(1) Sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) is one of the most important commercial species cultivated at low altitudes in the Czech Republic, and overaged coppices are a significant part of oak stands in the region. In order to secure a high-valuable timber production (e.g., through conversion of such stands into coppices-with-standards), knowledge of the potential and limits of generative regeneration is essential. This study was conducted in three oakdominated over-aged coppice stands in different stages of conversion into coppices-with-standards and characterized by different basal area (BA, from 9.3 to 14.1 m 2 ha -1 ) and relative diffuse radiation (ISF, from 12.1 to 35.5%). The study stands were compared with respect to seed predation following acorn fall and oak regeneration parameters. At the time of their fall the acorns represented a sought-after source of food for large mammals (particularly wild boar). At the end of acorn fall, 13-67% acorns were lost due to animal predation. A control evaluation conducted the following spring revealed a decrease of 92-97% in fallen acorns. Despite the major animal impact, a high reserve of acorns and saplings remained in the stands (4 600-29 000 acorns and 66 000-310 000 saplings per ha). With increasing light intensity the oak regeneration density decreased, while the height and age variability of oak regeneration increased. Although saplings were capable of surviving several years under unfavorable light conditions (even below 12% ISF), they require a minimum of 20% ISF (i.e., BA < 16 m 2 ha -1 ) to achieve sustainable height increment. Based on our results, for conversion of such stands into coppices-with-standards we recommend a maximum of 200 reserved trees (BA = 16 m 2 ha -1 ) to achieve successful height growth of the understorey.

(1-2) This study focused on the comparison of two contrasting forest regeneration types and their susceptibility to drought stress. Transpiration and biomass production were studied on young sessile oak trees Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. regenerated as sprouts and seedlings, and grown in a coppice experimental site in the Czech Republic. Biomass production was estimated using destructive methods, while transpiration was derived from sap flow measurements and assessed according to the plant biometry and microclimatic conditions. Sprouts were characterized by a significantly higher diameter, height, leaf area and above-ground biomass and by a lower wood density as compared with seedlings of the same age. Moreover, the sap flow of sprouts was higher than that of seedlings, which was explained by the plant dimension. Transpiration, expressed as sap flow scaled to plant leaf area, did not differ between seedlings and sprouts when soil water was not limiting. However, during drought periods, when soil water potential dropped below -1.4 MPa, sprouts transpired significantly more than seedlings. Our results confirm that sprouts have access to a larger water pool via the old stump root system and are able to draw more water under drought. Moreover, sprouts seemed to be less susceptible to water limitations than seedlings of similar age. Less influence of drought on sprouts may partially explain their higher above-ground biomass production. Based on our results, coppice could be an appropriate management system to be adopted in sites characterized by frequent or extreme drought periods.

Based on yield tables for oak high forest and oak coppice (both first site class) and using assortment tables and assortment prices in the Czech Republic in 2009, a set of variants of conversion of high forest to coppice was simulated. Average annual cut and average gross value of annual cut of such conversions were compared with those of well-established (in terms of the age structure balance) variants of coppice and high forest. Under the existing ratio of assortment prices, established coppice does not reach the gross value yield of high forest. No variant of simulated conversions was more financially profitable than the initial high forest. Furthermore, we found out that a +16.8% increase of the current fuel wood price would counterbalance the mean annual increment of gross value of the best coppice and the worst oak high forest variant. On the other hand, a +164.7% fuel wood price increase would be necessary to counterbalance the mean annual increment of gross value of the worst coppice and the best high forest variants.

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ABSTRACT:The paper deals with the establishment of the coppice and coppice-with-standards research object under the project Biodiversity and Target Management of Endangered and Protected Species in Coppices and Coppices-withStandards Included in the System of NATURA 2000. It summarizes reasoning which preceded the selection of the site and provides a detailed description of the methodology of experimental site establishment. It specifies the rules of felling which was planned with the objective to simulate the impact of coppice and coppice-with-standards on biodiversity of endangered and protected species. It also describes the stand condition prior to and after the implemented felling, with additional emphasis on coppice-with-standards. Individual felling variants which were implemented were characterized by varying felling intensity. Close attention is paid to the evaluation of standards which is expressed by a system of score classes.

ABSTRACT:The objective of this paper was to test the hypothesis that growth and soil moisture would increase after heavy thinning in seven years old oak-hornbeam coppice stand. Effects of thinning on (i) diameter and height increment of the remaining sprouts in polycormons, and (ii) soil moisture were studied one year after thinning. The experiment was carried out in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic. Thinning reduced 50% of the total stump basal area per polycormon. One to five dominant sprouts were left. Results showed that thinning significantly increased diameter increment of sessile oak (59%) and European hornbeam (61%). However, thinning did not increase height increment of sessile oak and European hornbeam. Diameter increments of sessile oak and European hornbeam were not different. Height increment of European hornbeam was 30% higher than that of sessile oak in thinned plots and 53% higher in unthinned plots. Soil moisture increased significantly in thinned plots.

Research Highlights: The influence of litter raking and livestock grazing on the development of juvenile sessile oak and European hornbeam sprouts as well as on sessile oak standards were studied. Such experiments are very rare, especially in central Europe where these activities have been prohibited for several decades. Little is known on how these ancient management activities affect tree growth. Background and Objectives: Traditional management practices in coppice forests such as grazing and litter raking have been abandoned, but have recently been studied as to whether these practices can substantially contribute to an increase in the species diversity of coppices. The important question is, however, how these practices influence the growth of coppice-with-standards. Therefore, this study focused on the effect of grazing, litter raking, and their combination on both sprouts and adult trees in a coppice-with-standards system one year after harvest. Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out in the area of the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny, Czech Republic, in a forest stand dominated by sessile oak and European hornbeam. We analyzed 132 oak polycormons, 132 hornbeam polycormons, and 163 oak standards. Results: The number of sprouts per stump was affected by the stump size and management practice: (A) coppice-with-standards, litter raking, and sheep grazing; (B) coppice-with-standards and sheep grazing; (C) coppice-with-standards and litter raking; and (D) coppice-with-standards), but not by tree species. The number of the sprouts as well as their height increased with the stump size. In contrast, grazing resulted in a smaller height of the sprouts while thinner sprouts were found under a combination of grazing and raking. When comparing the species, the oak sprouts were higher and thicker when compared to the hornbeam sprouts. The increment of standards increased after stand harvest. This, however, was not the result of grazing or raking, but the response to the reduction of tree number and thus of competition between neighboring trees. Conclusions: The results showed that there were rather negative impacts from the implemented traditional management practices on the growth of sprouts. This may lead to the question of whether ecological diversity resulting from the traditional practices may prevail their negative effect on the growth of the coppices.

The paper deals with production of above-ground biomass of silver birch ( Roth) stands in the Czech Republic. One-year biomass dynamics was studied within chronosequence of birch stands at the age of 4–5, 8–9, 17–18 and 22–23 years. With the exception of the youngest stand, which was established by seeding, all experimental birch stands were regenerated naturally after the allochthonous spruce stands. Above-ground biomass (AB) was calculated from plot inventory data and biomass equations were parameterized from destructive sampling of biomass component of sampled trees. Results reveal that the peak of the mean annual increment (MAI) of birch stands can be expected at the age from 15 to 20 years. Additionally, the stand age, the value of basal area (BA) should be considered as a predictor of stand productivity. If the value of BA varied from 25 to 35 m ha, the MAI of the birch stands reached the range from 5.0 to 6.5 t of dry biomass per ha y at the age ranging between 15 and 25 years. The stem/branch proportion increased with stand age, the stem relative proportion ranging from 75 to 90% of total above-ground biomass. According to the results of this study, birch stand biomass production and utilization is one of the approaches in terms of forest recovery management in large disturbed areas. Although, no silvicultural treatments were occurred in all analysed stands, the pre-commercial thinning method could increase stand productivity and stability as well.Betula pendulaABtotal2–1–1