Growth elements and stand structure of artifically established Norway spruce stand at 37 and 62 years of age on Dalechamps Oak Site at Goč

Abstract

Growth elements and stand structure of an artificially established Norway spruce stand were presented at age 37 and 62-yr on the basis of a single permanent sample plot and their changes analyzed. The stand was established with 4500 seedlings per hectare. At age 37-yr on the permanent sample plot, 2600 trees per hectare were recorded with basal area of 43.52 m2•ha−1 and standing volume of 319,97 m3•ha−1. At stand age 62-yr, 878 trees per hectare were recorded with basal area of 42.61 m2•ha−1 and standing volume of 454,48 m3•ha−1. First selective thinning, conducted at mean aspirant’s height of 17.6 m (500 trees per hectare) at age 37-yr was characterized as a moderate (28.3% trees per hectare and 23.5% volume thinned) thinning from below (qd = 0.88). Out of the remaining number of trees (1823 per hectare), in the following period between 38-62-yr, 956 trees per hectare (52.4%) were removed, mostly through sanitary cutting that can be characterized as thinning from below (qd = 0.68). Out of the initially selected aspirants at age 37-yr, 220 elite trees were selected at age 62-yr due to the effects of self-thinning in the stand and unfavorable exogenous factors as well as the thinning from below regime. At age 62-yr, the stand structure is unfavorable and statically unstable as the slenderness coefficient is increased compared to the condition at 37-yr. Thus, it can be concluded that the risk for achieving the productive and meliorative potentials of the stand is increased, primarily due to absence of adequate maintenance of the stand between age 38 and 62-yr.

Keywords

• picea abies (l.) h.karst.
• monoculture
• permanent plot
• thinning
• slenderness coefficient