Dendrochronological Assessment of Forest Productivity Dynamics in Northwest Caucasia

• Main Author: Gawriil E. Komin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Siberian Federal University 2012-03-01
• Series: Журнал Сибирского федерального университета: Серия Биология
• Subjects: tree vegetation; forest productivity dynamics; tree-ring analysis; northwest Caucasia
• Online Access: http://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/2311/3008/1/01_Kemin.pdf

Timber stock dynamics during last 300 years have been assessed using ring-width chronologies for sessile oak (Quercus petraea Liebl), Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) and Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach.) processed by novel method. Positive linear trend has been shown in all chronologies. Average increase of growth indices has been determined as 0.23% per year for oak and beech and as 0.21 % for fir. Growth trends have been used for timber stock dynamics assessment. Years of sample plot description or dates of sampling have been used as a control points by stock dynamics assessment. Compound interest formula has been applied by wood reserves dynamics estimation. Mature oak forest reserves increased according this calculation from 211 up to 300 cubic meters per hectare since 1850, beech forest reserves increased from 194 up to 400 m3/ha since 1700 and fir forest reserves increased from 480 up to 775 m3/ha since 1720.