Cutting practices in mature stands of Tilia cordata Mill.

Abstract The right timing for replacing mature and over-mature forest stands with a young generation of trees is evident as it ensures continuity in forest management. The study aimed to assess the efficiency of cutting practices in mature stands of Tilia cordata Mill. Mono-dominant and poly-dominant, even- and different-aged linden tree forests in the southern Urals were studied. The study found that in the first years following the small scale forest cutting practices (the Murakhtanov method), retention trees of Tilia cordata Mill. showed longer crowns (by 0.3 ± 0.01 m) and higher crown diameter indices (by 0.11 ± 0.04 m). A single selection showed that nectar secretion potential was 2.1 ± 0.06 mg/flower in the first assessment year, the index was 1.8 ± 0.03 mg/flower in the control forest area where no trees were cut. In the third assessment year, nectar secretion potential rose to 4.1 ± 0.04 mg/flower, while the index fell to 2.0 ± 0.01 mg/flower in the control forest area. The comparative analysis of the shoot growth capacity in stools of different diameters showed that shoots regrew from 82% of stumps. Shoots did not regrow from stumps affected by rot, those ones destroyed in the cutting process, and also from stumps of 59 – 62 cm in diameter.