Наукові праці Лісівничої академії наук України (Nov 2023)
Effectiveness of natural regeneration in spruce primeval forests of the Verkhovynskyi National Nature Park
Abstract
In modern conditions of significant anthropogenic pressure on forests and global climate change, it is important to preserve primeval forests as centers of primary nature with the development of conceptual foundations for their conservation and functioning. The objects (sites) of investigation were located in the forest fund of the Verkhovynskyi National Nature Park, the territory of which is the most remote and difficult to access in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Five sample plots of 0.50 ha each were laid out in the spruce primeval forests. Within their boundaries, 125 tally areas were laid (25 in each sample plot) for accounting the young growth under the canopy of the spruce forests. In addition, 375 circular sample plots (three within each tally area) were laid for direct accounting of young growth by height groups. The trees were tallied in three categories: live standing trees; dead standing trees; down trees of the 1st stage of decomposition. The investigated 140-180-year-old primeval forests of Picea abies (L.) Karst. grow in the conditions of a high-altitude, pure fairly fertile spruce forest type at an altitude of 1,300-1,500 m above sea level. The stock of stemwood of live and dead standing trees was in the range of 423-709 m3∙ha-1 Provision of the spruce primeval forests with young growth at one object of investigation (Sample plot No. 3) was assessed as good (site class 1, 19.6 thousand pcs∙ha-1); at two objects (Sample plots No.1 and No.5) - as good (site class 2, 8.3 and 8.1 thousand pcs∙ha-1, respectively); at one site (Sample plot No.4) as satisfactory (6.9 thousand pcs∙ha-1); at one object (Sample plot No.2) as unsatisfactory (2.4 thousand pcs∙ha-1). Three of the investigated primeval forest communities (Sample plots No.1, No.2, and No.3) have reached the aging phase, two forest communities (Sample plots No.4 and No.5) have reached the breakdown phase. It is possible to tentatively generalize that the intensity of the process of natural renewal does not depend on the stage of the primeval forest development, but is determined by the density of the forest stand, the number of gaps in the canopy, and the development of the grass cover. The distribution of Picea abies young growth by height groups (10-39; 40-129; 130 cm and more) is, respectively, 56-66%; 27-41%; 3-16%. The young growth of Sorbus aucuparia L. occupies a small share in the total amount of young growth (up to 5%). About half of the rowan young growth is damaged by wild animals. The proportion of damaged spruce young growth is insignificant (less than 5%). The main cause is damage to the tops of young plants by falling fragments from dead standing trees or by the fall of the trees themselves. Spruce primeval forests have a well-developed grass cover, which is promoted by the uneven closure of tree crowns. Vaccinium myrtillus L. predominates, it occupies an average of 50-60% of the area of the investigated primeval forest communities (ranging from 30 to 70%). In addition to blueberries, there are Luzula sylvatica (Huds.) Gaudin, Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Ficaria verna Huds., Carex sylvatica Huds., Oxalis acetosella L. Grass cover is especially abundant within the clearings and gaps. In the spruce primeval forests, weak undergrowth development is observed, although the presence of gaps is characteristic of all the studied objects, which should have stimulated the undergrowth development. Ribes petraeum Wulfen, Lonicera nigra L. and Rosa canina L. are rarely found under the canopy of the spruce stands. The main cause is the high altitude above sea level, where the development of the undergrowth is limited by the climate. In general, the process of natural regeneration in the spruce primeval forests of the Verkhovynskyi NNP, which have reached the aging phase or the breakdown phase, is progressing satisfactorily. There are threats to the stable functioning of the primeval spruce forests of the Verkhovinskyi NNP: abiotic factors (climate changes, wind throws, snowfalls, windbreaks), biotic factors (damage by insects and pathogens), anthropogenic factors (atmospheric emissions, construction of a network of forest roads and tourist routes near areas with primeval forests, fires, etc.). Therefore, in order to preserve the unique primeval forest communities, there is a high expediency of including them in the list of spruce primeval forests of the Carpathians of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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