Changes in the growth of Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)stands in an urban environment in European Russia since 1862

A century and a half ago,in the European part of Russia(Moscow),forest scientists established the first long-term observations of forests,many of which are under observation to the present day.In the twentieth century,climate changes and,due to industrial development,forest areas were under air pollution.Based on observations from 157 sites,this study shows that the growth and density of Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)have decreased by the end of the twentieth century.The environment has changed,and the growth and development of plantations has slowed.Pine yields(-34%stand volume)and their life expectancy(on average 50 years)have decreased.These changes are critical for forestry and for the management of forests in urban centers.Due to the decline in growth,ecosystem functions by urban forests has decreased.In order to increase the sustainability of urban forests and the provision of ecosystem services,it is preferable to create multi-species stands with a complex structure.

An Improved Method for Estimating the Transition Probability Using Diameter Growth in Even-aged Forest Stands

The method of Zeng et al. (1991) employed diameter growth to estimate the transition probability of the matrix model in uneven-aged forest stands. In this paper the Weibull distribution for even-aged forest stands instead of uniform distribution chosen by Zeng is used. By comparing the results of the improved method with those of the original method of Zeng, it turns out that the improved method of Zeng given in this paper is more efficient.

Considering and comparing regeneration in natural and man-made stands in northern Iran

In this study the regeneration diversity of Syahkal forests afforestated and natural stands in north of Iran was studied and compared from the point of view of evenness and diversity index. In order to accomplish this study two natural and man-made stands that almost are located in the same height above the sea level were chosen. The area of each stand was 30 ha and the inventory was done by the random-systematic method with a 5R land measurement （500 m2） selected. Also, in order to study the regeneration in the center of each sample piece 125 square meters micro plots were formed. The results show that regeneration diversity index in natural stands is more than that in man-made stands which in this case Mc-Arthur index with 2.41 has the most amount while Simpson index with 0.543 has the least amount. But the evenness indexes in man-made stands are more than that in natural stand which the main reason is the purity of the man-made stand.

Biomass and Nutrient Accumulation Characteristics of Young Stands of Alnus cremastogyne

To investigate plant biomass and nutrient distribution and accumulation in organs of Alnus cremastogyne at different ages from 1 to 4 years, the biomass, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn were tested. The results showed that the average biomass of the whole tree and the biomass of leaf, branch, stem, and root were in positive correlation with tree age, but the growth rate of biomass had a decreasing trend with the tree age increasing, and only the biomass proportion of the trunk in the whole individual plant showed an increasing trend with age. The contents of nutrient elements in organs showed an order of N 〉 Ca 〉 K 〉 Mg 〉 P 〉 Fe 〉 Zn ; and the contents of N, P and K were higher in the leaf than in other organs, and the contents of Ca, Mg and Fe in the root were higher than in other organs. The accumulations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn were the highest in the trunk, and that of Fe was the highest in the root. The annual net accumulations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the average trees from 1 to 4 years old were 17.07, 40.79, 95.82 and 106.71 g, respectively, and the annual net accumulations of microelements （Fe and Zn） were 335.04, 577.26, 1267 and 1525.27 mg, respectively.

A world-level dam stands on Nanya River

Seated at the southern foot of Mount Gonga in Sichuan and being the Asian highest rock-fill dam with asphaltic concrete core, the dam project of Yele Hydropower Station was completed fourty-three days ahead of schedule in November 2005.

Lu Wei Stands Out as a Rising Singer

Lu Wei’s profe is as follows:The following poem is composed

Keqiao Trade Fair Stands Out on Three Features——2009 CHINA KEQIAO INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE EXPO ceremoniously opens

On the morning of October 25th,2009,China Keqiao International Textile Expo (autumn) opened ceremoniously in China Textile City International Convention & Exhibition Center. "Large-Scale,internationalization

Carbon storage and net primary productivity in Canadian boreal mixedwood stands

Canadian boreal mixedwood forests are extensive,with large potential for carbon sequestration and storage;thus,knowledge of their carbon stocks at different stand ages is needed to adapt forest management practices to help meet climate-change mitigation goals.Carbon stocks were quantified at three Ontario boreal mixedwood sites.A harvested stand,a juvenile stand replanted with spruce seedlings and a mature stand had total carbon stocks(±SE)of 133±13 at age 2,130±13 at age 25,and 207±15 Mg C ha^-1 at age 81 years.At the clear-cut site,stocks were reduced by about 40%or 90 Mg C ha^-1 at harvest.Vegetation held 27,34 and 62%of stocks,while detritus held 34,29 and 13%of stocks at age 2,25 and 81,respectively.Mineral soil carbon stocks averaged 51 Mg C ha^-1,and held 38,37 and 25%of stocks.Aboveground net primary productivity(±SE)in the harvested and juvenile stand was 2.1±0.2 and 3.7±0.3 Mg C ha^-1 per annum(p.a.),compared to 2.6±2.5 Mg C ha^-1 p.a.in the mature stand.The mature canopies studied had typical boreal mixedwood composition and mean carbon densities of 208 Mg C ha^-1,which is above average for managed Canadian boreal forest ecosystems.A comparison of published results from Canadian boreal forest ecosystems showed that carbon stocks in mixedwood stands are typically higher than coniferous stands at all ages,which was also true for stocks in vegetation and detritus.Also,aboveground net primary productivity was typically found to be higher in mixedwood than in coniferous boreal forest stands over a range of ages.Measurements from this study,together with those published from the other boreal forest stands demonstrate the potential for enhanced carbon sequestration through modified forest management practices to take advantage of Canadian boreal mixedwood stand characteristics.

Soil quality assessment across different stands in tropical moist deciduous forests of Nagaland,India

To analyze the relationship between the management of three forest stand plantations and soil quality in the Dimapur district of the Northeastern Himalayan region,India,three forest soil profiles,covered by different species stands,at three depths were tested for 13 physical and chemical variables.Only four of these variables(electric conductivity,bulk density exchangeable Mg and available P)were included in a minimum data set,after using a varimax rotation algorithm in a principal component analysis,and subsequently used to calculate a soil quality index(SQI).Results showed higher SQIs in the surface layers(0–20 cm depth)than in the deeper ones.Average weighed SQI varied significantly(P<0.05)through the three considered forest sites,with the lowest value at site FS3.These findings reveal that the approach used here is suitable for preliminary screening of the impact of a forestry species on soil,to aid in species selection and improve soil health for afforestation and reforestation projects.

Competition-density effect of tree organs in Acacia auriculiformis stands

The competition-density (C-D) effects for mean mass for tree, stem, branch and leaf were analyzed in Acacia auriculiformis stands. Mean tree mass-density and mean organ mass-density were well explained by the C-D equation of tree and the C-D equation of tree organ, respectively. An equation describing the relationship between mean leaf area u and density was formulated that fit the u-data well. The relationship between mean tree mass w and the ratio of each organ to mean tree mass (wo/ w) was examined. With increasing w, the stem mass ratio wS/w increased, whereas the branch mass ratio wB/w and the leaf mass ratio wL/w decreased. The yield difference between the lowest-density stand and the high-density stand became greater with stand growth. However, the yield of the mid-density stand was slightly lower than the yield of the high-density stand during the experimental period. To produce the most desirable combination of demanding individual-tree size and relative high stem yield, the mid-density is recommended as proper planting density for future management of A. auriculiformis stands.

Changes in leaf stomatal traits of different aged temperate forest stands

Stomata control carbon and water vapor exchange between the leaves and the atmosphere,thus infl uencing photosynthesis and transpiration.Combinations of forest patches with different stand ages are common in nature,however,information of which stomatal traits vary among these stands and how,remains limited.Here,seven different aged forest stands(6,14,25,36,45,55,and 100 years)were selected in typical temperate,mixed broadleaf-conifer forests of northeast China.Stomatal density,size and relative area of 624 species,including the same species in stands of different ages were selected.Stomatal density,size and relative area were distributed log-normally,differing across all species and plant functional groups.Stomatal density ranged from 4.2 to 1276.7 stomata mm^(–2),stomatal size ranged from 66.6 to 8315.7μm^(2),and stomatal relative area 0.1–93.3%.There was a significant negative relationship between density and size at the species and functional group levels,while the relative stomatal area was positively correlated with density and size.Stomatal traits of dominant species were relatively stable across different stand ages but were significantly different for herbs.The results suggest that stomatal traits remain relatively stable for dominant species in natural forests and therefore,spatial variation in stomatal traits across forest patches does not need to be incorporated in future ecological models.

Operational impacts to residual stands following ground-based skidding in Hyrcanian Forest, northern Iran

Hyrcanian （Caspian） Forest in northern Iran has a richness of biological diversity, with endemic and endangered species. The usage of ground-based skidding is well accepted practice for the extraction of timber from the forest, but this operation has tended to cause the greatest environmental problems. The aims of the study were to evaluate and comparison of operational impacts, residual stand damage, regeneration, and to quantify these effects such as： the extent of the damage, wounding patterns, size and distribution after logging operations that utilized two different methods： short log and long log. A Timbetjack cable skidder was used and the study location was in the Kheyrud Forest. Post harvesting assessment of damage to the residual stand was compared along skid trail by 100% inventory method and also for the assessment of regeneration damage along winching strips. The results show that along winching strips the percentage of damage to the regeneration was 44% and 36%, while the tree damages along skid trails reached 2.3% and 4.1% in the short log and long log methods, respectively. The greatest average amount of damage to a bole occurred along the first 1 m up from the ground （97%） and also within 4 m of the skidder centerline （80%）. These results show that the short log method causes less damage to the residual stand than the longog method. Tree location to skidder trail appears to have a significant effect on the number and height of scars on a tree. Well designed and constructed trails should be wide enough to allow wood extraction from the forest. Damage to the residual stand might be reduced by proper planning and training of logging crews.

Ground vegetation,forest floor and mineral topsoil in a clear-cutting and reforested Scots pine stands of different ages:a case study

Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)is a dominant tree species on nutrient-poor sandy soils in the Baltic region’s hemiboreal forests.A final clear-cut in commercial stands is a common practice.However,the maintenance of relatively stable vegetation indices and ecological processes throughout the rotation promote new scientific and social debates.Overall,clear-cuttings disturb forest functions for a certain period,i.e.,phytocenoses with forest-based species composition,biodiversity,and vegetation cover.Soil organic carbon(SOC)and nutrients can also be affected.As key indices,ground vegetation,SOC and main nutrients in the forest floor and in 40-cm topsoil layer were analysed in the clear-cuttings(not reforested)and in reforested 10-,30-,and 101-year-old Scots pine stands in 2020.The results show an increase in species richness at the beginning of stand formation up to 30 years after clear-cutting;species typical of a mature forest occurred relatively quickly post-harvest.The mean mass of forest floor vegetation was negatively related to the richness of ground vegetation species.Forest floor p H consequently decreased with stand age.Higher SOC levels were in the mature stand.In the mineral topsoil layers,total SOC and total nitrogen were in the upper 10-cm layer in the 30-year-old stand.A post-harvest peak in mineral N concentration was observed and other nutrients,especially mobile PO,KO,Caand Mg,increased the clear-cuttings and in the 10-year-old stand compared to the mature stand.

Delineating forest stands from grid data

Background: Forest inventories are increasingly based on airborne laser scanning(ALS). In Finland, the results of these inventories are calculated for small grid cells, 16 m by 16 m in size. Use of grid data in forest planning results in the additional requirement of aggregating management prescriptions into large enough continuous treatment units. This can be done before the planning calculations, using various segmentation techniques, or during the planning calculations, using spatial optimization. Forestry practice usually prefers reasonably permanent segments created before planning. These segments are expected to be homogeneous in terms of site properties, growing stock characteristics and treatments. Recent research has developed methods for partitioning grids of ALS inventory results into segments that are homogeneous in terms of site and growing stock characteristics. The current study extended previous methods so that also the similarity of treatments was considered in the segmentation process.The study also proposed methods to deal with biases that are likely to appear in the results when grid data are aggregated into large segments.Methods: The analyses were conducted for two datasets, one from southern and the other from northern Finland.Cellular automaton(CA) was used to aggregate the grid cells into segments using site characteristics with(1)growing stock attributes interpreted from ALS data,(2) predicted cutting prescriptions and(3) both stand attributes cutting prescriptions. The CA was optimized for each segmentation task. A method based on virtual stands was used to correct systematic errors in variable estimates calculated for segments.Results: The segmentation was rather similar in all cases. The result is not surprising since treatment prescriptions depend on stand attributes. The use of virtual stands decreased biases in growth prediction and in the areas of different fertility classes.Conclusions: Automated stand delineation was not sensitive to the type of variables that were used in the process.Virtual stands are an easy method to decrease systematic errors in calculations.

Using a stand-level model to predict light absorption in stands with vertically and horizontally heterogeneous canopies

Background： Forest ecosystem functioning is strongly influenced by the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation （APAR）, and therefore, accurate predictions of APAR are critical for many process-based forest growth models. The Lambert-Beer law can be applied to estimate APAR for simple homogeneous canopies composed of one layer, one species, and no canopy gaps. However, the vertical and horizontal structure of forest canopies is rarely homogeneous. Detailed tree-level models can account for this heterogeneity but these often have high input and computational demands and work on finer temporal and spatial resolutions than required by stand-level growth models. The aim of this study was to test a stand-level light absorption model that can estimate APAR by individual species in mixed-species and multi-layered stands with any degree of canopy openness including open-grown trees to closed canopies. Methods： The stand-level model was compared with a detailed tree-level model that has already been tested in mixed-species stands using empirical data. Both models were parameterised for five different forests, including a wide range of species compositions, species proportions, stand densities, crown architectures and canopy structures. Results： The stand-level model performed well in all stands except in the stand where extinction coefficients were unusually variable and it appears unlikely that APAR could be predicted in such stands using （tree- or stand-level） models that do not allow individuals of a given species to have different extinction coefficients, leaf-area density or analogous parameters. Conclusion： This model is parameterised with species-specific information about extinction coefficients and mean crown length, diameter, height and leaf area. It could be used to examine light dynamics in complex canopies and in stand-level growth models.

Investigation of the Ginning Process on ДП Series Saw Gin Stands

The article describes the research process of ginning, conducted at the stand of the saw gin of the DP series. The analysis of the roll box of saw gins of different companies was carried out, given the results of studies to determine the speed and density of the seed roll in the roll box of the saw gin. A diagram is given for the dependence of the speed of the feed rollers on the incoming signal.

Spruce forest stands in a stationary state

We present stationarity criteria for forest stands,and establish embodiments using a Norwegian empirical stand development model.The natural stationary states only slightly differ from the outcome of long-term simulations previously implemented using the same empirical model.Human interference in terms of diameter-limit cutting is introduced.Consequently,stationary states differing from the natural one appear.Standing volume,growth and monetary value appear low but the financial return rate may be significant.Volume yield and financial return clearly contradict each other,the former arising from harvesting large trees,the latter from frequent removal of small trees.An exponential tree size distribution does not appear to comply with the stationarity criterion.

Growth effect of Manchurian ash in mixed stands

The growth of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) in different mixed stands with larch (Larix gmelini), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and spruce (Picea koraiensis) had been investigated. Meanwhile, the relationship between the growth gain of mixed stand and topographic factor, and the growth comparison of ash in pure and mixed stands with different age-stages were presented in this paper. The results show that the effect of ash and larch mixed stand is very significant. The growth gain of ash in mixed stand on east slope is better than that on west. The growth effect is the most significant on east upper slope and on west down slope. The growth of ash can be increased significantly during different age-stages, but of Larch only through its occupying dominant position in above-ground competition.

Effects of stand features and soil enzyme activity on spontaneous pedunculate oak regeneration in Scots pine dominated stands – implication for forest management

Background:A challenge in current forestry is adaptation of managed forests to climate change,which is likely to alter the main processes of forest dynamics,i.e.natural regeneration.Scots pine will probably lose some parts of its distribution area in Europe.However,two native oaks,pedunculate and sessile may maintain or expand the area of their occurrence in central Europe.The utilization of spontaneous(not initialized by foresters)oak regeneration in Scots pine stands for the creation of next generation stands is one of the adaptation methods to climate change.Many factors influencing pedunculate oak regeneration are well known,but there is a lack of knowledge on the relation between soil enzyme activity and the establishment and development of the species.The aim of the study was to identify the relationships among stand characteristics,herb species composition,soil enzyme activity and the establishment or recruitment of oak regeneration in Scots pine-dominated stands.Results:The one of the most influential factors shaping the oak seedling count was dehydrogenase activity in the humus horizon.We found that plots without litter and fern cover had higher seedling density.The raspberry ground cover and birch crown projection area had a positive influence on oak seedling number.The factor indicating good conditions for high density of oak saplings was phosphatase activity in the organic horizon.The same enzyme activity but in humus horizon described conditions in which more numerous recruits were observed.Conclusions:The activity of soil enzymes can be used as the predictor of the establishment and advancement of oak regeneration but also could be seen as a new dimension of oak regeneration.The general density of spontaneous oak regeneration was not sufficient for the creation of new generation forest stands dominated by oak,but it is possible to use them as admixtures in new generation stands.

Effects of precommercial thinning intensity on growth of Fagus orientalis Lipsky stands over 6 years

Determining the most suitable intensities for precommercial thinning (PCT) in oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) stands, which cover substantial areas in Turkey and have a high economic and ecological value, is essential to provide higher economic return and obtain well-formed stems. The effects of various rates of PCT interventions on the growth characteristics of natural stands, located in the northern part of Turkey, were explored to determine appropriate thinning rates;24 experimental PCT plots (4 PCT rates × 3 replications × 2 sites) were established in young thicket-stage stands and four precommercial thinning rates such as light (1 – 1.5 m spacing), moderate (1.5−2.0 m spacing) and heavy (2.5–3.0 m spacing) thinning, including a control plot (i.e., untreated), were applied. At the end of the 2007 and 2010 growing seasons, the diameter and height of the trees were measured and growth analyzed based on the 3-year and 6-year incremental growth. PCT levels were found to have significant (P < 0.05) effects on diameter, height, total basal area and total volume increment at the end of each period. The mean diameter and height increment proportionally increased with increasing PCT intensity in the third and the sixth year. In both sites, the moderate PCT provided the greatest total basal area and total volume increment. The early results indicate that the moderate PCT (1.5–2 m spacing) boosted stand development over time.