Forest science

Summarization of the potential of introskeletal erosion (ISE) was done on the basis of field surveys in the Šumava Mts., Krkonoše Mts. and Jeseníky Mts. areas. The results give a rough estimation of the ISE extent in mountain forests of the Czech Republic. They indicate that in the mountainous areas of the Czech Republic there are 46,535 ha of forest lands endangered by these processes, which represents 10.1% of mountain forests and 1.7% of the total forest area in the country. The worst situation is in the Krkonoše Mts., where the considerable ISE potential is on 30.5% of forest area (in the Jeseníky Mts. 16.6%, in the Novohradské hory Mts. 13.3%, in the Šumava Mts. 8.2%). Because these areas are relevant production and water protection areas, the ISE processes have to be studied carefully and forest lands have to be protected, also using special technologies for forest protection and restoration.

Repeated oak decline and mortality events have occurred in the Ozark region for decades and probably longer. We sampled an age sequence of 1,259 black and scarlet oaks (Quercus velutina Lam. and Quercus coccinea Muench.) to better describe the process of oak decline and mortality in the red oak group (subgenera Erythrobalanus). Trend in basal area increment (BAI) over the most recent 40 years was used to establish three vigor classes for trees with decreasing, stable, or increasing growth (Declining, Stable, or Healthy). We compared crown condition measures with absolute BAI and boundary line BAI, a measure of radial growth adjusted for tree size. A pulse of mortality was found to occur just subsequent to the most recent drought, although decline often started decades previously. Time series of individual tree BAI suggests that half of all oak decline events were incited by one or two drought-related step-changes in growth and variance. Predisposing factors to decline generally showed significant but weak relationships with crown conditions. Surviving oaks growing in high-mortality stands had poorer crown conditions and grew more slowly than trees in low-mortality stands. When recently dead trees were accounted for, the same high-mortality stands had significantly greater predecline basal area and stocking than low-mortality stands. Thus, a less competitive growth environment may afford some buffer to drought stress before oak decline but does not appear to help afflicted stands improve their growth and vigor. FOR. SCI. 54(1):8 -20.

In Slovakia the topic of socially responsible business has been little reviewed and described, both theoretically and practically. The article highlights the differences in the definition and characteristics of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as published by several domestic and foreign authors. Not less significant is the added value of a practical design of the CSR implementation model for forest management, as well as its measurement, evaluation and reporting tools.

The generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) uses both: two-dimensional functions of explicit time and two-dimensional functions of explicit site to derive a single dynamic equation that is a three-dimensional function of explicit time and implicit site. In 2004 Cieszewski advanced dynamic site equations with polymorphism, and variable asymptotes (Cieszewski, C.J. 2004. GADA derivation of dynamic site equations with polymorphism and variable asymptotes from Richards, Weibull, and other exponential functions. PMRC Tech. Rep. 2004-5, p. 16.) were built with GADA using one general function of time T and two general functions of site X. The function of time is the exponential function Y = MTb , and the functions of site are the quadratic function Z = b1 + b2X + b3X 2 and the inverse half-saturation function Z = b1 + b2/(X + b3). We discuss the new dynamic equations based on five exponential substitutions (Richards, Gompertz, Korf, logistic, and log-logistic) and one new logarith...

The shape of various segments of tree boles approximate different geometric solids. The lower bole portion is generally assumed to be a neiloid frustum, the middle a paraboloid frustum, and the upper portion a cone. To describe stem taper throughout the bole, a set of submodels can be used. When these submodels are taken to be polynomial models, the techniques of segmented polynomial regression can be applied. Data from plantation and natural stands of loblolly pine were used as examples to compare three segmented polynomial regression models and a previously proposed single quadratic model for ability to describe tree taper. Results of hypothesis tests and analyses with an independent data set showed the segmented polynomial regression models with three submodels to be the best model tested for predicting taper in loblolly pines. Forest Sei. 22:

This study was carried out in Gana Resettlement and Integrated Development (GRID) Project as a pioneer model for Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) in Sabah, Malaysia. The GRID project is developed to improve community livelihood as well as to promote community involvement in CBFM and at the same time to lessen community encroachment and traditional farming practices inside the forest conservation area. The objectives of this study are: (i) to identify the dependency of local community on forest resources; (ii) to examine local community’s roles in conserving forest resources and, (iii) to analyze their views on GRID project in conserving forest. Interviews were conducted with randomly selected 130 households at the GRID project using semi structured questionnaires comprising closed and open-ended questions. The study reveals that community dependency on forest resources have lessened after the resettlement of the GRID project. The community shows positive perspective on their...

Micropropagation is an alternative mean of propagation that can be employed in mass multiplication of plants in relatively shorter time. Recent modern techniques of propagation have been developed which could facilitate large scale production of true-to-type plants and for the improvement of the species using genetic engineering techniques in the next century. An overview on the in vitro propagation via meristem culture, regeneration via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis is presented. The usefulness of the plants in commercial industry as well as propagation techniques, screening for various useful characteristics and the influence of different cultural conditions in the multiplication, rooting and acclimatization phases on the growth of tissue cultured plant discussed.

Although natural regeneration is often the best method for establishing new oak (Quercus spp.) stands, there are increasingly more situations in which high potential for oak regeneration failure dictates the use of artificial regeneration including direct seeding and planting seedlings. Additionally, afforestation planting programs frequently incorporate oak species. Artificial regeneration of oak stands is challenging for numerous reasons. In this article we synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding growing and planting the major oak species in the eastern United States, point out critical research gaps, and provide some general growing, planting, and stand tending guidelines and recommendations. Adequate site preparation, careful planting of healthy, genetically adapted seed or seedlings of high morphological and physiological quality, and subsequent control of competing vegetation and browse damage are necessary actions to assure regeneration success. Oak seedling survi...

An exploratory study was conducted in Gopalganj, a southern district of Bangladesh to explore the role of wild date palm (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.) husbandry in the rural economy. A total of 36 households in the study area were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. A multistage sampling method with 10% intensity and a semi-structured questionnaire were used for the study. Based on the land holding capacity of the households, the farmers were categorized into five groups as landless, marginal, small, medium, and large. The date palm was distributed over seven different habitats of which roadside support the highest value (31%) followed by agricultural field and orchard (25% each). Though the large category farmers own most of the palms (43%), a considerable portion (562 individuals out of 1980) of it is managed by the landless farmers, who earn a substantial livelihood from the palms. The farmers manage the palm mainly for juice production; juice is either used fresh as drink or after some sort of processing as molasses and/or alcoholic beverage. Date palm husbandry contributes 32,601 Tk., 21,107 Tk., 20,626 Tk., 29,574 Tk. and 35,335 Tk. respectively to the five group seasonally and 50,980 Tk., 77,556 Tk., 90,208 Tk., 112,560 Tk., 140,675 Tk. respectively annually (1 US$ = 70 Tk.). Date palm trees contribute 65.48% of mean annual income to landless farmers followed by 27.21% to marginal farmers. However the poor marketing system result in decreasing the annual return from palm trees. Palm husbandry could be a promising source of rural incomes in Bangladesh if the farmers' traditional management knowledge was linked to more scientific management practices.

Abstract: Tropical forests may have many species, indeterminate ages, and a wide range of growth habits and stem sizes and thus require special modeling techniques. But technique contributes only part of model quality, and much depends on the calibration data and access to the model. Whole stand models have limited utility in these forests, as it is hard to describe the forest adequately with few stand-level variables. Stand table projection and matrix models may be useful where summarized data are available and computer resources are ...

Oak cover types comprise half of the forestlands in the eastern United States. There is a great desire to sustain these highly valued forests. Unfortunately, reports of the successional replacement of oak are all too common, as they are throughout the world. Sustaining the oak resource requires the ability to both regenerate and recruit oak into the overstory as dominant mature trees. Too often these two critical processes are disconnected in oak management, thwarting the best of intentions to sustain oak. Restoring and sustaining oak forests require active management and long-term commitment. Climate change, high deer populations, invasive species, and social constraints can complicate oak management. Despite these challenges, we have sufficient knowledge to be successful in our efforts despite an uncertain future. Forest landscapes are too homogeneous today and may cause a bottleneck in oak regeneration as mature forests become old-growth. Management is needed to diversify the landscape and create a more balanced age structure that has the capacity to naturally regenerate oak. Landscape diversity is also desired to combat the myriad of forest threats and future uncertainty. Getting private landowners and public managers to manage for oak is key to changing landscapes and ensuring a quality oak resource.

Management issues tangled sandalwood in East Nusa Tenggara is always attached to the
wrong government policies and public apathy to replant sandalwood plants. Though there are
other actors who are concerned with the sandalwood market/entrepreneur, given the sandalwood
is economically valuable commodity. Therefore, the involvement of market/business
management program sandalwood also an important role.
The role of research institutions in the development of sandalwood plants through the
discovery of technology packages which are easy to implement and reliable success in the field,
deciding research priorities and new discoveries and breakthroughs that can increase the economic
value of sandalwood.

The fire-oak hypothesis asserts that the current lack of fire is a reason behind the widespread oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration difficulties of eastern North America, and use of prescribed burning can help solve this problem. We performed a meta-analysis on the data from 32 prescribed fire studies conducted in mixed-oak forests to test whether they supported the latter assertion. Overall, the results suggested that prescribed fire can contribute to sustaining oak forests in some situations, and we identified several factors key to its successful use. Prescribed fire reduced midstory stem density, although this reduction was concentrated in the smaller-diameter stems. Prescribed fire preferentially selected for oak reproduction and against mesophytic hardwood reproduction, but this difference did not translate to an increase in the relative abundance of oak in the advance regeneration pool. Fire equalized the height growth rates of the two species groups. Establishment of new oak seedlings tended to be greater in burned areas than in unburned areas. Generally, prescribed burning provided the most benefit to oak reproduction when the fires occurred during the growing season and several years after a substantial reduction in overstory density. Single fires conducted in closed-canopy stands had little impact in the short term, but multiple burns eventually did benefit oaks in the long term, especially when followed by a canopy disturbance. Finally, we identify several future research needs from our review and synthesis of the fire-oak literature. FOR. SCI. 59 :322-334.

There are distinct relationships among the anatomy of wood, the morphology of leaves, and the climate in which woody plants are growing. The relationships between leaf morphological characters and climate have been known for many years, but wood characters as climate indicators are less well studied. In this article, we use measurements of wood anatomy and leaf morphology from woody

Over a decade of research on market orientation has produced many insights into the market orientation-performance relationship. More recently, researchers have begun to incorporate other strategic phenomena into their market orientation work. We build on this growing knowledge base by investigating the mediating role of firm strategy on the market orientation-firm performance connection. Findings show that market orientation has a positive impact on all forms of firm strategy (i.e., customer differentiation, product differentiation, channel differentiation, and overall low cost). However, only a channel differentiation strategy in combination with a market orientation produced a positive impact on firm performance. In contrast, a low cost strategy had a positive impact on firm performance in the absence of a market orientation. FOR. SCI. 52 : 209 -220.

The principal study objective was to explore the feasibility of using smallfootprint lidar data and multispectral imagery to estimate forest volume and biomass on small (0.017-ha) plots. In addition, the spatial dependency of residuals between ground-measured and lidar-estimated variables was investigated. The lidar data set was acquired over deciduous and pine stands in the southeastern United States. Individual trees were identified on the lidar-derived canopy height model by local maximum focal filtering with both square and circular windows of variable size. The size of the dynamically varying window was based on the height of the canopy and the taxonomic group as derived from coregistered multispectral optical data. Lidar-measured parameters at an individual tree level (height, crown diameter) were used with regression models and cross validation to estimate plot-level field inventory data, including volume, biomass, basal area, and diameter at breast height (dbh). Maximum R 2 values for estimating biomass were 0.32 for deciduous trees (RMSE 44 Mg/ha) and 0.82 for pines (RMSE 29 Mg/ha). When estimating volume, maximum R 2 values for deciduous trees were 0.39 (RMSE 52.84 m 3 /ha) and 0.83 for pines (RMSE 47.9 m 3 /ha). Calculation of Moran's I coefficient for each regression model revealed a lack of significant autocorellation of the residuals at 0.05 level. Both model fit and prediction for volume and biomass models for deciduous and pine plots indicated that the circular window shape is more appropriate to locate individual trees with lidar. Using the fused data set, lidar and optical imagery, as opposed to using lidar data alone, always improved biomass and volume estimates for pines and in some cases for deciduous plots as well. FOR. SCI. 50(4):551-565.

Aboveground deadwood, consisting of downed woody debris (DWD), snags, and stumps, is an important component of boreal forest ecosystem structure. Accurate deadwood density estimates are essential for evaluating ecosystem biomass and carbon stocks. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between deadwood density, tree species, and decay status, identified in the field by morphological characteristics. We sampled DWD, snags, and stumps of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.), and balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) in the boreal forest of central Canada. A total of 240 samples (99 DWD, 94 snags, and 47 stumps) were collected. Decay class and tree species explained Ͼ80% of the variation in wood density of all deadwood types. Wood density decreased consistently from the lowest to the highest decay class. Tree species identity was also important in determining the relationships between wood density and fieldassigned decay class for snags and stumps, but not for DWD, probably because of the five-class system used for DWD, rather than the three-class system used for snags and stumps. These results indicate that decay class and tree species are adequate predictors of deadwood density. FOR. SCI. 59(3):261-266.

The spatial pattern of forest fire locations is important in the study of the dynamics of fire disturbance. In this article we used a spatial point process modeling approach to quantitatively study the effects of land cover, topography, roads, municipalities, ownership, and population density on fire occurrence reported between 1970 and 2002 in the Missouri Ozark Highland forests, where more than 90% of fires are humancaused. We used the AIC (Akaike information criterion) method to select an appropriate inhomogeneous Poisson process model to best fit to the data. The fitted model was diagnosed using residual analysis as well. Our results showed that fire locations were spatially clustered, and high fire occurrence probability was found in areas that (1) were public land, (2) within 6 km to 17 km of municipalities, and (3) Ͻ500 m from roads where forests are accessible to humans. In addition, fire occurrence probability was higher in pine-oak forests on moderate (Ͻ25 degree) slopes and xeric aspects and at higher (Ͼ270 m) elevations, reflecting the effects of natural factors on fire occurrence. The results serve as a provisional hypothesis for expanding fire risk estimation to surrounding areas. The spatial scale of analysis (approximately 1 ha) provides new information to guide planning and risk reduction efforts. FOR. SCI. 53(1):1-15.

The Max and Burkhart segmented taper equation was fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling techniques to account for within-and between-individual variation in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stem profiles. Within-and between-tree residual variances and spatial autocorrelation between residuals were incorporated in the model with an error variance function and a continuous autocorrelation structure, respectively. However, most of the residual autocorrelation was accounted for by including random effects. Upper stem diameter measurements were used to estimate random effects parameters using an approximate Bayesian estimator, which localized stem profile curves for individual trees. The procedure was tested with an independent data set. Measures of precision and bias showed that upper stem diameter measurements and subsequent estimates of random effects improved the predictive capability of the taper equation mainly in the lower portion of the bole. The method can localize stem curves for trees growing under different site and management conditions. It also represents a general framework that can be applied to other taper equation forms, increasing their flexibility and efficiency in prediction for local conditions. FOR. SCI. 52(6):670 -682.

The possibility of employing biomass of Salix viminalis cv. Q683 as a resource of bio-energy was evaluated. The chemical analysis of S. viminalis cv. Q683 leaf biomass showed components such as, extractives (2.57%), lignin (39.06%), hemicellulose (21.61%), and cellulose (37.83%), whereas, its stem was composed of extractives (1.67%), lignin (23.54%), hemicellulose (33.64%), and cellulose (42.03%). The biomass of S. viminalis cv. Q683 was saccharified using two enzymes celluclast and viscozyme. The saccharification of S. viminalis cv. Q683 ...

This review focuses on the development of naturally occurring spatial and temporal variations in tree water relations and illustrates how the various components of a tree's hydraulic system interrelate. In developing this review, emphasis is given to mature forest-grown trees. Specifically, three points are developed: (1) the spatial variation of total water potential within a tree, (2) the state of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum which causes these potentials, and (3) the tree properties which lead to the internal adjustment of total water potential. While examining tree water status as it is related to the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, several deficiencies in current knowledge are revealed. For example, tissue capacitance has generally been ignored in describing waterflow even though it is known that internally stored water can supply as much as 15 percent of the total amount of water transpired during the summer. Over a 3-month, summer period a mature conifer may trans...

Air quality in Nur-Sultan, the fast-growing new capital city of Kazakhstan, has been poorly investigated. This research was carried in Kerey and Janibek Khans Park in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan, which is affected by “different traffic density” on the roads. Three different categories of contamination (i) high pollution (distance from the main road 10–15 m), (ii) moderate pollution (distance from the side road 15–30 m), and (iii) low pollution (distance from the source of contamination 30–80 m) at different levels resulting from urban transportation were examined. The aim of the study is to determine the pollution accumulation amounts of Ni, Cd, Pb, Cr, Li, Co, Fe, and Zn in five different tree species: Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ H. Karst.), blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.,), Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). Significant differences in Ni, Cd, Pb, Cr, Li, Co, Fe, and Zn accumulatio...

The present study was undertaken in middle altitudinal (1500 to 2500 masl) moist temperate forest of Mandal-Chopta area in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The aim of the present study was to assess the variation in species composition and diversity in different vegetation layers viz. herb, shrub and tree, at different altitudes. Shannon-Wiener diversity index (   ), Nha -1 , total basal cover per hectare (G), Simpson concentration of dominance, Pielou Equitability, species richness (SR), Margalef index, Menheink index of species richness and β-diversity were calculated to understand community composition. Tree G ranged from 84.25 to 35.08 m 2 ha -1 and total stem density varied from 990 to 1470 Nha -1 . Total SR (herb, shrub and trees) among different forest types ranged between 31 and 58. Maximum G of herb and shrub layers was recorded at lower altitudes between 1500 and 1650 masl. β-diversity was higher in herb layers as compared to tree and shrub layers. Dominance-diversity curves were also drawn to ascertain resource apportionment among various species in different forest types. Values of species diversity,   , Nha -1 and G were higher in the study area as compared to similar forests growing in other parts of Uttarakhand Himalaya.

The present study was undertaken in moist temperate forest of Mandal-Chopta area in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The aim of the present study was to assess the physical properties of soils in relation to the forest structure and composition. Twelve forest types according to the altitude, slope aspect and species compositions were selected for the study. Physical properties of soil i.e., soil colour, soil texture (per cent of sand, silt and clay), moisture content, water holding capacity, porosity, bulk density (gm/cm 3 ) and void ratio were analyzed for three different depths viz., (i) 'upper' (0-10 cm), (ii) 'middle' (11-30 cm) and (iii) 'lower' (31-60 cm) in all the selected forest types. Phytosociological and diversity parameters viz. total basal cover (Gha -1 ), stem density (Nha -1 ), tree species richness, Simpson concentration of dominance and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were also calculated for each forest type. This study also provides the comparisons between the results of physical analysis of the present study with numerous other previous studies in the temperate Himalayan region of the Uttarakhand.

Oak advance regeneration and stump sprouts were studied during a 2- to 3-year period after clear felling and whole-tree removal in ten midslope stands in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province of southwest Virginia. Site quality ranged from poor (oak site index 8-16 m, base age 50) to medium (site index 17-22 m). Chestnut oak was the dominant oak species in most pre-harvest stands. Two years after clear felling, chestnut oak also had a higher density of advance regeneration, a higher frequency of stump sprouting, and greater sprout growth per stump than scarlet or black oak. However, shoot growth of advance regeneration following clear felling did not differ among oak species after correcting for initial stem size and vigor. Both height increase and diameter growth of oak advance regeneration during the 2-year post-harvest period were significantly greater on medium sites than on poor sites, and stump sprouts were taller on medium sites. Regression equations for predicting 2-ye...

Compatible equations for predicting cubic volume and basal area growth were developed by simultaneously estimating the coefficients in both models. The simultaneous estimation procedure gave stable estimates for the basal area projection equation regardless of the merchantability definitions imposed in the volume projection equation. Prediction equations were fitted using the simultaneous estimation procedure with growth data from thinned loblolly pine plantations established on' old-field sites in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Virginia. FOREST SCI. 30:86-93. ADDITIONAL KEY WORDS. Yield, mensuration, regression analysis, simultaneous estimation, Pinus taeda.

Extensive forest areas were ameliorated by large-scale liming in the last years in order to prevent proceeding acidification and degradation of forest soils. The hitherto knowledge of liming effects on the function of forest soils still appears insufficient for an unambiguous evaluation. Sorption properties of soils and acidity are favourably affected by liming and the favourable effect is usually manifested in the layer of forest floor humus and in mineral soil within ten years. Reduction of soil acidity stimulates development of a bacterial component of microflora, soil edaphon, and good prerequisites are formed for a release of nutrients from soil organic matter. Improvement of some physical parameters of soils and negative effect of liming on the depth of rooting in spruce, availability of nutrients at some sites and in connection with mechanical soil preparation were also described. A key point of liming effect on forest soils is nitrogen dynamics. Mineralization of nitrogen is...

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between tree height, bole slenderness, and relative density with crown shyness (crown interstitial space) in even-aged lodgepole pine. In 10 lodgepole pine stands in Alberta, Canada, ranging in height from 5.6 to 22.1 m, 9 -23 triangular plots were established. A plot consisted of three trees that formed the corners

Abstract: Resistance breeding of the native elms against Dutch elm disease, caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier, is a major objective in Europe for the conservation of this tree species. More than 2,500 cuttings of 324 elm clones (Ulmus minor Miller, U. glabra Huds., ...

Understanding the various processes and relationships that take place in forest ecosystems is generally possible only through long-term observations. This is especially true of the biological production of forests, through the in-depth exploration of their structure. In Hungary the black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is one of the most valuable exotic tree species, mainly because of its very valuable wood, with fine tissues and unique colour, for furniture industry. Generally, the species is established by manual seeding, and can also be regenerated well by coppice shoots, but not by natural seeding. Black walnut regularly produces seeds from the age of 25–30 years and its rotation age is 70–80 years. It is also used outside forests due to the very decorative stem and crown shapes. In this paper, out of the stand structure factors, the relationships between age and height (r2 = 0.7205), age and diameter (r2 = 0.7719), age and number of stems per ha (r2 = 0.3485) as well as between diame...

Variations in seasonal responses in water relations and total carbohydrate content (TCC) in one-yearold shoots from precommercially thinned (PCT) and unthinned Anatolian black pine stands were assessed during three seasons (sampling in May, July and September) in 2015–2017. Three different treatments were established: unthinned control with 4 941 stems·ha–1 and two thinned spacing levels (2–2.5 and 3–3.5 m) where 2 133 stems·ha–1 and 1 093 stems·ha–1 were left, respectively. Differences in osmotic potential at turgor loss point (ΨπTLP) between the thinned and unthinned plots appeared only during a water shortage (September) in the second season, with the thinned stands showing lower ΨπTLP than the unthinned stands. Seasonal variation in terms of ΨπTLP was detected in the 3–3.5 m spacing trees. PCT were effective on osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψπ100), relative water content (RWC), symplastic water at saturated point per dry weight of the shoot and dry weight fraction. In both t...

Determining effects of clear-cutting on base cations and micronutrients is essential for ensuring the sustainability of forestry for biofuels and wood products. The objective of this study was to quantify long-term changes in forest floor and mineral soil base cations (Ca, Mg, and K) and micronutrient (Mn, Zn, and Cu) concentrations and pools following clear-cutting in forests aged 1–120 years. We studied forest soils along three clear-cut chronosequences located in the Adirondack Ecological Center in Newcomb, NY, Bartlett Experimental Forest in Bartlett, NH, and Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA. We utilized a strong-acid extraction to quantify base cations and micronutrient concentrations and pools, which may better assess nutrients over the chronosequences than the conventional exchangeable extraction. Generalized linear mixed-effect models (GLMMs) show forest floor and mineral soil Ca, Mg, Mn, and Cu concentrations and pools decreased with increasing forest age across the three study areas. Potassium and Zn concentrations and pools were not significantly different with stand age and neither did soil C and N pools and pH using GLMMs. We calculated that 32–67% of the Ca pool decrease can be attributed to uptake by regenerating vegetation but only 0.02–9% of Mg, Mn, and Cu after harvest. Thus, leaching was likely to the dominant loss process for Mg, Mn, and Cu following clear-cutting. Our results suggest nutrient pools decreased for over a century following clear-cutting, but it is unclear if this will impact plant growth.

Young longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) plantations provide an important starting point for restoration of longleaf pine ecosystems in the southeastern United States, with management goals often emphasizing restoration of vegetation composition and structure, as well as reestablishment of important ecological processes such as fire. We evaluated the influence of seasonal prescribed fire and overstory density on vegetation structure across overstory, midstory, and understory vegetation strata of a 23-year-old longleaf pine plantation in west-central Georgia. After three prescribed fire cycles through 8 years, we found significantly fewer broad-leaved woody stems in the midstory on both winter-and summer-burned plots compared to unburned plots, as well as fourfold greater herbaceous vegetation cover on burned plots compared to unburned plots. While we predicted that summer burning may be more important in controlling woody plants on low-density overstory plots compared to high-density plots, we found no meaningful interactions between fire seasonality and overstory density. Reductions in litter cover via prescribed fire appeared to be an important mechanism regulating herbaceous vegetation, suggesting that restoration should emphasize management of the forest floor to reduce litter cover and enhance opportunities for herbaceous plant establishment.

Regenerating oaks (Quercus spp.) has remained a widespread and persistent problem throughout their natural range. Research shows that abundant oak advance reproduction is crucial for success. Although it is recognized that oak advance reproduction accumulation is inversely related to site quality, there has been little effort to model oak advance reproduction density as a function of measured levels of light, water, or nutrient supply. The objective of this study was to determine whether oak advance reproduction could be modeled and mapped with site variables. The study was conducted on the Sinkin Experimental Forest in southeastern Missouri in 20 5-ha experimental units. Vegetation and site data were collected in 120 0.5-ha circular plots with nested subplots for the inventory of the midstory (0.01 ha) and reproduction (0.004 ha). Site variables included soil available water capacity, pH, photosynthetically active radiation in the understory, forest stocking, terrain shape, and slope-aspect. Oak advance reproduction abundance was related to soil acidity and available water capacity and to other site information such as slope-aspect. Models for the red oak group species generally exhibited better fit than those for the white oaks. There also was evidence that estimates of soil acidity and available water capacity can be obtained from the SSURGO database and used in these oak advance reproduction models along with other site information to generate maps of estimated oak reproduction densities. These maps could be used for planning silvicultural interventions to increase the abundance and size of oak advance reproduction before forest regeneration.

The importance of a diverse resource base to competitiveness of firms has been emphasized in resource-based view (RBV) literature and empirical studies done on various industries. Despite this emphasis, resource assessment methodologies within the RBV framework have been seldom approached, and the relative importance of different resources for business operations is not well understood. The data of the study were collected among large-and medium-sized sawmills within the Finnish forest industry. The objective of this study was to assess within the RBV framework the importance of tangible and intangible resources in business operations of sawmills. This was accomplished by introducing a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) method suitable for practical resource assessment. According to the results, personnel, managerial, raw material, and financial resources were the most crucial for sawmills. In the future, applying the MCDA to resource assessments could be combined, e.g., with a financial statement analysis to evaluate the effects of resource usage decisions on business performance. FOR. SCI. 54(6):607-616.

Soil properties can be affected by heavy equipment used for skidding but these impacts vary greatly with site conditions and operational practices. We assessed the effects of ground-based skidding on site disturbance and soil physical properties. We also tested the effects of skid trail slope and traffic frequency on soil compaction, total porosity, and moisture content. On average, about 30% of all harvested area was disturbed to varying levels. Intact forest floor (undisturbed) and light slash were the dominant surface conditions, covering an average of 68.9% of harvested area. Deep disturbed soils accounted for only just over 1.1% of observations. Results showed that dry bulk density, total porosity and moisture content were affected considerably on skid trails by traffic frequency and skid trail slope. Measurements of soil properties in the surface layer (0–10 cm) showed that bulk density is 57% higher and total porosity is 31% lower on the skid trail compared to the undis...

A hedonic price model was developed to analyze the market for undeveloped forestland in northern Minnesota. The data included 387 forestland parcels purchased in 2001 or 2002. Information describing parcel physical characteristics, amenity features, merchantable timber volume, development trends, terms of financing, and several proximity, distance, and adjacency conditions were tested for their influence on forestland prices. The model's independent variables collectively explained approximately 50% of the variation in per hectare sale price. The method by which forestland sales were financed, road access and density, proximity to population centers, and presence of lake or river frontage had the largest positive influences on per hectare sale prices. Adjacency to public land had an unexpectedly large, negative influence on sale price. Importantly, a parcel's merchantable timber volume was not found to be a significant predictor of forestland sale price. In general, forestland markets were driven by three major influences: land development pressures, presence of or close proximity to a water body, and the use of contract for deed financing. FOR. SCI. 53(1):25-36.

The industrial concept of "quadratic assignment problem" (QAP) was used to develop a new seed orchard design that minimizes the level of inbreeding (minimum inbreeding [MI]) in an orchard's seed crop through the optimum allocation of clones within the orchard's grid. Spatial distribution of individual trees was done in proportion to their degree of genetic relatedness. The MI orchard design accommodates a variable number of unrelated or related clones with equal or variable sizes, and it is not restricted by the orchard's spatial configuration (shape or size). The proposed design is suitable for advanced generation populations that commonly harbor complicated pedigree relationships. The MI design was compared with the commonly used permutated neighborhood design and the completely randomized scheme, resulting in aggregate inbreeding distances of 6.82, 12.53, and 22.56, respectively, highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed design. FOR. SCI. 56(6):603-608.

Micropropagation is an alternative mean of propagation that can be employed in mass multiplication of plants in relatively shorter time. Recent modern techniques of propagation have been developed which could facilitate large scale production of true-to-type plants and for the ...

Individual companies need to know their financial condition. They have a wide range of methods and procedures to create a system of the financial and economic analysis of a company. The analysis is focused on the evaluation of a specific group of methods for predicting the financial health of a business entity. Evaluations of the financial situation of a company are divided into point methods, mathematical and statistical methods and neural networks. The individual methods differ from each other in difficulty, in the extent of the analyzed areas and possibilities of application. The aim of this work is to assess the possibilities of using selected methods of comprehensive evaluation of companies as a tool for an analysis of the position of each company in the branch. The suitability and feasibility of each method are tested on a selected group of companies. Quick Test, Tamari Model, Beaver Model are included in this work. Based on the results, improvements and recommendations for th...