The influence of age on the functional effect of forest stands with simplified spatial structure

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present research on the relationship between forest stand age and its functional effect. Forest ecosystem (forest stand) age together with its stocking and health condition is specified as criterion characterizing forest stand (with simplified structure) actual stage, dynamics and functional effect on a base of realized analysis of wide spatial and time forest stand parameters data set. The criterion “forest ecosystem development phases” is used for forest age structure expression. It represents the percentage of forest stand age from a predicated period of its existence – rotation period. There were realized development dynamics analyses of particular forest functions and actual functional effects; forest stand age weight development as a reducing criterion for different forest stand conditions and model real effect of the forest functions development for chosen stand types. Research was carried out at the state enterprise Lesy ČR, s.p., organization unit Židlochovice. The results present a synergistic effect of functional reduction criterion on the real effect of forest stand functions. Simultaneously, the higher the forest stand age, the higher the importance of the forest stand condition and stocking.