Assessment of stocks of forest combustible materials in fir stands, damaged by the four-eyed fir bark beetle in Krasnoyarsk Krai

Abstract

An assessment has been made of changes in the stocks of forest combustible materials in large grass-green moss fir forests in the southern taiga subzone of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The object of the study was dark needle coniferous with a predominance of the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) of tall grass-green moss forest type, damaged by four eyed fir bark beetle (Polуgraphus proximus Blandford). It has been established that the main mortality of trees occurs in trees of medium diameter, which were subjected to significant competitive pressure from large-sized trees. An assessment of forest combustible materials stocks (living ground cover, fallen wood combustible materials and litter) was carried out. It has been established that in disturbed dark needle coniferous stands in the 8–10th year from the beginning of the bark beetle’s impact, the stock of forest combustible materials increases (from 24.01 to 41.53 t/ha). The increase was mainly due to fallen wood combustible materials (30.84 t/ha). In the disturbed stands, a significant increase in the reserves of the grass-shrub layer was also noted (from 0.31 to 1.93 t/ha).

Keywords

• invasion of the four-eyed fir bark beetle
• disturbed fir forests
• dark needle coniferous stands
• fallen woody combustible materials
• tree stand mortality