Peculiarities of growth, development and climate-stabilizing significance of fir plantations of the Ukrainian Carpathians

Abstract

Peculiarities of growth and development by diameter of fir forest plantations in the Ukrainian Carpathians by forestry districts: Precarpathian, Mountain Carpathian and Transcarpathian plains and foothills are determined. Mathematical dependences of completeness and growth of white fir (Abies alba Mill.) On age and height and on age and diameter are offered. According to the obtained mathematical empirical dependences, it is established that white fir grows better in the forest-growing districts of the Mountain Carpathian and Transcarpathian plains and foothills. In these forest districts the growth of Abies alba Mill. prevails by 5% in the Pre-Carpathian forest district. In the district of the Transcarpathian plains and foothills, the diameter of the fir is higher than the Mountain Carpathian district by 12%, and the Precarpathian region by 17%. The Microsoft Excel data analysis package builds correlation matrices and establishes close relationships between age, height, diameter and phytomass by individual fractions. Regression and disperse analysis were performed and mathematical dependences were obtained. The biological productivity of Abies alba Mill in the Ukrainian Carpathians was established with the help of equations. According to the methods of IPCC (Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change, 2015), G. Matthews (1993) and I.Ya. Liepa (1980) established the carbon-absorbing and oxygen-forming capacity of white fir at the age of 70 on an area of 1 ha in the forest vegetation districts of the Carpathians. It has been determined that on the area of 1 ha fir plantations absorb the most carbon — 117.6 tons, and produce oxygen — 346.6 tons in the Transcarpathian plains and foothills, and in the forestry districts of the Carpathian and Precarpathian Abies alba Mill. absorbs 89.2 tons of carbon and produces 262.9 tons of oxygen. Analyzing the annual emissions of carbon dioxide into the environment of the Ukrainian Carpathians for the period 2010–2020, it was found that the average emissions were 18.6 million tons. It was determined that fir forests reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30%.