Effect of the density of transplants in reforestation on the morphological quality of the above-ground part of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) six years after planting

Abstract

HOUŠKOVÁ KATEŘINA, MAUER OLDŘICH: Eff ect of the density of transplants in reforestation on the morphological quality of the above-ground part of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) six years a er planting. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 2013, LXI, No. 6, pp. 1703-1713 Quality of the above-ground part of European beech planted at diff erent densities and spacing patterns for the purpose of artifi cial forest regeneration was monitored 3, 4 and 6 years a er planting. The initial numbers of beech transplants were 5,000 pcs.ha Conclusions following out from the research are as follows: 1. neither the chosen density of transplants nor their spacing pattern had an essential infl uence on the a er-planting loss or damage of trees; 2. through the planting of larger-diameter transplants it is possible to achieve canopy closure more rapidly as well as faster growth of the plantation; these beech plants keep the edge in growth and quality even 6 years a er planting; 3. the higher is the beech plantation density, the less individuals occur in such a plantation with inappropriate stem form; 4. beech plants of the worst quality were found on plots with the lowest initial density of transplants (5,000 and 10,000 pcs.ha −1 ), yet the number of promising trees was suffi cient even there. Thus, none of the experimental numbers of transplants per hectare or spacing arrangements of the European beech transplants can be claimed as inappropriate; however, further monitoring of the plots is necessary.European beech, artifi cial regeneration, density of plantations, spacing pattern of transplants, morphological quality of the above-ground part of trees European beech is a woody species, which used to dominate the natural tree species composition in the Czech Republic. However, it had to give place mainly to spruce through management measures, and its share dropped to less than a fi h of the original representation (Collective, 2010). Towards the end of the last century, an emphasis began to be put on the sustainable development and on the principles of near-natural forest management, mainly due to the health problems of spruce stands, and the share of beech stands or mixed stands with the dominant beech started to grow. The current species' representation is 7.3 %, which is still a low level. The desired share is 18 % and for a comparison, the natural representation of beech is 40 % (Collective, 2010). Taking into account the expected further increase of beech in the species composition of our forests, it is necessary to consider not only the natural regeneration of its stands, which is relatively easily feasible (Indruch, 1985) and o en applied in practical use, but also with its artifi cial introduction into forest stands, in which it is missing now (Samec, 1995; Bartoš and Souček, 2010 etc.). The artifi cially established stands can bring the same profi t and quality as the stands established by other methods (Krahl-Urban, 1963).