Original scientific paper

DEAD WOOD IN MANAGED BEECH FORESTS IN SERBIA

Miloš Koprivica ; Institute of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia
Bratislav Matović ; Univesity of Novi Sad, Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, Novi Sad, Serbia
Snežana Stajić ; Institute of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia
Vlado Čokeša ; Institute of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia
Đorđe Jović ; Institute of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract

Dead wood in forests of Serbia hasn`t been studied so far, although it is an important component of forest ecosystems. This paper presents results of investigating volume, biomass, and carbon stock bound in the dead wood of beech high forests. The sample includes eleven pure beech stands selected in six forest regions. They are all uneven-aged stands that have been managed for the last several decades, mostly under selection or group-selection. Their site class is I/II–III/IV. The altitude ranges from 400 to 1380 m. One stand belongs to submontane (Fagetum moesiacae submontanum B. Jov. 1967) and ten to montane (Fagetum moesiacae montanum B. Jov. 1953) beech forests. A systematic sample was used to determine the presence, quantity, diameter structure of volume, and state of dead wood considering its degree of decomposition both in standing and lying position. Sample plots of 500 m2, at a distance of 100 x 100 m were used as elements of the sample. Altogether 242 sample plots were established. The volume of aboveground dead wood was determined by applying familiar dendrometric methods, while the dry biomass was calculated on the basis of its volume and wood density at different degrees of decomposition. The biomass of belowground dead wood i.e. roots of stumps and snags was obtained directly using the relevant regression equations. The quantity of the carbon bound in dead wood was calculated by multiplying dry biomass of dead wood by 0.5 coefficient. A simple and a stratified sample were used for the purposes of estimating the average and total volume, biomass, and carbon stock of dead wood. It was concluded that the average aboveground deadwood volume in all studied stands amounted to 19.24 m3 ha–1. The aboveground biomass of dead wood was 6.06 t ha–1 and belowground 17.34 t ha–1, or 23.40 t ha–1 in total. The carbon-bound stock in the total estimated dry biomass of dead wood was 11.70 t C ha–1.

Keywords

dead wood; managed beech forests; stand; volume; biomass; carbon; sample

Hrčak ID:

101868

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/101868

Publication date:

30.4.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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