Abstract
Due to their extraordinary diversity and high level of conservation, the forest ecosystems of Biogradska Gora undoubtedly fall under the most significant forest objects. Owing to the lack of anthropogenic impacts, it is an especially interesting and gratifying research subject for different experts and scientists. In order to implement a sufficiently high biodiversity level management, it is necessary to know the structural characteristics of untouched forests. In this paper we focused our attention on monodominant montane beech forests with their ecological and structural characteristics, as a bioecological basis for environmentally friendly planning and sustainable management of these and similar forest ecosystems.
Highlights
Intensive forest utilization, especially in Western Europe, has resulted in a substantial reduction of areas under virgin forest
With reference to the pedological and geological characteristics, we can state that the studied area has a dominant type of soil: brown acid – dystric cambisol on eruptive rock (Fuštić and Djuretic, 2000), and that its geological stratum is made of different eruptive rocks which appeared in this area after the volcanic activities during the Middle Triassic and Jurassic ages (Mihailović et al, 1991)
According to the reviewed characteristics and values of all the elements of structure in general, it can be concluded that the studied stands of separated subassociations of monodominant montane beech, according to almost all analyzed ecological and production indicators differ enough for them to be singled out into special forest types, such as: Type A – typical montane beech forest (Fagetum moesiacae montanum typicum) on brown forest soil, medium deep on base eruptive rock; Type B - montane beech forest with forest fescue (Fagetum moesiacae montanum drymetosum) on brown shallow soil on base eruptive rock; Type C - montane beech forest with woodrush (Fagetum moesiacae montanum luzuletosum) on brown forest soil, shallow on basic eruptive rock
Summary
Intensive forest utilization, especially in Western Europe, has resulted in a substantial reduction of areas under virgin forest. 1.7% of forest complexes in Europe have an autochthonous structure (Parvainen et al 2000). It is thanks to Laibundgut by his actions at IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organizations) congresses and his numerous works (Leibundgut 1956, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1993) that the exploration of virgin forests is undertaken. In his interpretation, virgin forest does imply one forest stand, and the entire forest complex whose habitat, vegetation and mixture of trees is susceptible exceptionally to natural ecological impacts. Indisputable contributions to the investigation of virgin forests within the region have been given by Prpić (1979), Pintarić (1978), Matić (1998), Hartman (1999), Medarević (2001, 2005), Medarević et al (2002, 2004, 2007), Mayer et al (2003), Govedar et al (2006), Dubravac (2006). Kojić and Vilotić (2006), Anić and Mikac (2008) etc
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