Assessment of the state of forests disturbed by fires, logging, and insects in the foothills of the Eastern Sayan Mountains

Abstract

An assessment of the state of forest lands disturbed by fires, logging and insects in the foothills of the Eastern Sayan Mountains in the forest formations inherent in the study area (Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour), fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.), larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), birch (Betula pendula Roth), aspen (Populus tremula L.)) as well as in forest crops was carried out. The impact of fires, insects, logging, and windfalls was found to result in degradation of the forest health conditions of all forest formations within the boundaries of the foothills of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. Characteristics of natural reforestation on disturbed areas of forest lands were revealed. Unsatisfactory reforestation was observed on most of the disturbed areas of forest lands due to proliferation of the dense grass cover, the formation of a thick duff, the growth of sphagnum (Sphagnum L.) and the occurrence of frequent fires. In cases where there is a sufficient amount of healthy regeneration, natural reforestation occurs by vegetative propagation of soft-leaved low-value tree species (birch and aspen), which, in turn, inhibit the young immature generation of coniferous trees (including forest plantations) due to shading and competition for soil nutrients.

Keywords

• disturbed forest lands
• burned area
• logged site
• windfall area
• forests disturbed by siberian silk moth and four-eyed fir bark beetle
• forest fuel loads
• reforestation