In this study, we analyse the growing stock of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its sha... more In this study, we analyse the growing stock of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its share in Slovenian forests. In addition, based on empirical model and climate change scenarios, we predict its distribution and share in the future. Black locust is the commonest non-native tree species in Slovenian forests. The current growing stock of black locust is near 0.6% of the total growing stock of our forests. This tree species has the highest share in forests of the Regional Unit of Murska Sobota and Regional Karst Area Unit (Sežana). Should the recent climate change scenarios, which all predict an increase in mean air temperature in the future, proved to be true, the share of the black locust' growing stock will increase gradually in the eastern, northeastern and southwestern parts of Slovenia. Higher share of this species can be expected also in the lowlands and hilly area of central Slovenia. According to the forecasts of the model, the black locust's growing stock could at least double in comparison with its present state by the end of the century. In such situation our forestry will be faced with even more difficulties associated with this invasive tree species. Through a more consistent implementation of the concepts of sustainability in forestry, the balance between this invasive alien species, which is less desirable in our forests, and its many benefits and interests of the forest owners needs to be found.
Bryophytes respond to a variety of environmental factors, including tree species composition and ... more Bryophytes respond to a variety of environmental factors, including tree species composition and geological conditions, which are influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Bryophytes growing on a variety of substrates were identified in ICP Forests monitoring plots in a wide range of close-to-nature managed forests, from lowland to high mountain areas in Slovenia. Based on data on tree layer composition (broadleaves vs. conifers) and on bedrock and soil type (calcareous vs. siliceous bedrock), all study plots were classified into five groups representing forest types. Different ordination analyses and statistical tests were used to represent differences between forest types in bryophyte composition, richness and functional traits. Almost 200 bryophyte species were identified in managed forests, with the most common being Hypnum cupressiforme, Brachytheciastrum velutinum and Polytrichum formosum. Bryophyte species composition varied considerably along the tree species com...
Beech (Fagru sylvatica L) coarse woody debris (CWD) was studied in two forest reserves in souther... more Beech (Fagru sylvatica L) coarse woody debris (CWD) was studied in two forest reserves in southern Slovenia: Krokar and Rajhenavski Rog. Each tee (from over 100 fees per reserve) (including snag ifrerruining, log and oown parts) was enumerated, descriM (decay phase (l=least deconposed to 6-most deconposed), diameters at different lengths (cm) le_nBth (m), contact with soil, bark, herbs, rross coverage (all in %), exposurc (sun, shaded)) urd rnapped and volume (m') calculated. For CWD ofdecay phas€s I to 3 (4) age-since{eath was studied using dendrochrolonory and conparisons to a standard dandrochronological sequence for ttre area. Sixty dead trees (82 logs and snags altogether) in Rajhanavski Rog from the ll3 fallen tsees were selected for C, N, S, P, K, pH, moisture and wood dorsity analysis. The total volume of beech CWD in the sanpled area in Rajhenavski Rog was 100 m3/ha and 192 m'/ha of silver fir CWD; for the sanpled area in Krokar the total beech CWD volume was 57 mlha and silver fir CWD 88 mlha. N, S and P concentations increased with decay phase, while C:N ratio declined. Age dependant decay cunes were produced for ,14 dated Fees. The expected tinre for decay beyond decay phase 4 was over 32 years.
It is expected that climate change as well as abiotic and anthropogenic disturbances will strongl... more It is expected that climate change as well as abiotic and anthropogenic disturbances will strongly influence temperate forests. Besides changes in the main climate variables, various disturbance factors may significantly worsen conditions for mesic Slovenian forests (SE Europe) dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European silver fir (Abies alba). In Slovenia, the climate has warmed in recent decades, with an average annual rate of increase of about 0.4°C per decade or even more than 0.5°C per decade in summer. In addition, disturbances have caused considerable damage to trees in the most extensive forest types in Slovenia, starting with a widespread ice storm in 2014, followed by bark beetle outbreaks, windthrows and salvage logging interventions. After 2014, salvage logging increased from about one third to two thirds of the total annual felling. Over the last two decades, we have observed a decline in Norway spruce growing stock, with the...
In four research complexes in the Kocevje region, the biodiversity of forest soil conditions and ... more In four research complexes in the Kocevje region, the biodiversity of forest soil conditions and vegetation have been studied. Two of them were in Dinaricfi r-beech forest (Omphalodo-Fagetum association) in the area of Kocevski Rog. Two complexes (Predinaric mountain beech forest of Lamio orvalae-Fagetum association and acidophilic beech forest of Blechno-Fagetum association) were selected south of Kocevje, near Kocevska Reka. The complexesconsisted of 11 objects in various site and stand conditions, and these of 60 research plots. In the fi rst three complexes established on limestones and dolomites, six soil units (Folic, Lithic, Eutric and Rendzic Leptosols, Eutric Cambisols and Haplic Luvisols) and nine humus groups of three humus forms were determined. In the forth complex formed on sandstones and claystones, only one soil unit (Dystric Cambisols) but seven humus groups of three humus forms were found. A total of 165 vascular plants and bryophytes were found. On research plots ...
Implementing forest management options for the Life project ManFor C.BD. Description of the test ... more Implementing forest management options for the Life project ManFor C.BD. Description of the test areas .......................................................................................................................... 40 Di Salvatore U., Becagli C., Bertini G., Cantiani P., Chiavetta U., Fabbio G., Ferretti F., Kobal M. , Kobler A., Kovač M. , Kutnar L., Sansone D., Skudnik M., Simončič P.
In the high-montane zone of the eastern Karavanke range and the eastern Kamnik-Savinja Alps of Sl... more In the high-montane zone of the eastern Karavanke range and the eastern Kamnik-Savinja Alps of Slovenia, the soil and vegetation conditions on nine representative plots in the Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) habitat were studied. The research was carried out on plots in different forest types within the Capercaillie leks, selected with regard to the different bedrock, exposure and level of forest degradation. By contrast to the well preserved beech forest, degradation processes in dystric soil on andesite tuff and gneiss of secondary spruce forest in the abandoned pastures were detected. In the forests on limestone and dolomite, the plant species diversity is much higher than in the forests on non-carbonate bedrock. On carbonate and non-carbonate bedrock, too, the level of preservation of forests (secondary forest in pastures vs. co-natural forests on permanent forest land) is significantly reflected in the floristic composition and vegetation structure.
Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compare... more Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compares drivers of both taxonomic, i.e., species richness, cover and evenness, and functional herb-layer diversity, i.e., the diversity of clonal, bud bank and leaf-height-seed plant traits. We investigated the dependence of herb-layer diversity on ecological determinants related to soil properties, climatic parameters, forest stand characteristics, and topographic and abiotic and biotic factors associated with forest floor structure. The study was conducted in different forest types in Slovenia, using vegetation and environmental data from 50 monitoring plots (400 m2 each) belonging to the ICP Forests Level I and II network. The main objective was to first identify significant ecological predictors and then quantify their relative importance. Species richness was strongly determined by forest stand characteristics, such as richness of the shrub layer, tree layer shade-casting ability as a pro...
Towards a better early detection and rapid response system against invasive alien species in fore... more Towards a better early detection and rapid response system against invasive alien species in forests.
In recent decades, the conservation of biodiversity has become one of the main areas under consid... more In recent decades, the conservation of biodiversity has become one of the main areas under consideration in managing forests in an ecologically sustainable way. Forest management practices are primary drivers of diversity and may enhance or decrease forest biodiversity, according to the measures applied (thinning options). We have focused on three beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests across a latitudinal gradient in Italy, characterised by different structures resulting from dissimilar management. We tested the short-term effects of differently-based silvicultural intervention vs. stands where no silvicultural practices were applied on biodiversity indicators and related proxies: deadwood amounts, microhabitat density, floristic richness and life form abundance. In each study area, the occurrence of the above indicators and proxies was evaluated before and after the implementation of crop tree thinning (CTT) and thinning from below (LT) methods, comparing them with control areas where no interventions were performed. After two years, the management options resulted in different responses of the investigated parameters. The CTT increased deadwood amounts in comparison with the LT ones, while stumps increased significantly after the LT thinning. Microhabitats increased significantly where intervention was not undertaken. On the contrary, they remained unaltered after the LT treatments. CTT thinning created favourable conditions for the development of microhabitats and their proliferation in the long term. Two years after the application of the CTT thinning treatment, all forest stands demonstrated a significant increase in their floristic richness and herb layer cover. Significant differences were also found in both the frequency and cover of life forms in relation to silvicultural treatment. These findings provide a better understanding of short-term effects of silvicultural treatment useful for maintaining biodiversity in mountain beech forests.
Pripravili smo Opozorilni seznam tujerodnih vrst za gozdove v Sloveniji, ki potencialno predstavl... more Pripravili smo Opozorilni seznam tujerodnih vrst za gozdove v Sloveniji, ki potencialno predstavljajo nevarnost za naše gozdove. Upoštevali smo glive, rastline, žuželke in sesalce, za katere po našem mnenju obstaja verjetnost, da se bodo v prihodnosti naselile v slovenskih gozdovih in povzročile ekološko in gospodarsko škodo. Pri izboru tujerodnih vrst smo upoštevali naslednje kriterije: 1. Habitat vrste vključuje tudi gozdni prostor. 2. Vrsta je v drugih državah s primerljivimi okoljskimi in podnebnimi razmerami že invazivna in jo tako v Sloveniji smatramo kot potencialno invazivno tujerodno vrsto. 3. Vrsta se že pojavlja v bližini Slovenije in zanjo obstaja verjetnost, da se razširijo na območje naše države. Pri rastlinah smo upoštevali tudi tiste vrste, ki so že prisotne v Sloveniji, vendar so njihove populacije majhne in lokalizirane in ocenjujemo, da jih je še mogoče povsem izkoreniti, zato je smiselno aktivno iskanje novih lokacij in hitro odzivanje ob njihovem odkritju. 4. Upoštevali smo tudi tiste gozdne vrste, ki so z Izvedbeno uredbo Komisije (EU) 2016/1141 o sprejetju seznama invazivnih tujerodnih vrst, ki zadevajo Unijo, v skladu z Uredbo (EU) št. 1143/2014 Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta vključene na seznam tujerodnih vrst, ki zadevajo Unijo. Za te vrste mora Slovenija skladno z Uredbo (EU) št. 1143/2014 o preprečevanju in obvladovanju vnosa in širjenja invazivnih tujerodnih vrst vzpostaviti zgodnjega obveščanja in hitrega odzivanja. Pri pripravi Opozorilnega seznama tujerodnih vrst smo pregledali relevantno strokovno literaturo in sezname ITV ter od strokovnjakov iz sosednjih držav pridobili aktualne podatke o ITV, ki so prisotne v njihovih državah in za katere obstaja velika verjetnost, da se razširijo v Slovenijo. Opozorilni seznam trenutno vključuje 12 vrst gliv, 51 vrst rastlin, 13 vrst žuželk in 7 vrst sesalcev. Glavne poti vnosov teh skupin ITV od najpomembnejše do najmanj pomembne vključujejo: pobeg iz ujetništva/vrtov, širjenje s transportom blaga, kot slepi potniki in namerna naselitev v naravo. Pobeg iz ujetništva/vrtov je značilen predvsem za rastline in sesalce. Glavne poti vnosov pri glivah in žuželkah so spontano širjenje, kot slepi potniki in širjenje s transportom blaga.
In this study, we analyse the growing stock of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its sha... more In this study, we analyse the growing stock of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its share in Slovenian forests. In addition, based on empirical model and climate change scenarios, we predict its distribution and share in the future. Black locust is the commonest non-native tree species in Slovenian forests. The current growing stock of black locust is near 0.6% of the total growing stock of our forests. This tree species has the highest share in forests of the Regional Unit of Murska Sobota and Regional Karst Area Unit (Sežana). Should the recent climate change scenarios, which all predict an increase in mean air temperature in the future, proved to be true, the share of the black locust' growing stock will increase gradually in the eastern, northeastern and southwestern parts of Slovenia. Higher share of this species can be expected also in the lowlands and hilly area of central Slovenia. According to the forecasts of the model, the black locust's growing stock could at least double in comparison with its present state by the end of the century. In such situation our forestry will be faced with even more difficulties associated with this invasive tree species. Through a more consistent implementation of the concepts of sustainability in forestry, the balance between this invasive alien species, which is less desirable in our forests, and its many benefits and interests of the forest owners needs to be found.
Bryophytes respond to a variety of environmental factors, including tree species composition and ... more Bryophytes respond to a variety of environmental factors, including tree species composition and geological conditions, which are influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Bryophytes growing on a variety of substrates were identified in ICP Forests monitoring plots in a wide range of close-to-nature managed forests, from lowland to high mountain areas in Slovenia. Based on data on tree layer composition (broadleaves vs. conifers) and on bedrock and soil type (calcareous vs. siliceous bedrock), all study plots were classified into five groups representing forest types. Different ordination analyses and statistical tests were used to represent differences between forest types in bryophyte composition, richness and functional traits. Almost 200 bryophyte species were identified in managed forests, with the most common being Hypnum cupressiforme, Brachytheciastrum velutinum and Polytrichum formosum. Bryophyte species composition varied considerably along the tree species com...
Beech (Fagru sylvatica L) coarse woody debris (CWD) was studied in two forest reserves in souther... more Beech (Fagru sylvatica L) coarse woody debris (CWD) was studied in two forest reserves in southern Slovenia: Krokar and Rajhenavski Rog. Each tee (from over 100 fees per reserve) (including snag ifrerruining, log and oown parts) was enumerated, descriM (decay phase (l=least deconposed to 6-most deconposed), diameters at different lengths (cm) le_nBth (m), contact with soil, bark, herbs, rross coverage (all in %), exposurc (sun, shaded)) urd rnapped and volume (m') calculated. For CWD ofdecay phas€s I to 3 (4) age-since{eath was studied using dendrochrolonory and conparisons to a standard dandrochronological sequence for ttre area. Sixty dead trees (82 logs and snags altogether) in Rajhanavski Rog from the ll3 fallen tsees were selected for C, N, S, P, K, pH, moisture and wood dorsity analysis. The total volume of beech CWD in the sanpled area in Rajhenavski Rog was 100 m3/ha and 192 m'/ha of silver fir CWD; for the sanpled area in Krokar the total beech CWD volume was 57 mlha and silver fir CWD 88 mlha. N, S and P concentations increased with decay phase, while C:N ratio declined. Age dependant decay cunes were produced for ,14 dated Fees. The expected tinre for decay beyond decay phase 4 was over 32 years.
It is expected that climate change as well as abiotic and anthropogenic disturbances will strongl... more It is expected that climate change as well as abiotic and anthropogenic disturbances will strongly influence temperate forests. Besides changes in the main climate variables, various disturbance factors may significantly worsen conditions for mesic Slovenian forests (SE Europe) dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European silver fir (Abies alba). In Slovenia, the climate has warmed in recent decades, with an average annual rate of increase of about 0.4°C per decade or even more than 0.5°C per decade in summer. In addition, disturbances have caused considerable damage to trees in the most extensive forest types in Slovenia, starting with a widespread ice storm in 2014, followed by bark beetle outbreaks, windthrows and salvage logging interventions. After 2014, salvage logging increased from about one third to two thirds of the total annual felling. Over the last two decades, we have observed a decline in Norway spruce growing stock, with the...
In four research complexes in the Kocevje region, the biodiversity of forest soil conditions and ... more In four research complexes in the Kocevje region, the biodiversity of forest soil conditions and vegetation have been studied. Two of them were in Dinaricfi r-beech forest (Omphalodo-Fagetum association) in the area of Kocevski Rog. Two complexes (Predinaric mountain beech forest of Lamio orvalae-Fagetum association and acidophilic beech forest of Blechno-Fagetum association) were selected south of Kocevje, near Kocevska Reka. The complexesconsisted of 11 objects in various site and stand conditions, and these of 60 research plots. In the fi rst three complexes established on limestones and dolomites, six soil units (Folic, Lithic, Eutric and Rendzic Leptosols, Eutric Cambisols and Haplic Luvisols) and nine humus groups of three humus forms were determined. In the forth complex formed on sandstones and claystones, only one soil unit (Dystric Cambisols) but seven humus groups of three humus forms were found. A total of 165 vascular plants and bryophytes were found. On research plots ...
Implementing forest management options for the Life project ManFor C.BD. Description of the test ... more Implementing forest management options for the Life project ManFor C.BD. Description of the test areas .......................................................................................................................... 40 Di Salvatore U., Becagli C., Bertini G., Cantiani P., Chiavetta U., Fabbio G., Ferretti F., Kobal M. , Kobler A., Kovač M. , Kutnar L., Sansone D., Skudnik M., Simončič P.
In the high-montane zone of the eastern Karavanke range and the eastern Kamnik-Savinja Alps of Sl... more In the high-montane zone of the eastern Karavanke range and the eastern Kamnik-Savinja Alps of Slovenia, the soil and vegetation conditions on nine representative plots in the Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) habitat were studied. The research was carried out on plots in different forest types within the Capercaillie leks, selected with regard to the different bedrock, exposure and level of forest degradation. By contrast to the well preserved beech forest, degradation processes in dystric soil on andesite tuff and gneiss of secondary spruce forest in the abandoned pastures were detected. In the forests on limestone and dolomite, the plant species diversity is much higher than in the forests on non-carbonate bedrock. On carbonate and non-carbonate bedrock, too, the level of preservation of forests (secondary forest in pastures vs. co-natural forests on permanent forest land) is significantly reflected in the floristic composition and vegetation structure.
Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compare... more Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compares drivers of both taxonomic, i.e., species richness, cover and evenness, and functional herb-layer diversity, i.e., the diversity of clonal, bud bank and leaf-height-seed plant traits. We investigated the dependence of herb-layer diversity on ecological determinants related to soil properties, climatic parameters, forest stand characteristics, and topographic and abiotic and biotic factors associated with forest floor structure. The study was conducted in different forest types in Slovenia, using vegetation and environmental data from 50 monitoring plots (400 m2 each) belonging to the ICP Forests Level I and II network. The main objective was to first identify significant ecological predictors and then quantify their relative importance. Species richness was strongly determined by forest stand characteristics, such as richness of the shrub layer, tree layer shade-casting ability as a pro...
Towards a better early detection and rapid response system against invasive alien species in fore... more Towards a better early detection and rapid response system against invasive alien species in forests.
In recent decades, the conservation of biodiversity has become one of the main areas under consid... more In recent decades, the conservation of biodiversity has become one of the main areas under consideration in managing forests in an ecologically sustainable way. Forest management practices are primary drivers of diversity and may enhance or decrease forest biodiversity, according to the measures applied (thinning options). We have focused on three beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests across a latitudinal gradient in Italy, characterised by different structures resulting from dissimilar management. We tested the short-term effects of differently-based silvicultural intervention vs. stands where no silvicultural practices were applied on biodiversity indicators and related proxies: deadwood amounts, microhabitat density, floristic richness and life form abundance. In each study area, the occurrence of the above indicators and proxies was evaluated before and after the implementation of crop tree thinning (CTT) and thinning from below (LT) methods, comparing them with control areas where no interventions were performed. After two years, the management options resulted in different responses of the investigated parameters. The CTT increased deadwood amounts in comparison with the LT ones, while stumps increased significantly after the LT thinning. Microhabitats increased significantly where intervention was not undertaken. On the contrary, they remained unaltered after the LT treatments. CTT thinning created favourable conditions for the development of microhabitats and their proliferation in the long term. Two years after the application of the CTT thinning treatment, all forest stands demonstrated a significant increase in their floristic richness and herb layer cover. Significant differences were also found in both the frequency and cover of life forms in relation to silvicultural treatment. These findings provide a better understanding of short-term effects of silvicultural treatment useful for maintaining biodiversity in mountain beech forests.
Pripravili smo Opozorilni seznam tujerodnih vrst za gozdove v Sloveniji, ki potencialno predstavl... more Pripravili smo Opozorilni seznam tujerodnih vrst za gozdove v Sloveniji, ki potencialno predstavljajo nevarnost za naše gozdove. Upoštevali smo glive, rastline, žuželke in sesalce, za katere po našem mnenju obstaja verjetnost, da se bodo v prihodnosti naselile v slovenskih gozdovih in povzročile ekološko in gospodarsko škodo. Pri izboru tujerodnih vrst smo upoštevali naslednje kriterije: 1. Habitat vrste vključuje tudi gozdni prostor. 2. Vrsta je v drugih državah s primerljivimi okoljskimi in podnebnimi razmerami že invazivna in jo tako v Sloveniji smatramo kot potencialno invazivno tujerodno vrsto. 3. Vrsta se že pojavlja v bližini Slovenije in zanjo obstaja verjetnost, da se razširijo na območje naše države. Pri rastlinah smo upoštevali tudi tiste vrste, ki so že prisotne v Sloveniji, vendar so njihove populacije majhne in lokalizirane in ocenjujemo, da jih je še mogoče povsem izkoreniti, zato je smiselno aktivno iskanje novih lokacij in hitro odzivanje ob njihovem odkritju. 4. Upoštevali smo tudi tiste gozdne vrste, ki so z Izvedbeno uredbo Komisije (EU) 2016/1141 o sprejetju seznama invazivnih tujerodnih vrst, ki zadevajo Unijo, v skladu z Uredbo (EU) št. 1143/2014 Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta vključene na seznam tujerodnih vrst, ki zadevajo Unijo. Za te vrste mora Slovenija skladno z Uredbo (EU) št. 1143/2014 o preprečevanju in obvladovanju vnosa in širjenja invazivnih tujerodnih vrst vzpostaviti zgodnjega obveščanja in hitrega odzivanja. Pri pripravi Opozorilnega seznama tujerodnih vrst smo pregledali relevantno strokovno literaturo in sezname ITV ter od strokovnjakov iz sosednjih držav pridobili aktualne podatke o ITV, ki so prisotne v njihovih državah in za katere obstaja velika verjetnost, da se razširijo v Slovenijo. Opozorilni seznam trenutno vključuje 12 vrst gliv, 51 vrst rastlin, 13 vrst žuželk in 7 vrst sesalcev. Glavne poti vnosov teh skupin ITV od najpomembnejše do najmanj pomembne vključujejo: pobeg iz ujetništva/vrtov, širjenje s transportom blaga, kot slepi potniki in namerna naselitev v naravo. Pobeg iz ujetništva/vrtov je značilen predvsem za rastline in sesalce. Glavne poti vnosov pri glivah in žuželkah so spontano širjenje, kot slepi potniki in širjenje s transportom blaga.
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