Growth responses of a Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) small pole-stage stand in a region exhibiting extensive decline of allochthonous spruce forests to differentiated thinning

Abstract

The paper deals with assessment of the growth responses of a 26-year old Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) small pole-stage stand, situated in a region affected by mass dying of spruce monocultures, dependent on the different treatment intensity. The intervention was realized at a stand age of 22 years – in order to decrease its density to 1,600 and 1,100 individuals per hectare. Characteristics of quantitative production (number of trees, basal area, stand volume, diameter increment) were analysed and compared among the presented variants of treatment. The special attention was paid to the assessment of target trees (400 individuals per hectare). The results have confirmed correctness of heavy treatments in spruce forests of younger growth stages also for the
regions showing mass decline and dying of spruce forests.