Age structure of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) forests in the Left- Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

V L Borysova,V L Meshkova

doi:10.33220/1026-3365.135.2019.163

Abstract

The age structure of European ash stands in the forest fund of ten forest enterprises from Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava regions was analyzed considering forest site conditions, stand origin, site index and ash proportion in the forest composition. The average age of ash stands is 68 years for the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe. On average from 46.1 % to 81.6% of European ash stands survive up to the V age class. The average age of ash stands is the highest in the forest-steppe part of Sumy Region in D2 and D3, in Kharkiv Region in D1, and in Poltava Region in C2 and C3. The average age is the highest (75 years) in artificial seed stands in Kharkiv Region, in natural seed (86 years) and vegetative (77 years) origin in Sumy Region. The survival of pure and almost pure ash stands is the highest in Kharkiv Region and the lowest in Poltava Region. In the legislatively adopted maturity age (VIII age class) survival of European ash with its proportion of 80–100 % is 26.5 %, 13.1 % and 3.2 % in Kharkiv, Sumy and Poltava Regions respectively. Correction of the main felling age in forests that are possible for exploitation is suggested considering the possible loss of timber quality as a result of forest damage by different causes.

Highlights

Health condition of forest trees have been worsening (Matsiakh & Kramarets 2014, Davydenko & Meshkova 2017, Linnakoski et al 2019), which is connected with anthropogenic disturbances (Paap et al 2018), climate change (Shvidenko et al 2017), and a spread of injurious organisms (Davydenko & Meshkova 2017)
The average age is the highest (75 years) in artificial seed stands in Kharkiv Region, in natural seed (86 years) and vegetative (77 years) origin in Sumy Region
Even in Trostyanetske Forest Economy” (FE) with the lowest area of ash stands in Sumy Region this parameter was larger than in all forest enterprises of Poltava Region

Summary

Introduction

Health condition of forest trees have been worsening (Matsiakh & Kramarets 2014, Davydenko & Meshkova 2017, Linnakoski et al 2019), which is connected with anthropogenic disturbances (Paap et al 2018), climate change (Shvidenko et al 2017), and a spread of injurious organisms (Davydenko & Meshkova 2017). In addition to ash dieback, ash is affected by tuberculosis (Janse 1982, Kulbanska 2015, Davydenko et al 2019, Meshkova et al 2019), root rots (Langer 2017), and damaged by insects (Meshkova et al 2017) It results in the premature death of trees and stands, and deterioration of wood quality (Metzler et al 2012, Langer 2017). Our previous research showed that susceptibility of European ash to different pathogens as well as the severity of tree damage increase with tree age (Meshkova & Borisova 2017). A similar situation was shown for silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) (Meshkova & Koshelyaeva 2019)

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