Relationship between stand and regeneration of Picea obovata Ledeb. and Abies sibirica Ledeb. in the primary and secondary forests of the Southern Ural Mountains

Abstract

The aim of the research is to reveal the relationship between the age and composition of the forest stand and the regeneration of Picea obovata Ledeb. and Abies sibirica Ledeb. Null hypothesis: we can estimate young generations of P. obovata and A. sibirica under the forest canopy based on the composition and age of the forest stand. The studies conducted in the most widespread forest type of the South Ural Mountains confirmed our null hypothesis about the possibility of modelling the regeneration of P. obovata and A. sibirica by the structure of the stand. The number of young generations of P. obovata and A. sibirica showed high sensitivity to the age and composition of the stand. The graphical models developed by us can be used to combine with forest management data in order to obtain large-scale data on the regeneration of woody plants in the primary spruce small-grass-green mossy forests and secondary birch and aspen forests of the South Ural Mountains. In order to expand the scope of application of the developed models, it is planned to conduct additional studies for other forest types of the Urals.

Intensification of cultivation of seedlings of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) in the Southern Urals

“…is found in both pure and mixed forests, covering the northeastern regions of the European part of the Russian Federation, the Urals, and Western Siberia [1,2]. Notable for its shade tolerance and cold resistance [3,4], this species can reach heights of 20-30 meters, with a conical crown whose diameter and elongation vary significantly based on shading and genetic characteristics [2,4]. The presence of a surface horizontal root system allows the Siberian spruce to utilize even the weakest atmospheric precipitation [5].…”