{"title":"The effect of natural disasters on the timber market","authors":"Adam Sikora","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0031","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the impact an increased wood supply from the Beskid forests after natural disasters on the timber economy of the Węgierska Górka Forest District and its surroundings in the years 2004–2010. The analysis was based on the wood raw material sales recorded in the database of the State Forestry Information System (SILP). Information on the buyers'location and their main use for the raw material were obtained through the Central Statistical Office. Furthermore, wood material buyers were classified according to the Polish Classification of Activities (PCA) based on the year 2007, using only a subjective analysis designed for enterprises and other economic units in the national economy. Changes in sales of wood material to the selected buyer groups were investigated using statistical analyses of linear trends. A Pearson's correlation analysis verified the relationships between the buyer groups and the supply of timber assortments by the Węgierska Górka Forest District. Other studies have also shown that an increased supply of raw material in the context of natural disasters affects the types of wood buyers and their location. In addition, they have shown an increase in interest towards the purchase of raw materials among buyers engaged in the wholesale trade of wood and other non-wood producers which in turn decrease the share purchased by sawmills.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82059134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cost analysis of artificial and natural oak regeneration in selected forest districts","authors":"A. Kaliszewski","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0035","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The aim of the paper is to present the results of a cost analysis for artificial and natural oak regeneration in selected forest districts in Poland. This research was conducted in six forest districts with a high share of natural oak regeneration, located in south-western and central Poland. Altogether 65 plots with artificial and 35 plots with natural regeneration were analysed based on the extent of silvicultural (weeding, blank-filling and pre-commercial thinning) and protective measures (chemical and mechanical wildlife damage control, fencing) performed on the regenerated areas for the six years following forest regeneration. An intensity ratio (i.e., a proportion of the area of measures to the area of forest regeneration) as well as the mean unit costs of the measures and mean costs of the measures per hectare of forest regeneration were calculated. The results show that the total costs of silvicultural and protective measures in natural oak regeneration were considerably lower as compared to artificial regeneration. The cumulative average costs during 6 years (without costs of fencing) amounted to 1216 PLN/ ha and 6543 PLN/ha for natural and artificial regeneration respectively. Lower costs of natural oak regeneration resulted from the complete lack of expenditures on seedlings and planting, a considerably lower weeding intensity, scarce blank-filling, and the absence of mechanical wildlife damage control measures. Nonetheless, natural regeneration generated higher costs for pre-commercial thinning due to its higher intensity, earlier initiation, and higher unit costs compared to artificial regeneration, as well as chemical wildlife damage control measures, for which the unit costs were higher by over 50%. However, the higher costs of pre-commercial thinning and chemical control measures did not significantly affect the measurable financial benefits of natural regeneration. In conclusion, the matter of financial viability of natural oak regeneration should be explored in more detail over longer time spans.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85372160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Observation of a Western Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in new ‘crevice’ boxes for bats","authors":"A. Rachwald, Iwona Gottfried, Katarzyna Tołkacz","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0037","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A Western Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae, Schreber, 1774), was observed to inhabit ‘crevice’ bat boxes very late in the year. In November 2016, in two out of three study areas, a small number of Western Barbastelle specimens, five individuals and one individual respectively, were observed inhabiting bat boxes at night temperatures below zero and with snow cover. The occurrence of this species in summer-type hiding places during winter weather conditions has not been reported previously in Poland.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74990769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natalia Czapiewska, Sonia Paź, M. Dyderski, A. Jagodziński
{"title":"Continuum of floristic composition between two plant communities – Carici elongatae-Alnetum and Fraxino-Alnetum","authors":"Natalia Czapiewska, Sonia Paź, M. Dyderski, A. Jagodziński","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0032","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract One of the crucial debates in vegetation ecology is whether plant communities are discontinuous, distinguishable units or whether they change continuously. Phytosociology assumes discontinuity and its methodology requires subjective sampling during vegetation inventories. For that reason, some researchers argue that phytosociology artificially creates discontinuity among plant communities. Our aim was to assess the continuity between ash-alder riparian forest (Fraxino-Alnetum), and alder swamp forest (Carici elongatae-Alnetum), and to check whether discontinuity observed between these two plant associations is an effect of subjective sample plot choice. We conducted 57 phytosociological relevés within a regular grid covering potential sites of both plant communities. All relevés were arranged in order of decreasing relative cover of the diagnostic species for each plant association resulting in a gentle gradient, indicating a continuous transition from Fraxino-Alnetum to Carici elongatae-Alnetum. Similar results were obtained by detrended correspondence analysis. The proportion of species from the Querco-Fagetea class, typical to Fraxino-Alnetum, was decreasing with increasing proportion of species from the Alnetea glutinosae class, typical to Carici elongatae-Alnetum. This shift followed a gradient of ecological light-moisture indicator values. Our results confirmed continuous transition between two plant communities and led us to the conclusion that discontinuity resulted from the standard sampling protocol used in classical phytosociology. This protocol, however, is useful in searching for typological patterns, required for classification of plant communities, which is the main aim of phytosociology. Nevertheless, it does not provide full insight into the variability of vegetation and introduces uncertainty when trying to understand ecosystem dynamics. This uncertainty should be taken into account when phytosociological data are used for nature conservation recommendations and to draw conclusion about vegetation dynamics.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87106479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of catchment area forestation on the temperature of river waters","authors":"M. Ptak","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0028","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The objective of this paper was to analyse the effects of catchment area forestation on the temperature of river waters. Two rivers, Czerna Wielka and Szprotawa, were covered in this research project and both are located in south-west Poland, running through the largest compact forest complex in the country, Bory Dolnośląskie. Both of the rivers are located within the same climatic region, and are similar in terms of their hydrology. Land use in the catchment area however is very diverse with 71.6% forest cover in the case of the Czerna Wielka River and direct contact of the forest with the river occurs over 68.3% of its length. For the Szprotawa River, the indices amount to only 39.3% and 21.6%, respectively. Data on the daily water temperatures for both of the rivers were obtained from the Hydrological Yearbooks of Surface Waters for the period 1969–1983. The mean annual water temperature in the analysed period in the case of the Czerna Wielka River amounted to 8.0°C, and in the case of the Szprotawa River it equalled 9.2°C. During the cooler half of the year (November-April), the mean water temperature for the entire examined period amounted to 3.8°C for Czerna Wielka, and 3.6°C for Szprotawa. Higher variability was recorded for the warmer seasons (May-October), where mean temperatures amounted to 12.1°C and 14.7°C, respectively. The obtained results concur with other similar research conducted around the world, and in the context of climate change are of practical value. The important role of forests in the moderation of thermal conditions is evidently unquestionable. Therefore, minimising the impact of unfavourable climatic changes on river ecosystems and their surroundings requires striving for appropriate forest management in the near-bank (buffer) zone along banks of both larger rivers and their tributaries","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83379187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Królak, B. Kot, Karol Sterniczuk, Aneta Troć, Ewelina Zychowicz, Ewelina Powalska
{"title":"Influence of organic components on changes of the properties of reclaimed soils damaged by fire from coniferous dry forest","authors":"E. Królak, B. Kot, Karol Sterniczuk, Aneta Troć, Ewelina Zychowicz, Ewelina Powalska","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The main objective of the study was to analyse the influence of compost produced from urban green waste, sewage sludge from municipal treatment plants and horticultural peat on changes of selected chemical and microbiological parameters of forest soil reclaimed after a fire. Soil samples were collected one and two years after the components had been applied to the soil. The results from experimental sites were compared with those from control samples. In the soil samples the following parameters were determined: content of carbon and nitrogen, reaction, hydrolytic acidity and the total amount of alkaline cations. Also the total number of bacteria and fungi, including moulds and yeast, was analysed. A year after components application, pH and the number of yeasts and moulds in the soil increased. After two years the content of nitrogen and the total number of bacteria in the soil increased as well. The most beneficial effect on changes in soil properties had the application of sewage sludge, which manifested itself in a decrease of the C/N ratio. This indicated the suitability of sewage sludge in reclamation of poor forest habitats. Peat underwent the slowest mineralization among all the organic components applied to the soil.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83056762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Occurrence of brambles (Rubus L.) in young forest plantations on the Kolbuszowa Plateau","authors":"Mateusz Wolanin, M. Wolanin, K. Oklejewicz","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In forests of the Kolbuszowa Plateau, bramble thickets are common mainly in young forest plantations and clear-cut areas. 11 bramble species were found in 20 plantations visited during the field study. The most frequent bramble species in young forest plantations include: Rubus plicatus, R. nessensis, R. hirtus, R. idaeus, while less frequent are: R. gracilis, R. ambrosius and R. apricus. The largest patches of brambles were found in plantations established on sites of mixed pine-oak forest, subcontinental lime-oak-hornbeam forest and dried alder carrs. Rubus thickets in young forest plantations occur together with numerous species characteristic of communities classified into the following classes: Vaccinio-Piceetea, Querco-Fagetea, Epilobietea angustifolii, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Nardo-Callunetea. Brambles growing in young forest plantations can be roughly divided into three groups: I - species with thin, prostrate and rooting stems (R. hirtus, R. apricus, R. pedemontanus), which may significantly affect the growth of tree seedlings if bramble specimens or diaspores are present at the time of tree planting; II - species with strong, poorly branched and arcuate stems (R. plicatus, R. gracilis, R. ambrosius, R. glivicensis), whose negative effect on tree seedlings depends on the potential of a tree species to produce quickly a high and dense thicket thereby overshadowing the lower vegetation; III - species with erect and relatively sparsely growing stems (R. idaeus), which do not pose any threat to young forest plantations. Species with intermediate biological traits (e.g. R. nessensis) may have a negative impact on young plantations, as they generate large and dense bush, however, in most cases, their populations grow rather sparsely and do not hinder the development of tree seedlings.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75091416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biodiversity indexes in relation to soil properties in upland fir forests (Abietetum albae)","authors":"J. Lasota, M. Wiecheć, E. Błońska, S. Brożek","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0013","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The aim of this study was to present the relationship between soil properties and biodiversity indexes in upland fir (Abies alba) forest associations (Abietetum albae). Our study was conducted in six areas representing the growth conditions of upland fir forests and the research plots were located in the Roztoczański and Świętokrzyski National Parks as well as Przedbórz, Radomsko, Piotrków and Janów lubelski Forest District. on every plot, the topography was described, soil cores were examined and samples for laboratory analysis were taken. the following characteristics were determined for the soil samples: ph, c, n, ca, Mg, na and K content, particle size, exchangeable acidity, aluminum content and hydrolytic acidity. additionally, enzyme activity in the soil samples (urease and dehydrogenase) was measured. in each test area, the stand characteristics were measured (diameter at breast height and height), floristic characteristics were described and the biodiversity indexes (Shannon, Simpson and Margalef indexes) were calculated. Different soil types (gleysols, Brunic arenosols, gleyic Podzols and hyperdistric cambisols) were recorded for the investigated forest stands and the soils were categorized according to soil texture, c content, enzyme activity and different humus types (moder-mor, moder, moder-mull). the upland mixed coniferous forest sites were characterized by lower biodiversity indexes (2.6 shannon index; 0.72 simpson index; 4.9 Margalef index) while the upland mixed broadleaf forest sites showed higher indexes (3.3 Shannon index; 0.87 Simpson index; 9.4 Margalef index). The site index obtained for the fir stands confirmed these results.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74497163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities in Pinus sylvestris and Larix decidua seedlings after Melolontha melolontha attack","authors":"M. Skwarek, J. Patykowski, A. Witczak","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Plants are constantly exposed to the influence of biotic and abiotic stress factors that significantly affect the induction of resistance responses. Biotic factors include bacteria, fungi and insects such as the common cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) that harm many tree species, including pine and larch. The adult beetles damage needles, while the larvae (grubs) feed on roots. The aim of the experiment was to determine how plants cope with the damage caused by these insects. The activity of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined three and six weeks after the insect-induced damage and the results show that the peroxidase activity, as measured with guaiacol (GPOD), was higher in the damaged roots of larch. The POD activity measured with syringaldazine (SPOD) was slightly higher in damaged pine needles as well as pine roots. SOD activity was higher in the damaged roots of both species as compared to the needles. It is believed that changes in the activity of POD and SOD as well as the presence of another form of SOD in the roots of larch, indicate direct involvement of these enzymes in the plants’ response to damage caused by M. melolontha.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78097243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Lesiczka, E. Pawlaczyk, Bartosz Łabiszak, L. Urbaniak
{"title":"Variability of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) called Tabórz pine (Forest District Miłomłyn) expressed in analysis of morphology of needle traits and polymorphism of microsatellite DNA","authors":"P. Lesiczka, E. Pawlaczyk, Bartosz Łabiszak, L. Urbaniak","doi":"10.1515/frp-2017-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2017-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread forest trees in the world, ranging from southern Mediterranean mountains to eastern Siberia. 30 trees of Scots pine from the Miłomłyn Forest District were analyzed in terms of 7 nuclear and 8 chloroplast microsatellite DNA loci as well as 7 morphological needle traits. Nuclear microsatellites (Simple Sequence Repeats) have proved to be useful in studying phylogeographic and gene flow patterns in conifers and are being used to infer the demographic history of tree species. A population’s genetic diversity, in fact, represents an important criterion which could be applied in planning future forest management and breeding. Additionally, many elements of Scots pine morphology, including needle traits, are subject to environmental modification. However, the adaptability of those traits remains, to some extent, under genetic control. The trees we investigated here are called Tabórz pine located in the northeast of Poland. This population is described as one of the best in Poland and even in Europe regarding bio mass production, ductility and wood quality. The aim of the study was to determine variation and genetic structure within this population. An analysis of phenotypic differentiation showed that the traits which differed the most between individuals were needle length, the number of serrations per 2 mm of needle length along the right edge and the number of stomatal rows on the convex side of the needles. In Tabórz pine, we detected 30 different genotypes with 87 alleles as well as 28 haplotypes with 30 alleles. We also revealed a slight excess of homozygotes, but the population is still in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The Scots pine population from Tabórz furthermore showed a higher level of genetic diversity compared to stands from other Polish and European regions. This diversity may be the main factor impacting on the population’s wood quality and its breeding value.","PeriodicalId":35347,"journal":{"name":"USDA Forest Service - Research Papers PNW-RP","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82381678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}