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The studies were carried out on the dumps of overburden rocks and tailings of poor ores of the chrysotile asbestos deposit. According to the scheme of forest site zoning, the studying area belongs to the pre-forest steppe district of pine and birch forests of the Zabaikal’ye plain province of the West Siberian plain forest site area. The survey sites were laid out on the terraces of the dump along the running lines. Undergrowth was counted at each survey site. It was classified by viability, size (small, medium, large), and life form (tree, bush, scrub). The provision with undergrowth of the indicated type of disturbed soils was defined and recommendations for measures aimed at accelerating the process of reforestation were given. Undergrowth on the dumps is represented by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), aspen (Populus tremula L.), and goat willow (Salix caprea L.). Scots pine and silver birch are the dominant species in the undergrowth composition. Large share of Scots pine of scrub and bush form is the specific feature of the developing young growth. These specimens were found among small- and medium-sized undergrowth. It is the undergrowth of these heights that becomes an annual attrition without passing into the large-sized category. The latter is the main reason for faster conversion of the dumps into forest-covered area, for increasing the share of clay particles in the upper 50 cm thick dump layer, or for coating the dump surface by non-traditional fertilizers, in particular sewage sludge. It was noted that silvicultural trend in the dump reclamation on the chrysotile asbestos deposit is the most preferable. Scots pine should be preferred as the primary species for reclamation planning. For citation: Zaripov Yu.V., Zalesov S.V., Zalesova E.S., Popov A.S., Platonov E.P., Starodubtseva N.I. Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Undergrowth on the Dumps of the Chrysotile Asbestos Deposit. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 5, pp. 22–33. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-5-22-33

Purpose This paper studies the characteristics of the seedling regeneration, stand structures, undergrowth biomasses, litter amounts and soil water contents of planted forests of Pinus tabuliformis in the Liaoheyuan Nature Reserve after a fire disturbance in 2014 and analyzes the significant factors affecting seedling regeneration to offer a scientific basis for the ecological restoration of vegetation in burned areas. Methods Plots of forest stands that experienced different fire severities (high severity, moderate severity, low severity) and control sample plots were used to study the significance of differences in seedling regeneration, stand structure, undergrowth biomass, litter amount and soil water content characteristics among stands under the effects of different fire severities by using single element variance analysis. The major factors affecting seedling regeneration characteristics were also analyzed here by using correlation and principal component analyses. Results (1) There was no significant difference in the density and growth characteristics (base diameter, plant height and crown diameter) of regenerated seedlings of Pinus tabuliformis under the different fire severities (P ​> ​0.05), and the spatial distribution of regenerated seedlings fit the aggregated distribution pattern. (2) There was no significant difference in diameter at breast height (DBH), plant height or crown diameter of Pinus tabuliformis under different fire severities (P ​> ​0.05), but there were highly significant differences in scorch height, biomass of undergrowth woody plants, biomass of undergrowth herbs, undecomposed litter amount, semidecomposed litter amount and soil water content under different the fire severities (P ​ Conclusion In the 5th year after a fire disturbance, the seedling regeneration of Pinus tabuliformis in a burned area was influenced by factors such as the stand structure, undergrowth plants, litter and soil. Low- and moderate-severity fires promote the natural regeneration of stands and are conducive to the stable balance of ecosystems.

Climate change entails shifts in the ranges of woody plants along both latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in the boreal forest biome. In this study, dendrochronological and GIS technologies have been used to evaluate shifts in the upper distribution limits of trees and shrubs in the Eastern Sayan Mountains. The results show that upward expansion along the altitudinal gradient and increase in projective cover against the background of climate warming reach a maximum in shrubs (Betula spp., Salix spp.); then follow Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour), and Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb). The abundance of P. sibirica undergrowth in the mountain forest–tundra ecotone has increased, which is due to a rise in May–August air temperatures (r = 0.97). In zones with sufficient moisture supply (high mountains), warming stimulates radial growth of trees and shrubs and promotes their expansion to the mountain forest–tundra.

The article deals with the issues related to the characteristics of protective forest strips and their impact on the yield of agricultural crops in the Troitsky farm of the Mikhailovsky district of the Volgograd region. Methodology. The characteristics of forest strips are typical. The spatial orientation of protective forest strips, species composition, height, undergrowth, number of rows, distance between rows and seats in a row, density and safety of plantings, width, openwork, design of forest strips are considered. Forest strips with sunflower biocenosis represent the ecosystem. The inter-lane space was taken into account from the forest strip at a distance of: 5; 10; 15; 25 and 35 heights (H). The control was the middle of the inter-lane cell. The bio-productivity of sunflower was determined by the phases of development: leaf area, assimilating surface, photosynthetic potential. For the analytical expression of the spatial dynamics of the photosynthetic potential an exponential dependence was used. Oil content at the end of the growing season was measured on the basis of interstate standards GOST 10857-64, GOST 13586.3 and GOST 10853-88 using a digital laboratory moisture-oil meter VMTSL-12M. The aim of the research was to identify the reclamation effect of the influence of protective forest strips on the bioproductivity of sunflower with minimal tillage (or no-till technology). Conclusion. Features of the bio-productivity of sunflower hybrid in the inter-lane space are expressed in the patterns of development of assimilating the surface on logistics and photosynthetic potential is exponential. The yield of the hybrid varies depending on the weather conditions, the presence of nutrients in the soil and does not differ fundamentally by year. Consequently, the cultivation of the LG-5456 hybrid in humid years in the zone of influence of forest strips using the no-till technology showed good results. The obtained data prove that forest-reclamation plantings in agricultural landscapes are one of the most durable and environmentally friendly factors for increasing the productivity of agricultural land.

Periodic estimation of biophysical parameters is important for understanding the functioning and productivity status of forest ecosystems. Multispectral remote sensing has serious limitations in biophysical characterization of complex forest ecosystems like Western Ghats of India. The objective of the study is the integration of structural parameters from space-borne ICESat1 GLAS data with spectral parameters from Landsat imagery at the pixel level for the estimation of biophysical parameters for two complex protected national forests (Mudumalai, and Sholayar) in the Western Ghats of India. Based on spatial variation and correlation of the geometric attributes from GLAS data and multispectral data, biophysical parameters including understory vegetation height are estimated. The results were validated with field measurements and with canopy height extracted from ICESat 2 data. The results indicate a strong correlation (r2= 0.98, r2=0.97) with ground measurements and with the canopy heights obtained from ICESat 2 satellite. The locations of forest regions where retrieval of the height of understory vegetation is possible are correlated with locations where aggressive invasive species are thriving indicating the possibility of undergrowth vegetation monitoring using space-borne LiDAR data.

In this study, a dense Copernicus Sentinel-1 time series is analyzed to gain a better understanding of the influence of undergrowth vegetation, in particular of eagle fern (Pteridium aquilinum), on the C-band SAR signal in a temperate forest in the Free State of Thuringia, Germany. Even if signals from the ground below the canopy may not be expected at C-band, previous studies showed seasonal fluctuations of the backscatter for temperate forests without canopy closure, notably for evergreen coniferous stands. Many factors can be responsible for these observed fluctuations, but in this study, we analyze one possible factor: the presence of undergrowth vegetation, in particular, of fern. Especially, the Sentinel-1 backscatter signal is analyzed for different acquisition configurations regarding its temporal and its spatial stability at different growth stages. This time series study shows that a difference of backscattered signal of up to 0.7 dB exists between forest patches with a dense fern density in the understory and the ones with low undergrowth vegetation. This signal difference depends on the season and is remarkably strong comparing winter (no fern undergrowth) with summer (major fern undergrowth).

Современное развитие городов приводит к изменению сохранившейся на их территории частички природы, изучением которой занимаются на протяжении продолжительного времени. Анализ почв лесопарков города Екатеринбурга Свердловской области проводился на основе изучения морфологических и химических свойств почв. Почвенные разрезы были заложены в лесопарке им. Лесоводов России, в Юго-Западном, Санаторном, Уктусском и Шарташском лесопарках. В составе древостоя лесопарковой зоны Екатеринбурга преобладает сосна обыкновенная (Pinus sylvestris L.), отмечено отсутствие или неравномерное распределение подроста и подлеска. Чаще всего произрастают следующие подлесочные виды: ракитник русский (Суtlsus ruthenicus Fisch. ex Bess.), черемуха обыкновенная (Prunus padus L.), рябина обыкновен- ная (Sorbus aucuparia L.) и роза иглистая (Rosa acicularis Lindl.). В задачи исследования входило изуче- ние почв, на которых произрастают данные подлесочные виды. На бурых лесных почвах состав подлеска разнообразней, чем на дерново-подзолистых. В каждом лесопарке было заложено по 2–3 почвенных раз- реза и взяты образцы почв для определения агрохимических свойств каждого выделенного почвенного горизонта. Были определены скелетность, удельный вес, объемный вес, порозность, обменная кислотность рНКСl, обеспеченность доступными калием и фосфором, гидролитическая кислотность, сумма обменных оснований, емкость поглощения и степень насыщенности основаниями. В изученных лесопарках были выявлены два типа почв: бурые лесные и подзолистые. Бурые лесные почвы представлены двумя подтипами – типичными и оподзоленными, а подзолистые – дерново-подзолистыми. В почвах лесопарков не обнаружено горизонтов урбик, свойственных антропогенно преобразованным почвам, но отмечено присутствие антропогенных включений в поверхностных горизонтах. The modern development of cities leads to a change in the preserved, on their territory, pieces of nature, the study of which is engaged for a long time. The analysis of the soils of forest parks in the city of Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region, was carried out on the basis of studying the morphological and chemical properties of the soils. Soil sections were laid in forest parks: Forest Park of Foresters of Russia, South-Western. Sanatorium, Uktussky and Shartashsky Forest Park. The stand of the Yekaterinburg forest park zone is dominated by scots Pinus sylvestris, and there is no or uneven distribution of undergrowth and undergrowth. The most common subshrub species are Cytisus ruthenicus, Prunus padus, Sorbus aucuparia, and Rosa acicularis. The objectives of the study were to study the soils on which these undergrowth species grow. On brown forest soils, the composition of the undergrowth is more diverse than on sod-podzolic soils. In each forest park, 2–3 soil sections were laid and soil samples were taken to determine the agrochemical properties of each selected soil horizon. Have been identifi ed skeletality, specifi c gravity, volume weight, porosity, pHKCl, К2О, Р2О5, Н, S, Е, V. In the studied forest parks, two types of soils were identifi ed: brown forest and podzolic. Brown forest soils are represented by two subtypes – typical and landslide, and podzolic – sod-podzolic. In the soils of forest parks, no urbic horizons characteristic of anthropogenically transformed soils were found, but the presence of anthropogenic inclusions in the surface horizons was noted.

Heath forest serves as a large carbon and water storage. This study aims to obtain information on carbon storage potential of each carbon component in heat forest in Liang Anggang Protection Forest. Data collection was carried out on six types of land cover, namely: agricultural land, barren land/settlement, scrub, peat soil, and forest. The carbon components were measured such as trees, undergrowth, litter, necromass, and soil. Measurement plots were established with size of 40 x 100 m for trees and necromasses > 30 cm in size, and sub-plots measuring 5 x 40 m for trees with a diameter of 5–30 cm as many as 5 plots for each type of land cover. The understorey and litter components used a plot with size of 0.5 x 0.5 m. In tree pools, carbon stock was determined by indirect measured with alometric model, while the other was used by direct measurenment. The results showed that carbon in the soil contributed the largest potential carbon storage (> 95%) of the total carbon storage in all land cover types. The pattern of the proportion of carbon storage in this forest type was similar to the peat swamp forest type. On heat forest, carbon stock potential on scrub was 318.8 Mg/Ha and the potential of heat forest type was the lowest (256.8 Mg/Ha ). In total, the average carbon storage potential was 285.01 ± 48.78 Mg/Ha. The carbon storage at this location reached 2.99 x 105 tons of carbon, or equivalent to carbon absorption of 1,10 X 106 CO2 e ton CO2e. The large amount of carbon storage in heath forest in the study area has the potential to support diversification and optimization of land use through a carbon trading scheme. Key words: trade, agriculture, proportion, scheme, soil

This study aims to determine the impact of forest harvesting machinery on the temporarily moist soil of spruce forests (Picea abies Karst.) during the summer. For research purposes, we investigated 23 sites of the boreal forest in the European North of Russia (Arkhangelsk region) where logging operations had been carried out using harvesters and forwarders (CTL, cut-to-length harvesting). In the 15 years after logging, the sites were monitored for changes in physical soil properties and the depth/width of ruts and vegetation. In freshly cut areas, the depth of the ruts was linked to the amount of logging residue that had been used to strengthen skidding trails. After 15 years, the ruts were smooth but had not disappeared entirely. The average depth of the ruts decreased from 36 cm to 18 cm during the period under review. At a depth of 0-10 cm, the soil bulk density of the section between the control area and the wheel track increased by 19-27% within the first two years. At a depth of 10-20 cm, the soil bulk density only increased by 16-17% within the two-year period. After 15 years, the soil bulk density had decreased to the extent that there were no signs of heavy machinery movement. The natural restoration of vegetation in the ruts was affected by the presence of stagnant water in the initial post-logging period. Ruderal species and species with broad ecological amplitude to environmental factors grew over the skid trails. 15 years after logging, this overgrowth had stabilised, with the biodiversity level in the control area approaching its pre-logging state. Primarily, the renewal of the cutting areas occurred through species such as birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and aspen (Populus tremula L.). The highest amount of undergrowth (more than 30.000 ha-1) was detected 6-8 years after logging. This then decreases in areas that were cut down earlier. There are environmental consequences of clear-cutting (using the CTL system) on temporarily moist soil. To prevent the formation of deep ruts, it is recommended to leave 15-20 kg m-2 of felling residue.

Introduction One of the key conditions for further development of the forest sector in Ukraine is the transition to close to nature forestry, which provides, in particular, the formation of stands with an optimal balance of productivity and resilience based on natural regeneration. Currently, the main way to increase the resilience of pine forests is growing mixed deciduous-pine stands of complex structure from native forest-forming species. For these reasons, objective current information on the health condition and reforestation potential of natural regeneration of Scots pine after strip felling of the main use in the conditions of Western Polissya is extremely important. Materials and methods The object of the research were experimental and production plots with different options for natural pine regeneration on the felling sites after strip felling conducted in 2014–2015 with felled strip width of 50 m. The plots situated in Troyanivske Forestry in the Gorodotske Forest State Enterprise, Volyn Region. The field materials were collected in accordance with the generally accepted forestry and mensuration research methods. We assessed natural regeneration by continuous accounting of all individuals of available tree species. The natural regeneration success was estimated by the URIFFM scale and the table of groups of natural regeneration success of pine and oak for Western Polissya. The study was conducted on 6 sample plots with an area of 0.9–2.2 hectares, laid on 5–6-year-old felling sites. Results The study has shown that after strip felling in the autumn-winter period and activities to promote natural regeneration when furrows are made every 2 m, a large amount of seeds from left pine seed trees or from the forest walls surrounding the felling area fell into these furrows. Here, as well as in the sites mineralized during the felling, a large number of Scots pine seedlings emerged in the spring of the first year. Accounts for 2016 showed that 2-year-old felling sites were intensively occupied by pine self-seeding mainly concentrated in the furrows. In particular, in the plots where partial forest plantations had been established additionally, the density of 1–2-year-old self-seeding pines reached 50 thousand trees per ha. In the plot, where targeted reforestation measures were not applied at all, abundant pine self-seeding was also found. In 2020, the highest ratio of natural pine regeneration success was recorded at all study sites, the density of which was 9,200–17,300 trees per ha at the age of 5–6 years. Conclusions Strip felling in pine stands in the wet oak-pine relatively infertile forest type provides vigorous and effective pine regeneration in a natural way. The density of 5–6-year-old viable natural undergrowth of pine on felling areas is 9,200–17,300 trees per ha. The effectiveness of natural regeneration has been assessed as “good” according to URIFFM scale. The part of vigorous advance regeneration of pine makes 65–85 %, its location on the plot is uniform (the occurrence exceeds 80 %). The available number of pine seedlings should provide a formation of new pine stands after strip felling. Consistent measures aimed at promoting emergence of pine seedlings are necessary in case of a lack of mineralization. However, it is inappropriate to establish planted forest stands after strip felling, even its partial type. 1 Fig., 1 Table, 18 Refs. Key words: Pinus sylvestrys L., natural regeneration success ratio, clear felling with narrow coupes, main-use felling.

The development of the mining industry has led to the appearance in many parts of the world of vast technogenic territories from which toxic heavy metals enter the environment and food chains. Physical, chemical, and biological methods of cleaning industrial land due to technological complexity and high cost are relatively little used on a large scale. Natural forest overgrowth of mining sites and the removal of heavy metals by woody plants can be an effective form of recovery. Therefore, the study of this process is of significant scientific and practical interest. The analysis of the annual growth in height and width of the annual rings of the stem of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in 2004–2019 was made on the territory of the Uchalinsky mining and processing plant (South Ural, Russia) contaminated with heavy metals. Relatively high concentrations of copper and zinc were found in soils, roots, bark, young shoots, comparable to exceeding the maximum allowable concentrations. Despite the spatial uniformity of the heavy metal content in the stands, the tree samples significantly differed in terms of annual growth. Results suggest that the lack of nutrients and not stress from exposure to heavy metals is the main reason for relatively low growth rates on slopes of industrial wastes. It was confirmed by studying the annual growth in height of the undergrowth in habitats with different soil cover conservation. The data prove the relatively high potential of Scots pine for the natural recovery of industrial lands polluted with heavy metals by mining enterprises.

A rational system of cuttings, mineral nutrition of plants, and preservation of softwood undergrowth during felling is one of the ways to increase the productivity of boreal forests. The physiological methods of research used in forestry and, first of all, the study of donoracceptor interactions, allow obtaining the necessary information on the efficiency level of forestry measures in the stands of pine and spruce undergrowth quickly enough (within 1–2 years) without waiting for the final result in the form of an increment in shoots. The dynam ics of accumulation, transportation and distribution of 14C in organs and tissues of a tree under the influence of selective cuttings and a nitrogen dose has been studied in spruce and pine undergrowth in stands of different species composition and age. The study objects have been: blueberry spruce and birch forests of the forest site types with varying intensity of cutting; lichen pine forests formed from pine undergrowth preserved during the cutting. It were found that, in the summer period under the canopy of spruce and birch forests, the illumination does not exceed 8–10 % of the open area and does not correspond to the biological norm for spruce. The lack of solar radiation and soil nitrogen in the undergrowth of these tree species leads to a decrease in the intensity of photosynthesis and the violation of donoracceptor bonds, delays evacuation of assimilates from a leaf and their transportation to the active zones, suppresses the growth activity and the associated with it “demand” for macronutrients sent to the leaves declines the vitality of plants. The efficiency of the root system deteriorates, the formation of a new assimilation apparatus is delayed, and the growth processes of vegetative organs are violated due to the lack production of assimilates and the disruption of their distribution system. Nitrogen introduced into the stands and selective cuttings in pine and spruce undergrowth activate the synthetic and absorption activity of the root system, improve the functioning of the assimilation apparatus, strengthen the donoracceptor interactions between the aboveground and underground organs of a tree, significantly accelerate the outflow of photosynthetic products from a leaf, and positively influence on the growth processes. It has been found that, according to the level of activity of the donor-acceptor system for the pine and spruce undergrowth, it is possible within 1–2 years to set up a system of felling and a dose of nitrogen introduced into the forest stands that most closely meet the needs of these species. For citation: Konovalov V.N., Zarubina L.V. Transport, Distribution and Consumption of Pine and Spruce 14C-Assimilates in Northern Phytocenoses under Different Illumination and Nitrogen Nutrition. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 4, pp. 77–94. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2020-4-77-94

Mining activities were carried out, causing damage on soils, increased rates of erosion, decline in productivity and stability of the land. The revegetation process takes a long time, so it needs to plant cover crop plants. The goal of planting cover crop is to protect the soil from erosion . This research aims to study the composition of understory vegetation, and its potential to function as cover crops on soil which contain lime and silica in PT Holcim Indonesia Tbk. Undergrowth vegetation which was dominant in the ex- mining land of silica and lime were Imperata cylindrica and Eleusine indica soil properties in both locations were categorized as not fertile. Key words: cover crop, diversity of species, mining, soil properties, understorey

A comparative assessment of carbon accumulation in the soils of pine forests in western Russia (the Republic of Karelia, the Karelian Isthmus, and Bryansk region) developed on coarse-textured parent materials has been made. The total carbon stock in the litter and upper soil layer (0–50 cm) varied from 47 t/ha in the soils of pine forests of Bryansk region to 116 t/ha in the soils of pine forests of the Karelian Isthmus. It has been shown that the main factors of carbon accumulation in the soils of pine forests in western Russia were the climate, parent materials, vegetation, agricultural activity, and fires. The influence of climatic conditions has been clearly manifested in the levels of carbon accumulation in the litter and in the upper humus-accumulative soil horizons. In the pine litter within the zone of mixed forests (Bryansk region), the level of carbon accumulation was the lowest, whereas the litter layer of pine forests in the northern taiga (Karelia) has the highest stock of carbon. At the same time, the lowest carbon stocks in the upper mineral soil layers has been noted for the soils of northern taiga forests, which had no humus-accumulative mineral horizon. The variability of carbon stocks in the litter layer was largely controlled by the C/N ratio, as well as by the fraction of deciduous undergrowth and grasses producing high-quality litter. The influence of agricultural activity on soil carbon stock in pine forests was especially pronounced on the Karelian Isthmus with the high agricultural activity in the past, as well as in Bryansk region, where pine forests are formed from pine plantations. The effect of fires on soil carbon stock was most pronounced in heather and lingonberry pine forests of the northern taiga of Karelia.

The paper is concerned with 137Cs distribution peculiarities in the forest bio-geocenosis components of the Ukrainian Polissia fresh groves. Investigations were carried out on experimental areas laid in Naro-dyshy Forestry. Before measuring 137Cs specific activity, all samples were dried to air-dry state and homog-enized. The density of soil radioactive contamination was 267±9.6 kBq/m2. 137Cs specific activity in the bio-geocenosis components differed by several orders of magnitude, with the minimum in deep horizontal soil layers (28–30 cm layer – 40 Bq/kg) and the maximum in the above-ground phyto-mass of some plant species (Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) – 85,937 Bq/kg). In addition, significant fluctuations in radionuclides specific activity between separate components of forest bio-geocenosis have been identified. Thus, the components of pine stands can be arranged in a line by reducing 137Cs specific activity: shoots > internal bark > needles > outer bark > thin branches > thick branches > tree, while grass-shrub cover is characterized by the follow-ing line: Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) > Vaccinium myrtillus L. > Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull >Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. > Lycopodium clavatum L. > Orthilia secunda (L.) >Luzula pilosa (L.) Willd. Moss cover is characterized by higher values of specific radionuclide activity as compared with lichen cover, where the epiphytic lichen species have lower 137Cs content than epigeic ones. Soil cover retains the major share of the total radionuclide activity in pine bio-geocenosis and amounts to 76.66 %, while forest litter retains 14.24% and soil mineral layers – 62.42 %. Other components amount to 23.34 %, where pine stands and moss cover account for 12.02 % and 11.04 % respectively, and undergrowth, lichen and grass-shrub cover account only for 0.28 %. The main phytocenosis phytomass falls upon tree stands and accounts for 85.10 %, and moss cover – 14.48 %, while the role of other vegetation layers in this ecotope was insignificant and amounted to 0.42 %. 137Cs total activity distribution by components differs significantly from the distribution of phytomass per area unit. Thus, the maximum share of gross 137Cs total activity is retained by the tree stands (51.49 %) and moss cover (47.32 %). The fraction of the remaining layers is insignificant – 1.19 %, and is presented in the following order by the reduction of radionuclides retention capacity: grass-shrub cover > lichen cover > undergrowth. In pine bio-geocenosis, the key components in the capacity to retain and intensity of radionu-clides biogeochemical circulation are forest soil, tree stands and moss cover.

In recent years, there has been an intensive drying of spruce forests in the Ukrainian Carpathians. This process causes economic damage, and leads to deterioration in the living conditions of spruce forests, and also reducing their ecosystem services. In order to define the dynamics of the radial growth of European spruce, as well as further justification of forestry measures, dendrochronological studies were conducted in the Gorgany Massif in a mixed forest stand with a very weakened sanitary state and complex structure in 2019. The analysis of the width of tree rings from the selected core samples of spruce trees was performed. Based on it, in the 100-year-old (1918-2018) absolute individual radial increment values were obtained by individual, generalized dendrochronology, as well as their indices. A sharp decrease in the growth of spruce was revealed starting from the first age class, which may be associated (among other factors) with interspecies competition (spruce and fir). The average growth of the stand for the study period is 1.97 mm/year. Even less radial growths of spruce (on average 1.05 mm/year) were recorded during the period from 1980 to 2000, which is explained by the presence of the stand at the disorder stage. Over the past 20 years, the average growth has increased slightly (1.19 mm/year), apparently due to rarefaction of the stand to a fullness of 0.66. Fluctuations in relative growth indices are in the range of 84.24-115.52 %.The average duration of growth of cycles is 8 years. Since the middle of the last century, the frequency of growth fluctuations has increased and indicates that the environmental conditions for spruce growth have not become very favourable. In the future, a change in the biocenosis will take place at the experimental facility. Thus, the current composition of the undergrowth indicates the upcoming change in the composition of the stand. When conducting dendrochronological studies in places of drying of spruce, comprehensive information is needed on natural and anthropogenic factors that can affect the radial growth of trees and its variability.

Climate Smart Forestry is a modern forestry concept that aims to reduce the negative impacts of climate changes on forests and to develop a long-term forest management strategy that considers climate changes and natural disasters effects on forests. Structural changes in virgin forests are a natural response on climate changes and this justifies the importance of their study in the context of Climate Smart Forestry. The dynamics of the Common beech virgin forest in the Ukrainian Carpathians has been studied from 2000 to 2015 on a 10-hectares permanent plot in accordance with the IUFRO methodological guidelines as a joint effort with the Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL). Climate changes (increase in the sum of active temperatures – by 22 % and decrease in precipitation – by 46 %) recorded on the meteorological station of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, which is located 3 km away from the research plot, and the impact of windthrow – according to the data of 4 inventories. An analysis of the 15 years dynamics of virgin forest revealed significant changes in some forest stand parameters against the background of the overall stability of its structure. Investigation results confirmed that beech virgin forest of the Ukrainian Carpathians is a very complex forest stand (four layers, nine species, and fluctuation of the trees’ diameter – from 6 to 132 cm and the trees’ age – from 1 to 400 years), but very stable (variability of 6 out of 8 key parameters does not exceed 10 percent) too. The increase in the number of trees in the beech virgin forest from 2010 to 2015 was 60 % (from 278 to 445 trees per ha) and the main reason for this was the windfall in 2007. The increase in the diameter increment was also significant from 2005 to 2015 (by 35 % – from 0.26 to 0.36 cm/year), even in spite of the increase in the number of trees and the decrease in average diameter. The uprise of four new species (Rocky oak, Cherry, Mountain ash, Goat willow) in the species composition of the virgin forest resulted from the vitality deterioration of the Common beech and other tree species that formed the virgin forest earlier. These changes in the virgin forest cannot be explained by its internal dynamics, and the structural stability of the virgin forest indicates that these factors were due to external factors, first of all – changes of the site conditions (global warming). Therefore, our research gives grounds to consider some proposals for Climate-Smart Forestry in the beech forests of the Eastern Carpathians: for prevention of the wood volume losses due to natural disasters, it is necessary to pay more attention to damages to trees and crowns within cuts (stem hollows, stem cancer, big crowns); for the formation of a native forest stands through the natural regeneration it is expedient to reduce the size of gaps within cutting to 1 – 2 trees of the main layer; in order to save in forests those species, which tend to deteriorate vitality, it is necessary to prevent their damage within cutting; it is expedient to increase the intensity of cuttings by 15 % or reduce the intervals between them in order to regulate the wood volume because of the increase of increment. Keywords: site conditions change, uneven-aged forest stand, tree number, diameter increment, undergrowth, new species.

The determination of organic matter reserves by forest phytocenoses is important in assessing biological produc-tivity of deciduous plantations formed at felling. As a rule, phytomass of the stand and soil cover is given when assess-ing forest productivity. This indicator is rarely determined for the undergrowth. The deciduous phytocenoses of the middle taiga, formed at the cutting of spruce of myrtillus type, have been studied. The undergrowth of the studied phy-tocenoses is represented by six species of woody plants: Salix caprea L., Sorbus aucuparia L., Rosa acicularis Lindl. and Lonicera pallasii Ledeb. Besides the mentioned species, Salix pentandra L. and S. philicifolia L are found in birch and spruce young growths. The method of “model trees” using allometric equations and the method of the “middle tree” for estimating the mass of individual species were used to determine the undergrowth phytomass. The specifics of the undergrowth phytomass dynamics in the studied after-cutting phytocenoses is associated with the overgrowing of felling by forest-forming and undergrowth species at the same time. It subsequently leads to competition between them. According to the studies in birch and spruce young forests, the undergrowth phytomass of decreased from 8.8 to 4.7 t/ha over 10 years; in aspen-birch stands - from 4.0 to 3.8. Throughout the entire studied period, fractions, accumulating organic matter (trunks and branches) for a long time, prevail in the undergrowth phytomass. The mass of leaves is 6-8% of the total undergrowth phytomass. The dynamics of the accumulation of organic matter by undergrowth is determined by biological characteristics of the species that form it, their abundance, natural thinning, and succession stage of the secondary stands.

PT. Toba Pulp Lestari, Tbk is one of the industrial forestry companies with Eucalyptus as the main species. This research was conducted in a concession area located in Aek Nauli Plantation, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra with an area of 22,533 Ha. The sample of this research is understorey species (height: 1.5 meters) under Eucalyptus stand in cycles 2, 3, 4 and 5 planted in 2015. To find out the composition of plant species, vegetation analysis was conducted initially by making minimum species-area curves to determine the number of plots. The placement of the sample starts with randomly distributed on plotted paths. The number of plots in each cycle is as many as 32 plots, 32 plots, 32 plots, 4 plots by 256 plots and 5 plots for 32 plots. The results of soil analysis found that secondary metabolic in eucalyptus soil classified into terpenoid which located at a distance of 50 cm (flat) and 100 cm (flat) from the tree at 2 years old Eucalyptus stand. The terpenoids also distributed in distance of 50 cm from trees with flat topography on 4 years old Eucalyptus stand. For 6 years old Eucalyptus stand, terpenoid distributed on 150 cm from a tree and there was also a saponin within 150 cm from a tree with sloping topography. If the dominant undergrowth grows were Strong and Senduduk, the secondary metabolism in the soil will be absorbed by this species.

The vegetation cover characteristics of anthropogenically disturbed birch stands of Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe are studied. The research purpose is to study the current state of under story vegetation cover of the birch stands, which have been exposed to recreational and anthropogenic impacts for a long time, as well as to assess the degree and nature of its changeover the 12-year period since the last research. The studies were carried out on the sample plots laid out in mixed herbs birch stands. Cenosises are characterized by V–VI age classes,II–IV quality classes, and 0.6–0.9 density of stocking. The birch stands are located in the main transfer of Krasnoyarsk industrial emissions. Phytocenoses were under significant anthropogenic and recreational impact for a long time. At each facility, 30 sites (1 m2 each) were laid, where species composition, horizontal and vertical structure, projective cover and occurrence of undergrowth and forest live cover species were assessed. The comparative analysis of floristic lists was performed using the Sorensen-Czekanowski coefficient (Ksc). The degree of species diversity was estimated by using the Shannon index; the degree of recreational transformation – synanthropization index. Cuttings were taken from 10 sites (20 × 25 cm each) for recording the phytomass stock of forest live cover on each sample area. Plants were cut off at the litter level, sorted by species, dried and weighed. Rating scales of digression were used to study the recreation influence. The degree of anthropogenic impact was determined by the content of toxic ingredients in plants of living ground cover. It is found that the toxic elements concentration in plants does not reach excessive values at which homeostasis disturbance happens. It was concluded that the changes in vegetation cover observed in 2017 in relation to the state of 2005 are more due to recreational than anthropogenic impact; which changed due to the introduction of a new technology at the JSC “RUSAL Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant”, which made it possible to reduce toxic industrialemissions. According to the study results, the species composition of the undergrowth and forest live cover was determined, the features of its change over a 12-year period were revealed. It is noted that species diversity has decreased and the proportion of synanthropic species has increased across all plots. Total forest live cover phytomass and individual species phytomass are determined at each plot. The regularities of change in different species contribution to the total stock of phytomass, depending on recreational impact changes, were identified. The ground cover recreational digression stages are determined by analyzing the changes in species diversity, the quantitative ratio of ecological-cenotic groups, the structure and the absolute value of phytomass. For citation: Goncharova I.A., Skripal’shchikova L.N., Barchenkov A.P., Shushpanov A.S. Understory Vegetation Cover Components Assessment in Anthropogenically DisturbedBirch Stands of Krasnoyarsk Forest-Steppe. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 1, pp. 75–87. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2020-1-75-87 Funding: The study was carried out within the framework of the basic research projects of the Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS “Biodiversity of Indigenous Coniferous and Derivative Forest Ecosystems” (No. 0356-2016-0301) and “Dynamics of Siberian Forests in a Changing Climate. Monitoring of the Living State, Productivity and Ranges of the MainForest-Forming Species of Woody Plants” (No. 0356-2018-0739).

The dynamics, structure, and functional activity of microbial biomass have been studied in soils of felling areas in southern taiga fir forests (the Yenisei Ridge, Krasnoyarsk krai), which are at different stages of natural regenerative successions. The top organomineral horizons of soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Glossic Retisol (Loamic, Cutanic, Ochric)) of the after-felling regeneration succession (with the stage of secondary birch forests) is characterized by an increase in the content of carbon of microbial biomass (Cmic) and in the intensity of basal respiration from new felling to the stage of dense young forest. In the soil of the dense young-wood stage, the total reserves of Cmic (170 g C/m3) and microbial CO2 production (528 mg СО2–С/m3 per hour) are the highest and exceed the control by 80–85%. In the humus-accumulative soil horizon of the studied succession series, there is a tendency for a decrease in the portion of fungal substrate-induced respiration and in the fungi to bacteria ratio in comparison with the control. In the middle-aged deciduous forests with dark-coniferous undergrowth, all the considered parameters of microbial complexes decrease but remain higher than the control. A trend for a decrease in Cmic and basal respiration is revealed in the profile of soddy-podzolic soil of the regeneration series without species change over an eight-year period. At the stage of fir dense young forest, all ecological-functional parameters of the microbial complex become closer to the control small-grass–true-moss fir forest.

This paper presents the results of analyzing the state and dynamics of damaged vegetation from satellite images of high and ultrahigh spatial resolution. This study was conducted based on the example of the site of coniferous forests in the Lower Angara region (Krasnoyarsk krai), where a large outbreak of the Siberian moth took place in 1944–1995. The remote assessment of the state of dark coniferous forests revealed the trends of the SWVI (or NDMI) and NDVI indices that characterize long-term changes in the vegetation cover over the period 2000–2018. The SWVI index is the most informative indicator: a sharp decrease in average values and increase in the coefficient of variation of the index are noted for dead and severely damaged wood stands (crown defoliation of more than 75%). The area of dead forests was calculated according to the difference images of the indices (ΔSWVI) with the threshold criterion lσ (the standard deviation). In 2000, the area of forests that died under the impact of the Siberian moth was approximately 19 200 ha. Alter two major fires in 2004 and 2011 and as a result of destructive factors combination, the area of dead forests increased up to 20 400 ha by 2017–2018. Reforestation within the boundaries of dead stands was estimated from the classification of Landsat images (June 20, 2017; June 23, 2018) by the Random Forest algorithm using the selection of templates from detailed Resurs-P images with a spatial resolution of 1 m (Geoton-LI—July 22, 2015 and December 3, 2018), which were taken during different seasons. The classification proved to be highly reliable (Kappa index is more than 0.9). The areas of classified deciduous and coniferous stands, deciduous and mixed stands with mainly coniferous regrowth, grass–shrub vegetation, and barren soil were calculated. Natural regeneration of mainly coniferous undergrowth occurred in 17% of the damaged area, and deciduous regrowth occurred in approximately 10% of the area 23 years after damage by pests. The area damaged by the moth affected reforestation: the larger the area of the outbreak, the higher the share of open lands with grass and shrub vegetation (it accounts for more than half of the area for the large outbreak and approximately 45% for smaller outbreaks). Regrowth was found in proximity of patches of stands and deadwood in the sites unaffected by large fires. Frequent fires in the territory of moth infestation limit the process of reforestation; therefore, most of the vegetation was at the initial stage of the succession cycle.

Based on the compartment and exponential models, the distribution of Fukushima-derived 137Cs was evaluated at four sampling dates in undisturbed coniferous forest soil. The compartment model was employed to evaluate the dynamic of 137Cs in the three sub-sections of the forest floor (FF), namely undergrowth (UG), litter layer (OL), and fragmented litter layer (OF), while the exponential model was administrated to describe its distribution below the FF. According to the compartment model, the derived ecological half-life of 137Cs in the UG, OL, and OF layers was 0.97, 1.1, and 4.9 years, respectively, indicating 137Cs resides much longer in the OF layer. Hence, this soil section remains a potential source of radiation dose mainly due to its high 137Cs content associated with low attenuation effect. Below the OF layer, the 137Cs distribution was well described by exponential model and its derived relaxation lengths were in the range of 0.8–1.4 cm, implying the migration of 137Cs in mineral soil is very slow and almost intact during the observation time. Collectively, our results highlighted that the compartment model for the FF and the exponential model for the soil below the FF are adequate enough to generate essential information. Thus, the potential decontamination measures should have to be chosen on their effect on the FF’s 137Cs.

The carbon (C) cycle in alpine ecosystems is sensitive to climate change, but information about the C storage in its undergrowth is scarce. In October 2017, a total of 6231 Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel trees were investigated for above-ground growth and density in 60 sub-plots (10×10 m) from 12 stands (50 × 50 m) along the altitudinal gradient (800-1500 m a.s.l.) in Great Khingan Mountains, Inner Mongolia, Northeast China. Sites were characterized by different crown densities (CDs) from 20% to 90%. Height and root-collar diameter (RCD) were higher in stands with CDs of 40-70% than CDs of 20-30%. Stem density (SD) and crown area (CA) had a positive correlation with altitude and CD. Equations from local shrub models were used to adapt the allometric growth models for estimation. There were variations in estimated above-ground C density depending on the model and the involvement of the canopy area. Above-ground C storage in P. pumila individuals ranged from 0.05-2.46 kg tree-1, which corresponds to C storage density ranged from 0.17-37-ton ha-1. The C density in P. pumila increased with crown density instead of stem density along increasing altitudinal gradients and increasing RCD. Hence, the crown density and diameter of a P. pumila plant can be used to predict the above-ground C density of its natural population.

Background Soil and understory vegetation are vital components of forest ecosystems. Identifying the interaction of plantation management to vegetation and soil is crucial for developing sustainable plantation ecosystem management strategies. As one of the main measures of close-to-nature management of forest plantation, few studies have paid attention to the effect of crop tree management on the soil properties and understory vegetation. Methods A 36-year-old Pinus massoniana plantation in Huaying city, Sichuan Province was taken as the research object to analyse the changes in undergrowth plant diversity and soil physicochemical properties under three different crop tree densities (100, 150, and 200 N/ha). Results Our results showed that the contents of available phosphorus, organic matter and hydrolysable nitrogen in the topsoil increased significantly after crop tree management, while content of available potassium decreased. The composition of shrub and herb layer was richer, and the dominant species were obviously replaced after crop tree management. The Shannon–Wiener index and Richness index of shrub layer, and the diversity of herb layer increased significantly after crop tree management. Herb layer diversity indexes and Richness index of shrub layer were closely related to soil organic matter, available phosphorus, hydrolysable nitrogen, available potassium, soil moisture and bulk density. As the main limiting factors for plant growth, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were closely related to plant diversity and to the distribution of the dominant species. At the initial stage of crop tree management, each treatment significantly improved the soil physicochemical properties and plant diversity of Pinus massoniana plantation, and the comprehensive evaluation was 200 N/ha >100 N/ha >150 N/ha >CK. Compared with other treatments, 200 N/ha had the best effect on improving the undergrowth environment of the Pinus massoniana plantation in the initial stage of crop tree management.

The present study examines the extent of negative effects of traditional multiple land-use systems on oak coppices, from a forest management point of view. The study area was located in approximately 10,000 ha of hilly Brant’s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) woodlands in the central Zagros Mountains. In the same site-quality class, three land-use systems were compared: simple coppice (Co), coppice in conjunction with small ruminant grazing (CoG), and coppice with understory rain-fed wheat cultivation plus grazing (CoCG). Data on total wood volume of trunk and major branches, and annual ring growth, were collected and analyzed from 74 stands in 15 coppiced woodland patches. The results showed the advantage of Co over CoG and CoCG land-uses by 43 and 60 m3 of mean accumulated wood volume per hectare, respectively. The diameter growth analysis also revealed an annual increase in wood production of trees in Co land-uses over 43 years, with an exception of the recent decade, when growth coincided with a severe drought. Using a back-extrapolation method, the minimum rotation age of woodlands in Co land-use was found to be 23.6 years, 5 and 7 years shorter than those of CoG and CoCG land-uses, respectively. Unlike CoCG, woodlands located in Co and CoG land-use systems demonstrated a high level of agreement with self-thinning rule of − 3/2. Values for the stand density index for coppiced oak woodlands were between more than 1000 for the least disturbed (Co) and less than 400 for the most disturbed woodlands (CoCG). The structure and growth rate of the coppiced oak woodlands were irreversibly disrupted by understory tillage plus grazing and in less extent by grazing alone. It was concluded that ending undergrowth cultivation in semi-arid oak coppices should be addressed as a priority by adopting minimum regulations.

The results of studying long-term dynamics of the Darwin State Nature Biosphere Reserve forests happened to be in changed environmental conditions due to the influence of the Rybinsk reservoir are presented. Multi-year reservoir influence has significantly changed the environment of coastal areas, which resulted in necessity of studying the state of coastal forests. Dynamics studies of the forests were based on the principles of dynamic typology tested by I.S. Melekhov under study of early stages of anthropogenic forest life. The data we have obtained for mature and old growth forests bring in the significant changes to a concept of forest type stability at a stage of mature forest stand or formed type of forest. The studied forests do not remain their uniformity even throughout a single generation. The study object was waterlogging berry green moss pine forest growing in the indirect reservoir influence zone. Detailed description and analysis of various components of the studied forest type have been carried out for the purposes of studying the direction and speed of growth and development processes. The main attention was paid to the changes of forest live cover as an indicator of soil and hydrological conditions, forest stand, undergrowth and understorey. Conclusions on the direction and speed of changes in soils, their hydrological regime, the phytocenosis were drawn on the basis of data analysis obtained for the 70-year period on dynamics of different components of waterlogging berry green moss pine forest at the initial stage. It is essential in terms of dynamic typology to consider the studied forest type as a stage of relatively accelerated formation of blueberry green moss sphagnum pine forest at the middle waterlogging stage with a well-defined tendency to replacement of pine with spruce in new generation. These conclusions confirm the principles of I.S. Melekhov’s dynamic typology and have a significant meaning for forest science and practice, as well as carrying out the monitoring researches in the reserve. For citation: Mukhin A.K. Long-Term Dynamics of Waterlogging Pine Forests under the Reservoir Influence. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Forestry Journal], 2019, no. 3, pp. 17–31. DOI: 10.17238/issn0536-1036.2019.3.17

Forest undergrowth plants are tightly connected with the shady and humid conditions that occur under the canopy of tropical forests. However, projected climatic changes, such as decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature, negatively affect understory environments by promoting light‐demanding and drought‐tolerant species. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the influence of climate change on the spatial distribution of three selected forest undergrowth plants, Dracaena Vand. ex L. species, D. afromontana Mildbr., D. camerooniana Baker, and D. surculosa Lindl., simultaneously creating the most comprehensive location database for these species to date. A total of 1,223 herbarium records originating from tropical Africa and derived from 93 herbarium collections worldwide have been gathered, validated, and entered into a database. Species‐specific Maxent species distribution models (SDMs) based on 11 bioclimatic variables from the WorldClim database were developed for the species. HadGEM2‐ES projections of bioclimatic variables in two contrasting representative concentration pathways (RCPs), RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, were used to quantify the changes in future potential species distribution. D. afromontana is mostly sensitive to temperature in the wettest month, and its potential geographical range is predicted to decrease (up to −63.7% at RCP8.5). Optimum conditions for D. camerooniana are low diurnal temperature range (6–8°C) and precipitation in the wettest season exceeding 750 mm. The extent of this species will also decrease, but not as drastically as that of D. afromontana. D. surculosa prefers high precipitation in the coldest months. Its potential habitat area is predicted to increase in the future and to expand toward the east. This study developed SDMs and estimated current and future (year 2050) potential distributions of the forest undergrowth Dracaena species. D. afromontana, naturally associated with mountainous plant communities, was the most sensitive to predicted climate warming. In contrast, D. surculosa was predicted to extend its geographical range, regardless of the climate change scenario.

Oil palm agricultural practices need to be substantially changed in order to meet the global demand for more ethical and sustainable farming. Livestock integration is an innovative method to control understory vegetation in oil palm plantations, while reducing the need for chemical herbicides, as well as providing additional food security, ecosystem services, and habitat heterogeneity. Understory vegetation is important for faunal biodiversity in oil palm plantations, however it is often decimated by the over usage of herbicides. To determine how cattle-grazing affected the growth of understory vegetation, we collected data from 45 plantations, in Peninsular Malaysia, including those integrated with cattle and without them. Our results revealed that the plantations integrated with cattle had on average 20% more undergrowth coverage, but no difference in undergrowth height, therefore, maintaining undergrowth at an acceptable height for harvesters to access oil palms. We recommend cattle-grazing as a method for oil palm stakeholders to maintain manageable undergrowth and align with sustainable palm oil certification policy by reducing their use of chemical herbicides. To promote cattle-oil palm integration, specific policies are needed to strengthen financial and technical support.

Relief is the prime factor of differentiation both landscapes and vegetation cover. The research of forest nature, its individual components, stand features, main taxation parameters, and forest plantations has been done; plantations’ ecological state is determined due to the terrain changes nowadays. The study was carried out in the territory of Goryacheklyuchevskoye district forestry (near the Transportnyy village) in the conditions of piedmont undulating relief. Reconnaissance routes were laid out on the slopes. Research options were chosen at the top of the slope, the middle part and the bottom of the slope. Forest litter is one of the important elements of the phytocenosis. In the research we have taken into account its thickness and composition. Parameters of natural forest regeneration were recorded in the study of forest areas of slope lands (average height and diameter). All in all, the slope lands condition in the research area can be considered satisfactory; plantations fulfill their protective functions. The obtained results indicate that with the decrease of the slope height the stand taxation parameters (average height, diameter) and ecological state get worse, its bonitet decreases. The undergrowth distribution in height and breed composition undergoes significant changes depending on the slope height. In terms of quantity there is no difference in the options. At the top of the slope a large part of the undergrowth of different state is located in the canopy openings and grows isolated. For citation: Primakov N.V. Condition of the Slope Land Forest Phytocenosis in Krasnodar Krai. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Forestry Journal], 2019, no. 3, pp. 55–63. DOI: 10.17238/issn0536-1036.2019.3.55

Forest health is very important in the whole world, when global issues like air pollution, acid rain, forest fires, quality and quantity of water, and global climate change has affected the realization of a sustainable forest. Achievement of forest preservation in forest ecosystem, criteria and indicators had been widely formulated. Therefore, carbon analysis is significantly needed to figure the indicator of forest health. The aim of the research was to analyze the carbon as a forest health indicator in Protection Forest, Reg. 25. The data were collected through cluster plot based on Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) method. The calculus of the amount of stored biomass within the tree was referring to [1] is W = 0,11 x ρ x D2, 62, mean while under growth and litter biomass are gained from total dry weight. Carbon sink is based on conversion number; 0,5 out of total biomass number. The average of carbon stored in Protection Forest Reg. 25 is about 939,12 ton/ha. Carbon within the stands are contributed the most; 937, 43 ton/ha, litter carbon about 1,06 ton C/ha and undergrowth carbon is about 0,63 ton C/ha. Based on the analysis, carbon can be a health indicator of Protection Forest Register 25 with the category of ugly, moderate, and good. Cluster plots 1 and 2 classified to good category (1,232.75 ton C/ha - 1744.13 ton C/ha). As for cluster plots 3 and 4 classified to poor category (209.97 ton C/ha - 721.35 ton C/ha). Keyword: Carbon, cluster plot, forest health indicator, protection forest register 25

A comprehensive quantitative assessment of the state of vegetation, soil invertebrate complex, litter horizons, and soddy-podzolic soils (Albic Retisols) in Moscow forest parks (Bitsevskii Forest and Losinyi Ostrov) as dependent on the level of recreational loads is presented. The changes in the main components of forest ecosystems in the forest parks under study have a unidirectional character. At the fifth stage of the recreation-induced degradation, the portion of the trees in good condition decreases by 4–5 times; the canopy density, by 20–30%; and the abundance of undergrowth, by 3–4 times. This leads to an increase in illumination of the surface by more than 30 times. With an increase in recreational loads, the species diversity of herbs in the ground cover initially increases from 9–11 to 23 species owing to the invasion of forest-meadow, meadow, and ruderal plants; then, it decreases. The litter pool becomes lower, and its fractional composition changes: the portion of the active litter fractions decreases by 1.7–2 times, and the portion of mechanically comminuted fractions increases by 3.5–7 times. The density and biomass of mesopedobionts at this stage decreases by 2–2.5 times in the soil and by 4–7 times in the litter. The most pronounced changes in the soil properties take place in the uppermost mineral layer (0–5 cm); in the deeper horizons, they are weaker. According to the results of discriminant analysis, the major contribution to the discrimination of soils at different stages of the recreational degradation is made by the aggregation factor. Individual contributions of changes in other soil properties are small, though their cumulative effect of the discrimination of soils is significant.

Forest Fund of Kosivshchyna (Ivano-Frankivsk region) is distinguished by the significant variety of forest- and forest site types, species composition and structure of forest formations which are located within 270-1472 m a.s.l. The region is characterized by the predominance of broadleaved forests, middle-aged and maturing stands. It is found that the most productive stands are forest stands of National Nature Park "Hutsulshchyna", the least productive are stands of the Ryeagrolis enterprise. For the purpose of conducting comprehensive studies on monitoring of forests of level 2, based on the analysis of species composition, taking into account the diversity of natural conditions and the presence of valuable vegetation communities in the study region, 5 permanent study plots (PSP) were established in 4 main forest formations and a secondary spruce stand. The results of long-term observations (2005-2014) made it possible to determine the dynamics of the condition, structure, natural regeneration processes as well as the development trends of beech, spruce, fir, oak and secondary spruce formations. Most of the forest stands, throughout the investigation period, showed a decrease in the number of trees, growing stock and density, but at the same time there was an increase in the average diameter and height as well as the stock of dead wood. The number of damaged trees (mainly by abiotic and biotic factors) also tends to increase. The secondary spruce stand is in critical condition, with extremely low density and a relatively low stock of stem wood of living trees. The advance growth in most formations tends to increase in density, is defined as sufficient, with the exception of the oak stand. Minor, but positive dynamics of growth of natural regeneration is observed in the oak formation, however, due to the increase in the number of 3-5-year-old undergrowth of oak and broadleaved associate species. The intensive process of natural regeneration is impeded by turf formation, biological and ecological characteristics of the pedunculate oak due to its special requirements to the light regime. In this formation, it is necessary to conduct silvicultural activities aimed at strengthening the position of the pedunculate oak. It is concluded that over the past decade, the number of natural regeneration trees in the secondary spruce forest has increased significantly – from 0.5 to 7 thousand pcs./ha, mainly due to beech and fir trees. This gives grounds to claim that in the place and instead of a secondary forest, a primary forest is naturally formed.

The purpose of the research is to determine the sanitary state of pine plantations on reclaimed lands, to identify the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the changes in the sites and to provide recommendations for improving the biological resistance of pine forests in conditions of natural and man-made impact. The sanitary state of pine plantations created on the reclaimed lands of Yurkivskyi brown coal mine has been analyzed. Plants grow in difficult conditions on displaced, low-power soils with carbonaceous sands. The species composition of the lower tiers of forest phytocoenoses (undergrowth, understore, above ground layer), which is formed in medieval artificial pine plantations of fresh pine sites, indicates the restoration of flora diversity of reclaimed lands through forest amelioration. According to data of 61 circular test plots, which cover typical sites of pine plantations on the area of 141.1 hectares, indices of sanitary state of plantations have been calculated. The analysis of the sanitary index has shown that pine plantations are severely weakened. The weakened pine trees make up 44.7 %, and the sanitary index ranges from 3.01 to 3.41. The state of pine plantations of the V age class is approaching the category of plantations that are drying up with the highest value of the state index of 3.41. Weakening of plantations may cause the spread of fires in the fire danger period, outbreaks of diseases and the spread of anthropomorphs. We have revealed that the most influential factors of the significant deterioration of the sanitary state of pine plantations on the reclaimed lands of the Yurkivskyi brown coal basin are dangerous to the root sponge and the drying of trees as a result of a decrease in the nutrition of plants that reached the disturbed maternal horizon at a depth of more than 40-50 cm. In order to prevent the development of the root sponge, it is recommended to create mixed pine plantations with the introduction of up to 50 % of deciduous, which at the same time will serve as a fire barrier for the spread of grass fires. For the improvement of pine plantations, increasing the reclamation efficiency and eliminating the cells of the root sponge, it is expedient to perform continuous sanitary felling with the subsequent planting of deciduous species.

It is supposed that the determination of the content and the mode of occurrence of ecotoxic elements (EE) in feed coal play the most significant role in forecasting distribution of EE in the soil and plants in the vicinity of power stations. Hence, the aim of the work was to analyze the properties of the feed coal, the combustion residues, and the topsoil which are reached by EE together with dust from power stations. The mineral and organic phases, which are the main hosts of EE, were identified by microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray methods. The highest content of elements was observed in the Oi and Oe subhorizons of the topsoil. Their hosts are various types of microspheres and char, emitted by power stations. In the areas of long-term industrial activity, there are also sharp-edged grains of magnetite emitted in the past by zinc, lead, and ironworks. The enrichment of the topsoil with these elements resulted in the increase in the content of EE, by between 0.2 times for Co, and 41.0 times for Cd in the roots of Scots pine, common oak and undergrowth, especially in the rhizodermis and the primary cortex and, more seldom, in the axle roller and cortex cells.

In order to assess the sustainability of silvicultural treatments in semiarid forests, it is necessary to know how they affect the nutrient dynamics in the forest. The objective of this paper is to study the effects of silvicultural treatments on the net N mineralization and the available mineral N content in the soil after 13 years following forest clearings. The treatments were carried out following a randomized block design, with four treatments and two blocks. The distance between the two blocks was less than 3 km, they were located in Chelva (CH) and Tuéjar (TU) in Valencia, Spain. Within each block, four experimental clearing treatments were carried out in 1998: T0 control, and T60, T75 and T100 where 60%, 75% and 100 of basal area was eliminated, respectively. Nitrogen dynamics were measured using the resin tube technique, with disturbed samples due to the high stoniness of the plots. Thirteen years after the experimental clearings, T100, T75 and T60 treatments showed a twofold increase in the net mineralization and nitrification rates with respect to T0 in both blocks (TU and CH). Within the plots, the highest mineralization was found in sites with no plant cover followed by those covered by undergrowth. These results can be explained in terms of the different litterfall qualities, which in turn are the result of the proportion of material originating from Pinus halepensis Mill. vs. more decomposable undergrowth residues.

Anthropogenic activity leading to forest structural and functional changes needs specific ecological indicators and monitoring techniques. Since decades, forest structure, composition, biomass, and functioning have been studied with ground-based forest inventories. Nowadays, satellites survey the earth, producing imagery at different spatial and temporal resolutions. However, measuring the ecological state of large extensions of forest is still challenging. To reconstruct the three-dimensional forest structure, the structure from motion (SfM) algorithm was applied to imagery taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Structural indicators from UAV-SfM products are then compared to forest inventory indicators of 64 circular plots of 1000 m2 in a subtropical dry forest. Our data indicate that the UAV-SfM indicators provide a valuable alternative for ground-based forest inventory’ indicators of the upper canopy structure. Based on the correlation between ground-based measures and UAV-SfM derived indicators, we can state that the UAV-SfM technique provides reliable estimates of the mean and maximum height of the upper canopy. The performance of UAV-SfM techniques to characterize the undergrowth forest structure is low, as UAV-SfM indicators derived from the point cloud in the lower forest strata are not suited to provide correct estimates of the vegetation density in the lower strata. Besides structural information, UAV-SfM derived indicators, such as canopy cover, can provide relevant ecological information as the indicators are related to structural, functional, and/or compositional aspects, such as biomass or compositional dominance. Although UAV-SfM techniques cannot replace the wealth of data collected during ground-based forest inventories, its strength lies in the three-dimensional (3D) monitoring of the tree canopy at cm-scale resolution, and the versatility of the technique to provide multi-temporal datasets of the horizontal and vertical forest structure. Fil: Gobbi, Beatriz. Université Catholique de Louvain; Bélgica Fil: Van Rompaey, Anton. Katholikie Universiteit Leuven; Bélgica Fil: Loto, Dante Ernesto. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina Fil: Gasparri, Nestor Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina Fil: Vanacker, Veerle. Université Catholique de Louvain; Bélgica

Water quality is an important tool to support the planning and management of water resources. This article has as its main objective to evaluate changes in the quality of the surface waters of the Timbó stream as a function of flow in an experimental watershed located in São Cristóvão (SE), northeastern Brazil. Four sampling campaigns were carried out in 2018 to evaluate pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity and temperature at three collection points. Data on land use and occupation and the flow of the Timbó stream were also obtained. The land use and occupation survey indicated that 51% of the total area of the microbasin is occupied by forests and that 49% is composed of pasture, undergrowth and exposed soil. The correlation analysis identified a strong correlation (p-value

Vegetation is a key source of flow resistance in natural channels and floodplains. It is therefore important to accurately model the flow resistance to inform decision makers and managers. However, it is challenging to predict the resistance of real vegetation, because vegetation models are based on relatively small-scale lab experiments with mostly artificial vegetation. Experimental tests of real vegetation under field conditions are scarce. The purpose of this study is to measure the flow resistance of a submerged willow patch, where small herbaceous vegetation was allowed to grow in between the willow stems to simulate field conditions. Detailed flow velocity measurements were performed during an full scale experiment of flow around a submerged patch of willows. The parameter values of the willow vegetation model, as well as the friction coefficients of the vegetated banks and unvegetated channel bed, were computed simultaneously using Bayesian inference using a 2D hydrodynamic model. Results show that the presence of understory growth greatly affects flow patterns and the value of the effective vegetation density parameter. Measured flow velocities in the patch with understory growth were very low, and the patch has relatively high deflection. After removal of this undergrowth, flow velocities in the patch increased and deflection of the vegetation canopy decreased. We show that estimating vegetation density using an often-used rigid cylinder estimator based on vegetation sampling, underestimated the effective value by more than an order of magnitude. We argue that proposed extensions to existing vegetation models, which can take into account understory growth and reconfiguration, could be tested under field conditions using the approach followed in this paper.

The widespread preferential flow phenomenon has an important impact on the water resource allocation of vegetation restoration in karst regions. In this study, four kinds of water infiltration experiments were conducted on six kinds of vegetation types (Pinus yunnanensis Franch. var. tenuifolia plantation forestlands, Eucalyptus robusta Smith plantation forestlands, Platycladus orientalis (L.) Francoptmxjjkmsc plantation forestlands, secondary forestlands, scrublands, and natural grasslands) separately to evaluate the effect of vegetation restoration on preferential flow in karst regions. The distribution of soil water infiltration was visualized via Brilliant Blue staining (290 images of soil vertical section staining) and data were processed via structural equation model (SEM). Results showed that 15&ndash, 35 mm water accumulation was beneficial to the visualization of preferential flow. The experimental statement of a higher matrix flow in grassland than in plantations made it possible to draw conclusions of economic importance. Therefore, undergrowth of vegetation coverage in plantation forestlands should be increased. Experimentally analyzing the water-vegetation-soil interaction, shows an increase in vegetation coverage inhibits the development of matrix flow, an increase in soil erodibility may inhibit the development of preferential flow, and an increase in soil clay content may promote the deepening of matrix flow depth. The artificial forest can improve the soil structure and can effectively restore the degree of soil fragmentation, vegetation can be restored reasonably to prevent desertification in karst regions. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the structure characteristics of the soil macropore network under the conditions of natural vegetation communities and artificial vegetation communities in karst-geologic settings is an urgent study, which can provide a reference for improving the restoration measures of artificial forests and sustainable forestry development in karst desertification areas.

Kuncoro DD, Husodo T, Kusmoro J, Hendrawan R, Suroso, Afriyanti F, Megantara EN. 2020. Above-ground carbon stock at Kamojang Regions, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 1749-1754. Kamojang is one of the regions that have the potential for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and carbon storage for the southern side of West Java Province, Indonesia. The existence of vegetation as a provider of ecological services in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption and carbon storage certainly has a very important role, either in living conditions (biomass) or dead conditions (necromass). The aims of this study are to determine the total amount of above-ground carbon stock and determine the type of land-use that has the greatest carbon storage potential in the Kamojang region. Data collection in this research combines destructive and non-destructive methods. The measurement of biomass was carried out by the non-destructive sampling method for the category of sapling, poles, trees and necromass and the destructive sampling method for the category of undergrowth and litter. The results showed total above-ground carbon stored in Kamojang area is 4,995.75 t C with the largest potential value of carbon stock in the pine production forest of 163.79 t C/ha.

Continuous cover forestry (CCF) aims to emulate small natural disturbances and take advantage of natural regeneration. To implement these management practices successfully, knowledge of advance regeneration under the canopy in different conditions is crucial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the influence of stand inventory parameters of canopy layer (age, basal area, height, and density) on the probability and density of advance regeneration of the Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in hemiboreal forests in Latvia. The data were obtained from the National Forest Inventory, from a total of 879 plots. In the study, only Norway spruce or Scots pine dominated stands were used and the sampled stand age ranged from 21 to 218 years. The probability of advance regeneration differed between stands dominated by Scots pine versus Norway spruce. The probability and density of the advance regeneration of Norway spruce were positively linked to increased stand age, whereas the probability of the advance regeneration of Scots pine was negatively linked to the basal area of the stand. In stands dominated by Norway spruce and Scots pine on mesic soils, the advance regeneration of Norway spruce has a high density, whereas the advance regeneration of Scots pine is sporadic and scarce.

Purpose. To develop a model of the effect of temperature on the tree trunk, depending on the duration of its impact, the distance from the edge of the fire and the height of the fire. Methods. Mathematical modeling. Results. The analytical study of thermal conductivity is reduced to the study of the space-time change of the basic physical quantity - temperature. The effect of thermal radiation on the stand is fires at a fire height of 2-3 meters. In this case, the maximum heat flow is directed horizontally to the stand and affects the crowns of coniferous undergrowth, burning needles, or overheating needles and buds, which leads to the death of young trees. Older trees receive only burns, which does not lead to their death, but reduces the quality of wood. Depending on the type of fire and its intensity, the convection heat flux differs in temperature and duration of exposure to the crown. Depending on these parameters, either the entire crown (buds, leaves, needles) burns, resulting in tree death, or the crown will be partially damaged and remain viable. The model of temperature dependence on the surface of the tree trunk on the height of the fire and the time of exposure of the pyrogenic factor is constructed. It is established that even in the case of grassroots fires, the heat flux density closer than 2 m from the flame exceeds 12 kW/m2, such a level of radiation causes burns immediately. Conclusions. A model has been developed for the prediction of heat radiation from fire acting on tree trunks at different distances from the edge of the fire. The obtained results make it possible to predict the post-fire condition of stands. Damage to tree trunks and their death in fires also depends on the thickness of the bark and the time of exposure to high temperatures, as well as the diameter of the trunk.

Virgin forest is supposed to be the most sustainable ecosystem to existing in this natural zone disasters. This publication analyses the impact of the 2007 windfall and climate warming on the structural elements of the virgin forest ecosystem. The object of our research was a 10 hectares massif (200×500 m) of Common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) virgin forest, which was divided on forty (50×50 m = 0.25 ha) research plots. There were four inventories on all 40 plots in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Inventory methods were: measuring and mapping of all trees (DBH ≥ 6 cm, living and dead); measuring of lying deadwood (D ≥ 8 cm, length ≥ 2 m) volume for degrees of decay; measuring of undergrowth (DBH < 6 cm, H ≥ 10 cm) number for height groups. The dynamics of main parameters of the beech virgin forest after the catastrophic wind influence is not the same. The largest fluctuations are typical for the tree number – after the 10 % loss of trees in 2007 the tree density increased in 2010 on 6 %, and in 2015 – on 59 %. There is 9 % annual increasing of tree number in the virgin forest during 8 years after windfall. The volume of a deadwood substantially increased – on 41 and 6 % respectively in 2010 and 2015. The undergrowth number substantially decreased – respectively on 19 and 14 %. The decrease in the wood volume of the virgin forest was already lower (respectively 7 and 4 %), while the decrease in the basal area was not significant (respectively 4 and 2 %). The diameter distribution in the beech virgin forest was constantly changing during these 15 years, but the type of the distribution remains declining, that is typically for uneven-age forests. In 2005 changes in the tree number within diameter classes fluctuated up to 25 per cent, and after windfall the magnitude of these fluctuations increased to ± 50 %. These quantitative changes made it possible to prepare a basic scheme for the influence of strong winds on the virgin forest and to set the time stages of this interaction. Diameter increment increasing defined in the beech virgin forest as a consequence of climate warming, but the windfall influence does not allow determining that clear.

The remote sensing data, like radiometric indices, represent alternative data generation sources that can help us understand the natural processes that occur in the Pantanal. The Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) is a partially known method in the scientific community which makes geotecnologies use. Although, its use and application still causes doubts and confusions, mainly because there are two different methods for calculating NDWI, both with different objectives. In this sense, it was analyzed which NDWI method has better performance to represent the Pantanal wet and flooded areas. The indices were calculated 4x, initially in the McFeeteres method (1996), followed by 3 repetitions in the Gao (1996) method. The repetition for the Gao method was due to the medium infrared (SWIR) band availability of the MODIS product used. The results comparison evidenced that using the McFeeters NDWI method generated greater spectral confusion in wet or exposed soil and in undergrowth targets, whereas water and tree vegetation targets were easier characterized. In the Gao NDWI method results, an improved relationship between near infrared (NIR) and SWIR was noticed, due to band 2 (NIR) and 5 (SWIR), what, in this situation, revealed that each target had a more focused spectral behavior at certain intervals. In bands 6 (SWIR) and 7 (SWIR) the spectral confusion was considered high, mainly in moist soil and water targets.

Although most studies exploring the vertical distribution of arthropods in forests have been limited to discrete comparisons between understorey and canopy, few have sampled across multiple heights. We studied vertical distribution of scolytine beetle flight activity in temperate lowland broadleaf and montane beech-fir forests using flight interception traps arranged in vertical transects with traps placed 0.4, 1.2, 7, 14, and 21 m above ground. In each forest type 15 vertical transects (75 traps) were used. The assemblages sampled at 0.4 and 1.2 m above ground (undergrowth) clearly differed from those at 7, 14, and 21 m (midstorey and canopy). Ambrosia-fungi feeder abundance peaked at 1.2 m in the mountains, whereas in the lowland they were almost evenly distributed from 1.2 to 21 m. Phloem feeders were significantly more abundant in the midstorey and canopy than in the undergrowth. Height preferences of eleven species were identified. Four species were associated with traps exposed at 7, 14, or 21 m, whereas seven species were associated with the height of 1.2 m. No species was associated with the 0.4 m height. To cover entire scolytine assemblages of forest stands, sampling should thus not be restricted to the usually sampled understorey level, but also cover the canopy.