Impact of risk factor management on the sanitary condition of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) pure stands in Latvia

Abstract

In management of young forest stands, it is often the case in forestry that several risk factors, biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic ones, have to be dealt with. An anthropogenic factor is of great importance in management of forests, because humans, using ecosystems for their needs, still have to maintain the spatial structure of the forest and prevent the worsening of the health state. Covering all territory of Latvia, empirical material was gathered in 25 pure stands. To find out how neighbouring stands impact the young forest stands of spruce, the location in forest array was detected. In identifying the risk factors, attention should be paid to the shape of compartment and its location in forest array. A correlation between the occurrence and intensity of damage caused by cloven-hoofed game is relevant rfact = 0.988 > rcrit = 0.088 with 95% probability. Also the occurrence and intensity of Lophophacidium hyperboreum Lagerb., and damage by Heterobasidion spp. are relevant rfact = 0.991 > rcrit = 0.062 and rfact = 0.981 > rcrit = 0.088 with of 95% probability.

Keywords

• compartment location
• compartment shape
• forestry risk factors