Health condition and features of growth of age-old oak forests of natural origin

Autorzy

• Volodymyr Maliuha National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Forest Restoration and Meliorations Department
  Kyiv, Ukraine
• Vasyl Yukhnovskyi National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Forest Restoration and Meliorations Department, Henerala Rodymtseva 19, 03041 Kyiv, Ukraine,
  e-mail: yukhnov@ukr.net
• Victoria Minder National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Landscape Architecture and Phytodesign Department
  Kyiv, Ukraine
• Vasyl Khryk Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, Forestry Department
  Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
• Oleksandr Sytnyk Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, Forestry Department
  Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
• Svitlana Levandovska Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, Forestry Department
  Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
• Ivan Kimeichuk Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, Department of Forestry, Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
• Yaroslav Krylov National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Institute for Evolutionary Ecology
  Kyiv, Ukraine
• Fedir Brovko Taras Shevchenko National University, Department of Plant Biology
  Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the work was to carry out comprehensive studies of the components of old oak forest stands to assess their health condition and growth characteristics. The research methodology involved obtaining biometric data, agrochemical properties of the soil and health characteristics of the stands. On four trial plots with an area of 7.5 ha, biometric indicators of 794 old oak trees were measured, and their distribution was carried out according to the degree of weakening and damage by phytopathological signs. The average age of the stands, which ranges from 200 to 214 years, was determined experimentally. Productivity of old oak stands ranges from 429 to 510 m3/ha. The results of the study showed that stands have different levels of resistance to the influence of harmful factors, such as rot, wood-destroying fungi, transverse oak cancer, frostbite and hollows in the trunk. Changes in climate, droughts, hydrological regime, invasions of leaf-gnawing pests and pathogens, etc. contributed to the weakening of old trees in different periods. The novelty of research is the development of a classification by growth and development of age-old oak stands of natural origin. A complete description of all components of the stands is given. The best soilimproving properties were found in the plot of 204-year-old stand, with available undergrowth of up to 20,000 units/ha and a litter stock of 7,984 kg/ha compared to the site where the undergrowth was up to 5,500 units/ha with a liter stock of 6,873 kg/ha. Therefore, the obtained data can be useful for monitoring the condition of oak stands, making decisions on the optimization of forestry measures in aged oak forests, managing forest resources effectively, preserving the biodiversity of the national forest fund and developing strategies for forest adaptation to climate change and other threats.

Keywords

• agrochemical analysis of soils
• development indices
• natural structure of forests
• phytopathological signs
• biodiversity