11. Root-associated fungal communities from two phenologically contrasting Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) groups of treesTina Unuk Nahberger, Tijana Martinović, Domen Finžgar, Nataša Šibanc, Tine Grebenc, Hojka Kraigher, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: Root-associated fungal communities are important components in ecosystem processes, impacting plant growth and vigor by influencing the quality, direction, and flow of nutrients and water between plants and fungi. Linkages of plant phenological characteristics with belowground root-associated fungal communities have rarely been investigated, and thus our aim was to search for an interplay between contrasting phenology of host ectomycorrhizal trees from the same location and root-associated fungal communities (ectomycorrhizal, endophytic, saprotrophic and pathogenic rootassociated fungi) in young and in adult silver fir trees. The study was performed in a managed silver fir forest site. Twenty-four soil samples collected under two phenologically contrasting silver fir groups were analyzed for differences in rootassociated fungal communities using Illumina sequencing of a total root-associated fungal community. Significant differences in beta diversity and in mean alpha diversity were confirmed for overall community of ectomycorrhizal root-associated fungi, whereas for ecologically different non-ectomycorrhizal root-associated fungal communities the differences were significant only for beta diversity and not for mean alpha diversity. At genus level root-associated fungal communities differed significantly between early and late flushing young and adult silver fir trees. We discuss the interactions through which the phenology of host plants either drives or is driven by the root-associated fungal communities in conditions of a sustainably co-naturally managed silver fir forest. Keywords: host phenology, stand age, root-associated fungi, silver fir, fungal community Published in DiRROS: 20.02.2020; Views: 2022; Downloads: 1409
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12. Evaluating short-term impacts of forest management and microsite conditions on understory vegetation in temperate fir-beech forests : floristic, ecological, and trait-based perspectiveJanez Kermavnar, Aleksander Marinšek, Klemen Eler, Lado Kutnar, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: Forest understory vegetation is largely influenced by disturbances and given local abiotic conditions. Our research focuses on the early response of understory vegetation to various forest management intensities in Dinaric fir-beech forests in Slovenia: (i) control, (ii) 50% cut of stand growing stock, and (iii) 100% cut of stand growing stock. Apart from identifying overstory removal effects, we were interested in fine-scale variation of understory vegetation and environmental determinants of its species composition. Vegetation was sampled within 27 karst sinkholes, which represent a dominant landform in studied forests. Within each sinkhole, five sampling plots, varying in slope aspect (centre, north, east, south, west), were established (135 in total), where pre-treatment (in 2012) and post-treatment (in 2014) floristic surveys were conducted. The sampled understory species were characterized in terms of Ellenberg's indicator values (EIVs) and plant functional traits (plant height, seed mass, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content). Diversity metrics (species richness, total cover, Shannon index) increased in plots where the silvicultural measures were applied. Tree species richness also increased in 100% cutting. A redundancy analysis revealed that species composition was related to environmental variables, which are directly influenced by management interventions (overstory canopy cover, microclimate maximum daily temperature, soil properties thickness of organic soil layer) as well as by topographic factors (slope inclination and surface rockiness). EIVs for light were significantly affected by treatment intensity, whereas soil-related EIVs (moisture, reaction, nutrients) depended more on the within-sinkhole position. Canopy gaps, compared with uncut control plots, hosted a higher number of colonizing species with a higher plant height and smaller seeds, while leaf traits did not show a clear response. We found a negative correlation between pre-treatment species (functional) richness and post-treatment shifts in floristic (functional) composition. Plots with higher richness exhibited smaller changes compared with species-poor communities. Incorporating different perspectives, the results of this study offer valuable insights into patterns of understory vegetation response to forest management in fir-beech forests. Keywords: canopy gap, microsite environment, Ellenberg indicator values, plant functional traits, compositional resistance, karst topography, fir-beech forest Published in DiRROS: 06.12.2019; Views: 2522; Downloads: 1586
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13. Beech and silver fir's response along the Balkan's latitudinal gradientMatjaž Čater, Tom Levanič, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: At the 1000km geographical distance in Dinaric montane forests of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), the tree response from the north-western sites towards southern, warmer and dryer sites was performed during three consecutive growing seasons (2011, 2012 and 2013). On eleven permanent plots, positioned in uneven-aged beech and fir forests above 800m along the geographical gradient, the physiological and morphological response to light intensity were measured in predefined light categories based on the analysis of hemispherical photos. Radial growth was analysed on all plots and compared to precipitation, temperature and two drought indexes. Analysis showed a decrease in the cumulative precipitation and no change in temperature between plots. Beech was most efficient in the open area light conditions, while fir proved most efficient under shelter. Physiological response for beech increased towards SE and reached its maximal values in the middle of transect, while fir%s response decreased from the NW towards SE. Tendency to plagiotropic growth decreased from NW to SE in both species. Growth response to climatic parameters is weak, stronger in fir than in beech and decreasing towards SE. Keywords: beech, uneven aged forests, silviculture, latitudinal gradient, response, silver fir Published in DiRROS: 13.11.2019; Views: 2106; Downloads: 1383
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14. Analysis of the influece of ungulates on the regeneration of Dinaric fir-beech forests in the research site Trnovec in the Kočevje forest managementregionKristjan Jarni, Dušan Robič, Andrej Bončina, 2004, original scientific article Abstract: In the period 1970-2000, 152 fenced-in areas were built in the Kočevje Forest Management Region with an aim to protect tree seedlings and saplings from ungulatesć activity and to monitor the influence of roe and red deer on natural regeneration. The average surface area of fenced areas is 0.71 ha. Using the pair comparison technique (fenced vs. unfenced areas), the structureand the composition of the natural regeneration of tree species as well as complete shrub and herb vegetation were analysed in the research site Trnovec. Furthermore, the vegetation was investigated using the Braun-Blanquetmethod. The research results show significant differences between fenced and unfenced areas, both in tree species composition and in theheight structure of the sapling community. In fenced areas the total numberof saplings taller than 50 cm is higher and an increase is also evident in the number of saplings of silver fir Abies alba, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, elm Ulmus glabra and other minor tree species. There are also significant differences in species composition and in the abundance of plant species in the herb layer. The results show that natural regeneration of Dinaric fir-beech forests is successful, provided the influence of ungulates is excluded. Keywords: natural forest regeneration, Fagus sylvatica, roe deer, fir-beech forest, Abies alba, fenced area, seedling browsing, Kočevje forest region, research site Trnovec Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2017; Views: 4553; Downloads: 2028
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15. Differentiation of last formed tracheids in wood of silver firs (Abies alba) having various cambial productivityJožica Gričar, Aleš Straže, Katarina Čufar, 2003, original scientific article Abstract: To examine the state of differentiation of the last tracheids formed in wood and the duration of cambial activity, samples of wood and cambium were taken from mature silver fir (Abies alba) trees having various cambial productivity.Semi-thin cross-sections of wood sampled in July and October, 1999, were stained with toluidine blue and observed under a light microscope. In July, three different phases of current annual xylem growth ring formation were found, as a result of various cambial tree productivity. In October, the cell divisions in the cambium were completed in all investigated trees, while the process of differentiation was not entirely completed in trees with a more productive cambium. The number of undifferentiated tracheids was higher in trees having a more productive cambium. In these trees, the cambial activity and the differentiation ended later. In declining trees, the number of cells produced by the cambium was lower and the duration of cambial activity was shorter. Keywords: navadna jelka, Abies alba, les, traheide, kambijeva aktivnost, diferenciacija, wood, silver fir, tracheids, cambial activity, differentiation Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2017; Views: 4413; Downloads: 1984
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16. Light response of Fagus sylvatica L. and Abies alba Mill. in different categories of forest edge - vertical abundance in two silvicultural systemsMatjaž Čater, Andrej Kobler, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: In managed Dinaric montane fir (Abies alba Mill.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests, the light response of young beech and fir in gap microsites was studied during three consecutive growing periods (2009, 2010, and 2011) under controlled environmental conditions in stands of single-tree and irregular shelterwood silvicultural system. According to maximal quantum yield, the different response between species in microsite light categories was evidenced for silver fir on microsites with predominating diffuse light and for beech on microsites with predominating direct light, respectively. Abundance and change of share in microsite light categories was compared over different elevation belts on comparable sites between two silvicultural systems. The share of forest edge area was bigger in the irregular shelterwood system. Change in width of forest edge (20, 30 and 40 m) did not affect the proportion and share of the microsite in both regions of different silvicultural system. Separation of microsite areas between both silvicultural systems, evident in lower elevation belts was not evident in the most conflict and highest elevation zone, while the absolute values of all categories above 700 m in both systems were almost identical, indicating the same, small-scale irregular shelterwood system, known also as the freestyle silvicultural approach. Keywords: Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba, Dinaric silver fir and beech forests, Dinaric forests, forest edge, silviculture, selective system, irregular shelterwood system Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2017; Views: 2998; Downloads: 1237
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18. The chronology of the silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) from Pohorje, SloveniaTom Levanič, Katarina Čufar, 1998, original scientific article Abstract: Dendrochronological investigations were made in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) from Lovrenc, Pohorje, in the NE Slovenia. Tree ring analyses were made in discs of 25 healthy, adult, dominant or co-dominant silver firs and in cores from roof construction of two older rustic buildings from the same region using a LINTAB measuring device nad a TSAP/X of F. Rinn. We constructed the chronology of trees spanning the period of 1785-1996. The chronology of the old house is spanning the period of 1713-1852 and the chronology of barn 1745-1887. It was shown that the last considerable reconstruction of the house roof took place after the end of the growing period of 1952. The dating of the cores containining the outer ring 1887 confirmed the dating based on the carved inscription "1888". The three chronologies were joined into 284 years long silver fir chronology for Pohorje spanning the period of 1713-1996. It was compared with the Slovene silver fir chronology of the Dinaric region. Despite distance and great differences between the two regions there was shown a statistically confirmed similarity of two chronologies with tBP=9.8, GLK=71% and CDI=398. The chronologies have 21 common negative, 21 positive signature years and one common signature interval. Based on this the constructed chronology may be considered as representative for the whole Pohorje. The two chronologies are expected to be a good base to construct a regional Slovene Silver-fir chronology for dating in whole Slovenia. Two Slovene chronologies were compared with the following European silver fir chronologies: South German, stand 1993 (Becker and Siebenlist 1970; Spurk and Friedrich , pers. com.), Bavarian Forest - Germany (Eckstein, Sass 1988), Abetone - Italy (Schweingruber, ITRDB), Bannwald - Switzerland (Schweingruber, ITRDB). Both Slovene chronologies proved to be statistically similar with the two German and the Italian silver fir chronology, but showed no similarity with the Swiss one. The Pohorje chronology correlates better with both German ones and the Dinaric chronology correlates better with the Italian one. Keywords: jelka, Abies alba, datiranje objektov, dendrokronologija, Silver fir, Abies alba, dating of the object, dendrochronology, Slovenia Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2017; Views: 4630; Downloads: 2001
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