Populations of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens in felling stands subject to different brushing regimes were studied in the southern taiga forest (Tsentralno-Lesnoi Biosphere Zapovednik, Russia). The stands are 14- and 20 y old and are situated in the Oxalis type of spruce forest. The number of birch saplings, the height and ontogenetic stage (reflecting the biological age) of individual saplings in the community were determined in ten 5- × 10-m plots, five in a 14-y-old stand that had undergone a single brushing event and five in a 20-y-old stand that had undergone three (regular) cleanings. In the 14-y-old stand, birches were more numerous (the total number of birch saplings was 10,800.0 ± 1365.3 stems·ha−1), saplings were higher (B. pendula: 2.59 ± 0.08 m; B. pubescens: 1.80 ± 0.12 m), and populations were more mature (most B. pendula saplings had changed to tree stage v from bush stage im). The total number of saplings in the 20-y-old stand was 1120.0 ± 338.2 stems·ha−1, the mean height of B. pendula was 2.47 ± 0.45 m, the mean height of B. pubescens was 1.45 ± 0.14 m, and saplings in immature stages dominated. Natural forest regeneration was dominated by B. pendula, which was almost twice as abundant as B. pubescens in the 20-y-old stand, and three times more abundant in the 14-y-old stand.
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1 June 2006
Influence of brushing frequency on birch population structure after felling
Oksana V. Zhukovskaya,
Nina G. Ulanova
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Ecoscience
Vol. 13 • No. 2
June 2006
Vol. 13 • No. 2
June 2006
Betula pendula
Betula pendula
Betula pubescens
Betula pubescens
birch
bouleau
brushing