Growth and Productivity of Pine Forest Crops Named after S.V. Alekseev in the European North of Russia

Journal Title: Lesnoy Zhurnal (Russian Forestry Journal) - Year 2020, Vol 14, Issue 1

Abstract

Sowing and planting of forests in the European North are the most important silvicultural treatment that guarantee the regeneration of coniferous species in present-day conditions. Lack of relevant information on the historical experience of forest crop development and current state of such objects is an indicator of a certain information vacuum. The research purpose was to assess growth and productivity of experimental forest crops of pine of the northern arborist S.V. Alekseev developed by the sowing method in 1927–1930 and to compare them with natural stands. The research was carried out at the stationary site “Experimental Forest Crops of Pine named after S.V. Alekseev”, which is located in the central part of Arkhangelsk region. The oldest experimental forest crops in the European North of Russia grow on the site. S.V. Alekseev used different forest crops in order to choose rational ways of their development. We examined forest crops at 4 permanent sample plots in 2018. Collection, processing and analysis of field data was carried out according to the methods generally accepted in forest inventory. The following parameters were determined: average diameter and height, relative and absolute density, quality class, standing volume, stand composition, mean increment, and current mean periodic increment. The dynamics of inventory parameters of forest crops for the period from 1999 to 2018 shows that all forest elements are in a phase of active growth. Over the 19-year period, the share of pine in the stand decreased by 3–10 %, while the share of spruce and birch increased by 3–7 % and by 2–3 %, respectively. Herewith the number of trees of all species decreased by 3–36 % and amounted to 1420–1952 pcs/ha in forest crops. The total cross-sectional area increased by 3.6–11.6 m2/ha. The standing volume increased by 88–133 m3/ha. The current mean periodic increment of forest crops ranged from 4.6 to 7.0 m3/ha. Analysis of the inventory parameters of the studied stands shows that forest crops are not inferior in growth to normal pine stands of Arkhangelsk region. The total density of forest crops exceeds the density of normal pine stands by 29.4–125.7 %. The total standing volume of forest crops have reached high levels by the age of 90. The total standing volume of forest crops is 416–444 m3/ha, including pine (284–342 m3/ha). The mean increment of forest crops is 4.6–5.0 m3/ha, including pine (3.2–3.8 m3/ha). Forest crops growing on the 3rd sample plot (option 8) are the best option among those examined by productivity according to the complex of inventory parameters (density, standing volume, increment, pine share in the composition). The experiments of S.V. Alekseev show that the sowing method can provide guaranteed reforestation of pine in the European North.

Authors and Affiliations

D. N. Soldatova, A. S. Ilintsev

Keywords

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