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Dynamics and structural changes of an oak dominated Natural Forest Reserve in Austria

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Abstract

Natural forest reserves provide a rare opportunity to study forest dynamics after the cessation of human management. Inventories were carried out in 1996 and 2006 in an oak (Quercus spp.) dominated forest reserve formerly managed as coppice forest using the Bitterlich sampling method, an inventory method with a fixed angle of sight to select trees based on their stem diameter. The total living stand volume increased from 245.2 to 276.5 m3/ha (+12.8%) over the 10-year period. This net increase resulted from the growth of individual trees (+3.7%), the ingrowths of young trees (+17.7%) and tree mortality between 1996 and 2006 (−8.6%). Tree mortality included 14.8 m3/ha of standing deadwood and 6.2 m3/ha of fallen deadwood. Stand dynamics differed among tree species: the volume of oak (Quercus spp.) increased due to strong growth and low mortality, whereas hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) showed a decrease in stand volume due to high mortality and low growth. The findings suggest an increase in oak dominance at the expense of hornbeam although inventories repeated over longer time periods would be needed for confirmation. Our data indicate that the Bitterlich sampling method can be used for assessing tree species dynamics and structural changes in natural forest reserves, but some important processes (seedling recruitment, wood decomposition) would need to be investigated separately.

Zusammenfassung

In einem von Eiche (Quercus spp.) dominierten Naturwaldreservat wurde in den Jahren 1996 und 2006 auf einer Fläche von 29 ha eine Inventur mittels der Winkelzählprobe nach Bitterlich durchgeführt. Der Gesamtvorrat erhöhte sich in der 10-jährigen Beobachtungsperiode von 245.2 m3/ha auf 276.5 m3/ha. Im Durchschnitt konnten 14.8 m3/ha stehendes Totholz und 6.2 m3/ha liegendes Totholz ermittelt werden. Die Mortalitätsrate lag zwischen 1996 und 2006 bei 8.6%. Hainbuche (Carpinus betulus) zeigte aufgrund der hohen Mortalität und dem geringen Einwuchs im Vergleich zur Eiche und den anderen Baumarten eine Abnahme im Gesamtvorrat. Die Ergebnisse erlauben einen Einblick in die dynamischen Prozesse unter nahezu natürlichen Bedingungen. Die Eignung der Winkelzählprobe für die Beurteilung der Dynamik und die Analyse von strukturellen Veränderungen wird kritisch diskutiert.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to convey our heartiest thanks to Michael Eberhardt, Gunther Gollobich and Andreas Boineburg, Unit of Natural Forest Reserves, Federal Forest Office, Vienna, Austria for their immense help during data collection. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Austrian Development Cooperation (OEAD) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter Jordan-Straße 82, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Harald Vacik, M. Mizanur Rahman & Herwig Ruprecht

  2. Institute of Forest Inventory, Unit Natural Forest Reserves and Nature Conservation, Austrian Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), Hauptstraße 7, 1140, Vienna, Austria

    Georg Frank

Authors
  1. Harald Vacik
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  2. M. Mizanur Rahman
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  3. Herwig Ruprecht
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  4. Georg Frank
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Correspondence to M. Mizanur Rahman.

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Responsible Editor: Sonja Wipf.

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Vacik, H., Rahman, M.M., Ruprecht, H. et al. Dynamics and structural changes of an oak dominated Natural Forest Reserve in Austria. Bot. Helv. 119, 23–29 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-009-0053-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-009-0053-5

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