Comparison of Scots pine growth dynamics in Polissya and Steppe zone of Ukraine

Abstract

The goal of the study was to compare the dynamic changes in individual biometric indices of Scots pine in different natural zones of Ukraine, Polissya and Steppe. Scots pine stands were mainly concentrated in the Polissya zone, and their area was 3.6 times larger than that of forests in the Steppe zone, and the total wood stock by 4.6 times. The regression equations for biometric indices of artificial modal stands were developed. A comparison of the average height, diameter, and wood stock for pine stands of site index І<sup>а</sup>, I, and II growing in Polissya and Steppe was made. It was found that the average differences in the average height (from 1.9 to 2.6 m) are observed at the age of 15–20 years. For the average diameter, the difference increases with age and the growth of the site index. The difference in the average stock is constantly increasing with age. At the age of 20 years this difference is 20–30 m<sup>3</sup>, and at the age of 120 years from 100 to 120 m<sup>3</sup> depending on the site index. The developed growth models can be used in planning and prioritizing appropriate forestry activities for pine stands growing in specific regional conditions.

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“…After the IX age class, there is a significant decrease in the average stock per 1 ha according to S. Musienko's data, which can be explained by the small area of the researched object (State Enterprise "Zhovtneve Forestry") and the specific features of forestry activities. For the conditions of the Northern Steppe (Lovynska et al, 2021), the average stock per 1 ha is slightly lower than the stocks for the Forest-Steppe zone. Therewith, in the VIII class of age, they increase sharply and correspond to the stocks of the Forest-Steppe zone, which is explained by the presence of such stands mainly in the composition of protective stands of green zones and sanitary zones and their insignificant representation.…”

“…To verify the conducted research, we will compare it with the data obtained by other scientists. As mentioned earlier, scientists paid little attention to Scots pine stands in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, so we compared the dynamics of changes in the average stock per 1 ha with the data of S. Musienko et al (2021) for the left-bank part of the Forest Steppe, as well as with collective studies of natural pine stands of Polissia (Lakyda et al, 2018) and the Northern Steppe of Ukraine (Lovynska et al, 2021). In their research, the authors determined the productivity of pine stands without dividing them into pure and mixed ones, so we present the data for both of these groups.…”

Current state and productivity of Scots pine modal stands of the Forest Steppe of Ukraine

“…After the IX age class, there is a significant decrease in the average stock per 1 ha according to S. Musienko's data, which can be explained by the small area of the researched object (State Enterprise "Zhovtneve Forestry") and the specific features of forestry activities. For the conditions of the Northern Steppe (Lovynska et al, 2021), the average stock per 1 ha is slightly lower than the stocks for the Forest-Steppe zone. Therewith, in the VIII class of age, they increase sharply and correspond to the stocks of the Forest-Steppe zone, which is explained by the presence of such stands mainly in the composition of protective stands of green zones and sanitary zones and insignificant representation.…”

Стан І Продуктивність Соснових Насаджень Лісостепової Частини Харківщини

“…Сосна звичайна (Pinus sylvestris L.) -один із найпоширеніших деревних видів у лісах Європи [4,5,7,12] та України [15,16]. У рівнинних лісах, підпорядкованих Державному агентству лісових ресурсів України, соснові насадження є найпоширенішими та займають 42 % (близько 2,2 млн га) від загальної площі, зокрема в межах Лівобережного Лісостепу України вони ростуть на площі 0,18 млн га [16].…”

“…Соснові ліси виконують важливі еколого-захисні, рекреаційно-оздоровчі та інші функції, а також задовольняють потреби економіки країни в деревині та інших продуктах лісу [3,5,6,7,15].…”