Radial Growth of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Lichen Pine Forests and Woodlands of the Northern Taiga

Abstract

The vitality structure of forest stands and the annual radial increment of Scots pine trees of different vital state categories growing in the northern taiga middle-aged lichen pine forests and woodlands of the Kola Peninsula have been studied. This study has shown a prevalence (60–75%) of weakened and strongly weakened trees in the Scots pine forests and woodlands; the fraction of healthy trees does not exceed 15–20% (30% in terms of the stand volume). In the age range of 30–85 years, the radial growth of Scots pine trees in the communities studied decreases 1.5- to 3.5-fold, and the annual basal area increases 1.5- to 5-fold. Differentiation of trees of differing vitality in relation to the radial increment is clearly manifested starting from 50 years after the fire. The ratio between the annual basal areas of healthy, weakened, strongly weakened, and dying trees in pine forests and woodlands is 8 : 5 : 2.5 : 1 and 11 : 5.5 : 3.5 : 1, respectively. The difference between the resource potentials of pine woodlands and forests is 1 : 1.6 and is manifested at the level of communities, but not at the level of individuals.