Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The importance of producing good quality beech timber seems to increase even if
there are periods with low demands for it. Due to relatively substantial amount of fertile
abandoned agriculture soils in Southern Sweden possibilities to increase the area occupied by
beech seems to be high. Former studies indicate the positive influence of shelter on a survival
of seedlings and quality formation e.g. crookedness, forking. The aim of the study was to
answer the question: if the shelterwood benefit to better quality of beech and which admixture
species creates the most favourable conditions for beech regeneration? Furthermore, the goal
was to study a possible hampering of the beech growth, due to the shelter. The thesis
comprises two parts. In the first literature was reviewed, in the second field results were
analyzed. Different beech traits were compared in mixed and open grown stands. The
following beech traits were measured and judged on sample trees: diameter in breast height,
diameter of the thickest branch, tree class, stem crookedness, quality of the stem, shape of the
tree and occurrence of the spike knots. The statistical analyze was made by means of ANOVA
planned comparisons. Every measured row was regarded as an independent observation.
Contrast was made between three groups; NS (no shelter) - pure beech and mixture with alder
(control plot), LS (low shelter) – mixtures with hornbeam, aspen and spruce, HS (high
shelter) – mixtures with larch, birch, and hybrid aspen. The results showed that mixing beech
with fast growing species has a positive influence on beech quality formation, especially
shape of the tree and commercial quality. There was no significant decrease of diameter and
volume growth of beech, due to the shelter. Finally the admixtures with fast growing species
were regarded as the most favourable for artificial regeneration of beech.