Work package 3: Regeneration and ground vegetation dynamics

Review of existing studies and literature: Existing material on tree regeneration and ground vegetation in gaps in natural and managed beech forests will be collected and synthesised. Existing material will be collected from all partner countries, i.e. Slovenia, Hungary, Germany, Netherlands, UK, and Denmark. The focus of the work will be to collect information on studies of and/or experimental work on tree regeneration, ground vegetation and the relationships between these and environmental conditions within gaps. The work will focus on both managed and unmanaged forests where beech is a major component. The main sources of this information are published books and papers, and unpublished theses and research reports: the partners have contacts with the main national libraries and research institutes that hold this material.

New sampling: New sampling will occur in all partner countries and in all gaps studied using a harmonized experimental design. Existing and some new gaps, within the size range defined by WPs 1 and 2, will be used. Approx. two sites in managed forests and two sites in un-managed forests will be studied in each Partner-country. At each site 4 gaps will be studied. New gaps in managed forests will be created in the spring 2000) and existing gaps will be re-measured . The sampling design will be the same for managed (man-made gaps) and unmanaged (natural gaps) stands. Sampling will be based on a systematic grid (3-6 m x 3-6 m depending on gap size) covering the gap and some of the surrounding forest. At each grid point a subplot will be recorded. Depending on gap size a full plot will typically have 60-100 sub-plots (each 0.5-1.0 m2). A North-South oriented baseline (typically 120 meters long, depending on gap size) extends beyond the gap edge into the closed canopy surrounding the gap. Light (indirect measure leaf-area-index, measured with the Licor LAI-2000 instrument), soil water (TDR-method), soil type, canopy features, ground vegetation, tree regeneration (age, height, vigour, browsing damage, silvicultural quality), and the extent, age and rate of infilling of the gap will be measured. The chosen design allows for regression analysis as well as spatial statistics (e.g. kriging and co-kriging).

Assessment of regeneration success will be based on the average number of established seedlings (e.g. >0.5m height, depending on the age of the gap) and saplings (e.g. >1.5m height), and the number of subplots where regeneration is absent. Criteria for regeneration success will differ between countries, sites and between management objectives. In a production oriented management regime the minimum number of regularly distributed young trees could be 2500 per ha. In a nature-based management regime the minimum could be much lower 1000 per ha and distribution can be irregular and preferably includes other species than beech. Assessment of the silvicultural quality of regeneration will be based on the number of young trees of a good quality (trunk form, branch pattern, vigour): as an example a minimum of at least 500 per ha young trees with good quality and regularly distribution could be defined as the minimum value at a given site.

 

Work-package leader:

Jurij Diaci, University of Ljubljana (ULJ) Biotechnical Faculty
Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Vecna pot 83, SI-8209;1000 Ljubljana, SLOVENIA, Fax.: (+386) 61 271 169, phone: (+386) 61 123 1161, e-mail:

 

NatMan Work-package 3: Reports
Deliverable 3	Regeneration processes in European beech forests
Deliverable 21	Comparative studies of gap-phase regeneration in managed and natural beech forests in different parts of Europe: relationship between tree regnereration, light and soil conditions, and ground vegetation
	Part 1. General introduction, discussion and conclusions
	Part 2. Country report from Denmark
	Part 3. Case study partner report - Great Britain
	Part 4. Case study partner report - Netherlands
	Part 6. Case study partner report - Hungary
	Part 7. Case study partner report - Slovenia
Deliverable 22	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - Denmark: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations
	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - Germany: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations
	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - UK: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations
	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - Slovenia: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations
	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - Hungary: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations
	Natural regeneration of beech forest in Europe - Netherlands: approaches, problems, recent advances and recommendations