Natural regeneration of the European silver fir in the Sudety Mountains on soils with different particle size distribution

Abstract

In the 40 fir localities in the Sudety Mountains, varying in site conditions and the degree of natural regeneration development were taken soil samples from the mineral horizon and were subjected to particle size distribution analysis. The best regeneration of fir stands has been reported on medium-textured soils, containing a few percents of the clay fraction and from 50to 60% of sand.The poorest regeneration was reported on silty soils, located in the lower parts of slopes. In comparision with the Carpathians, spectrum of conditions in which firs grow in the Sudety Mountains is clearly shifted from coarse-textured soils to medium-textured soils