Reversing the Decline of Secondary Spruce Forests in Slovakia's Western Carpathians

Antoni, Jozef; Šomšák, L.; ́y, Libor Jansk

doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2000)020[0130:rtdoss]2.0.co;2

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Forestry is an important factor for the local economy of the area (Antoni et al 2000, Turnock 2002, and the majority of the forests in all three countries are used commercially. Most of the harvested timber is used to meet the demand of wood products in the respective countries and is not exported (Eronen 1996, MASR 2003.…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Socialist Forest Disturbance in the Carpathian Border Region of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine

Kuemmerle

Hostert

Radeloff

et al. 2007

Ecological Applications

129

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Forests provide important ecosystem services, and protected areas around the world are intended to reduce human disturbance on forests. The question is how forest cover is changing in different parts of the world, why some areas are more frequently disturbed, and if protected areas are effective in limiting anthropogenic forest disturbance. The Carpathians are Eastern Europe's largest contiguous forest ecosystem and are a hotspot of biodiversity. Eastern Europe has undergone dramatic changes in political and socioeconomic structures since 1990, when socialistic state economies transitioned toward market economies. However, the effects of the political and economic transition on Carpathian forests remain largely unknown. Our goals were to compare post-socialist forest disturbance and to assess the effectiveness of protected areas in the border triangle of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine, to better understand the role of broadscale political and socioeconomic factors. Forest disturbances were assessed using the forest disturbance index derived from Landsat MSS/TM/ETM+ images from 1978 to 2000. Our results showed increased harvesting in all three countries (up to 1.8 times) in 1988-1994, right after the system change. Forest disturbance rates differed markedly among countries (disturbance rates in Ukraine were 4.5 times higher than in Poland, and those in Slovakia were 4.3 times higher than in Poland), and in Ukraine, harvests tended to occur at higher elevations. Forest fragmentation increased in all three countries but experienced a stronger increase in Slovakia and Ukraine (approximately 5% decrease in core forest) than in Poland. Protected areas were most effective in Poland and in Slovakia, where harvesting rates dropped markedly (by nearly an order of magnitude in Slovakia) after protected areas were designated. In Ukraine, harvesting rates inside and outside protected areas did not differ appreciably, and harvests were widespread immediately before the designation of protected areas. In summary, the socioeconomic changes in Eastern Europe that occurred since 1990 had strong effects on forest disturbance. Differences in disturbance rates among countries appear to be most closely related to broadscale socioeconomic conditions, forest management practices, forest policies, and the strength of institutions. We suggest that such factors may be equally important in other regions of the world.

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Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Socialist Forest Disturbance in the Carpathian Border Region of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine

Kuemmerle

Hostert

Radeloff

et al. 2007

Ecological Applications

129

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“…The pollution effect was aggravated by the elevated concentrations of ozone in large parts of the Carpathian Mountains [138][139][140]142,143]. Despite reduced industrial emissions in the late 1990s, high levels of tree defoliation in forests in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary were observed for years [141,[144][145][146], most probably hindering regeneration and upward expansion (e.g., of silver fir; [147]) and con-tributing to Norway spruce dieback [148]. Improved emission regulations and technical developments enabled a significant decrease in pollutant loads on forests by the end of the 20th century.…”

Section: Recent Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carpathian Forests: Past and Recent Developments

Kholiavchuk,

Gurgiser,

Mayr

2023

Forests

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Forests of the Carpathians are of increasing research interest, as they cover a large area (>9 Mha) within European forests and are influenced by diverse environmental conditions and contrasting historical developments. We reviewed 251 papers dealing with Carpathian forests, their history, and future perspectives. Over 70% of articles and reviews appeared in the last ten years, and 80% refer to the Western and Eastern Carpathians, while the Serbian Carpathians remain a gap in this research field. Forest expansion and species changes have occurred since Holocene deglaciation, influenced by timber use, settlements, cropland development, and, since the Bronze Age, pasture activities. At higher elevations, early conifer successors have been increasingly replaced by Norway spruce (Picea abies), silver fir (Abies alba), European beech (Fagus sylvatica), and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), while oaks have been present in the Carpathian foothills throughout the whole of history. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Norway spruce afforestation was favored, and timber use peaked. Recent transitions from agriculture to forest land use have led to a further increase in forest cover (+1 to +14% in different countries), though past forest management practices and recent environmental changes have impaired forest vitality in many regions; climate warming already causes shifts in treelines and species distributions, and it triggers pest outbreaks and diseases and affects tree–water relations. The risk of forest damage is the highest in monodominant Norway spruce forests, which often experience dieback after cascade disturbances. European beech forests are more resilient unless affected by summer droughts. In the future, increasing dominance of broadleaves within Carpathian forests and forest management based on a mix of intensive management and ecological silviculture are expected. Maintenance and promotion of silver fir and mixed European beech forests should be encouraged with respect to forest stability, biodiversity, and economic sustainability. As supported by the Carpathian Convention and related institutions and initiatives, connectivity, management, and stakeholder cooperation across administrative borders will be crucial for the future adaptive potential of Carpathian forests.

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A Research Note: Planning for the Carpathians

Buza¹,

Turnock

2004

GeoJournal

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Reversing the Decline of Secondary Spruce Forests in Slovakia's Western Carpathians

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Post-Socialist Forest Disturbance in the Carpathian Border Region of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine

Post-Socialist Forest Disturbance in the Carpathian Border Region of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine

Carpathian Forests: Past and Recent Developments

A Research Note: Planning for the Carpathians

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