (1) newly prepared 1:1 peat-sawdust mixture ; (2) a peat-sawdust mixture which had already been used for five production periods; (3) a peat substrate produced in the ‘Nêdza’ container nursery (Rudy Raciborskie Forest District), consisting of peat and perlite; (4) a peat substrate, as described for (3), with added mycorrhizal fungus Hebeloma crustuliniforme. After sowing, polystyrene multi-pots were placed in a transparent tent. During the autumns of 2006 and 2007, for both species and each substrate type, 25 seedlings were randomly selected for measurement of their above-ground height, root length, root collar diameter, above- and below-ground fresh weight. Growth of one-year old and two-year-old seedlings of both species differed depending on their substrate. The application of a mycorrhizal inoculum positively affected seedling establishment, since the best height growth and largest seedlings of both species were grown on substrate (4). The growth of one-year-old fir seedlings in the ‘old’ peat and sawdust mixture (2) was similar to those seedlings on the turf substrate (3). Root:shoot allocation differed among the substrates. In fir root:shoot allocation was approximately equivalent at 1:0.9, whereas for beech it was 1:2 in oneyear-old seedlings and 1:1.5 in two-year-old seedlings

Variability of Pinus sylvestris L. seeds including seed coat colour

The aim of this work was to compare the variability of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L. seeds collected in three forest sites in the Radomsko Forest District. This comparison was mainly based on viability and weight of 1000 seeds, which was then used to calculate seed value for each sample. Furthermore, seed size was assessed by measuring their length, width and area, using the WinSeedle software. All evaluated samples belonged to viability class I. Seeds originating from the Bąkowa Góra forest range were characterized by the highest weight, best viability and the largest size. In the next stage of our research, we performed an analysis of variability parameters taking the colour of the seed coat into consideration. For this analysis, the seeds were divided into three colour groups (fawn, brown, black) and their vitality and weight were assessed separately. The share of fawn seeds was 9.4%, brown 39.6% and black 50.9%. The weight of 1000 seeds and seed size parameters of fawn seeds were slightly higher than those of the black and brown seeds. The fawn and black seeds belonged to vitality class I, while brown seeds belonged to vitality class II. Despite the observed variability, seeds belonging to different colour groups did not show statistically significant differences in other measured parameters. The factor with the greatest impact on the seed parameters was the site of origin, which differed in their forest site type. Larger and heavier seeds came from the broadleaved forest site compared to the coniferous forest sites

Evaluating the progeny of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in the early years of growth

This research was carried out on two experimental plots located in the Rymanów and Nawojowa forest districts. In the second and fifth year after planting, at three and six years of age respectively, survival and height of 25 beech progenies of selected stands were measured. Furthermore, we show the effect of beech origin and growth environment (significant ‘provenance × block’ and ‘provenance × test plot’ interactions). Beeches from both experimental plots differed significantly in growth and survival and this difference increased with tree age. The highest provenance heritability was obtained for the tree height after two years of growth in Rymanów. In Nawojowa, the heritability of beech survival reached zero after five years of growth. An evaluation of the stability of beech provenances (genotypes) in terms of survival and height under the habitat conditions of our experimental plots was done using the Finlay and Wilkinson method. The beech provenances of 469–Nawojowa and 452–Lesko (regional standard) were included as a stable basis for reference. A high degree of stability and high average values for the characteristics investigated indicate high progeny quality within these stands

Adaptation stability of European beech Fagus sylvatica L. after five years of growth

This study was focused on the evaluation of beech adaptation on test plots in the Góra Śląska and Świebodzin Forest Districts. For this purpose, we examined offspring from seed stands of beech growing in the Regional Directorates of State Forests in Szczecin, Szczecinek, Piła, Zielona Góra and Poznań, which were brought to both test plots. The aim was to determine the adaptive response of the offspring from these stands after five years of growth with respect to the changed environmental conditions compared to the site of origin. Our analysis revealed a relatively low survival rate which was 60.8% and 72.2% in Góra Śląska and Świebodzin respectively. Interestingly, beeches grown on the plot in Góra Śląska were about 40% higher than those grown in Świebodzin (77.6 cm). The trees from both plots were significantly different from each other in terms of the analyzed features and a significant interaction was observed between test plot and site of origin. However, the variability in the adaptive response of the seedlings was large. Using a regression coefficient and the average height value, we determined the seedlings stability, which indicated high quality in offspring from the beech stand in the Łopuchówko Forest District (Buczyna forest range, sub-compartment 95n) and a high degree of adaptation to growth in adverse environmental conditions. Our results also indicate a low survival rate and reduced height of beech offspring from commercial seed stands (local standard)