Original scientific paper
Vegetation Succession After the Cutting of Conifer Cultures on the Kalnik Mountain (Croatia)
Gabrijel Horvat
orcid.org/0009-0005-1875-418X
; Hrvatske šume d.o.o., UŠP Koprivnica
Jozo Franjić
; Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Željko Škvorc
; Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Forest cultures in Croatia, and also on the Kalnik Mountain, have been managed for about
two centuries. Two habitat types were determined for the surfaces reforested after the cutting of the cultures and the naturally rejuvenated young stands, i.e. more humid and more arid habitat type. During the analysis of the vegetation composition, the presence of a larger number of species, many of which non-forest, was determined on artifi cially reforested surfaces, in comparison with the naturally rejuvenated ones. We determined a significant similarity in vegetation composition between more humid types of both ways of stand rising, as well as their similarity with humid types of old stands. The same similarity was also determined for more arid habitat types, therefore artificially reforested more arid habitats and naturally rejuvenated ones in comparison with the vegetation composition of middle-aged and old stands. Th e analysis of the soil samples taken from young stands of both types of rising showed higher stability and resistance to degradation processes in more humid habitat types, because humidity is a good habitat preservative. Such habitats are formed on more impermeable soil less susceptible to drainage, thereby to nutrient loss, but also to acidification. The final confirmed thesis is that the vegetation of the artificially reforested habitats after the cutting of the cultures will, within a certain period of time and certainly depending on the habitat conditions, approach and equalize the one from the natural rejuvenation. It will, therefore, progress in direction of the natural stands, considerably faster on more humid than on more arid habitats. Th e problem of the young artifi cially raised stands, where the right species has not been chosen, still remains.
Keywords
forest culture; vegetation; Kalnik; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
305155
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2018.
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