Ihor Kozak - International Centre of Ecology - Polish Academy of Sciences
Mikhailo Holubets - Institute of Ecology of
the Carpathians, National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
DEPENDENCE OF BEECH FOREST PRODUCTIVITY ON FOREST AGE, ON NORTH-EASTERN SLOPES OF THE UKRAINAIN CARPATHIANS
Territorial features, spatial structure, productivity and fractional structure of phytomass of the beech forests and their dependence on the forest age were estimated. Study plots were located in 33, 48, 56, 75 and 100 year old forests.
It has been determined that beech communities have the high productivity (19.9 t/ha) at the age of 30-35. At the age of 100 years they continue to produce a considerable amount o phytomass (annual increment is 15,4 t/ha). Another important indicator of quantitative characteristics of the productivity is the general phytomass reserve. In the case of beech coenosisis it is 178 t/ha at the age of 33 years and 617 t/ha at the age of 100 years. In the course of aging, the mass of perennial organs (stems, branches, thick roots) increases, whereas the mass of leaves and thin roots remains on average unchanged.