Abstract
UDK 630*114:630*242(497.6)
 Large areas of European fir-beech forests are characteristic for the Dinaric Mountains and represent one of the most important forest ecosystems in the region. Such forests extend in high karst plateaus from the eastern Alps in SE Slovenia to the N Albanian massifs at the altitudes from 700 to 1200 (1500) m a.s.l. This is the area with a diverse landscape configuration. The bedrock is consisted of limestone, occasionally of dolomite limestone and dolomite. There are various soil conditions, where in a small area, a mosaic of Leptosols, Rendzic Leptosols, Chromic Cambisol, Calcaric and Chromic Luvisols occur. As climate conditions are very favourable for the growth of forests (high precipitation and air humidity), production function of wood is much more emphasized. Very little is known about the long-term effects of forest management and intensity of logging on soil organic matter quality and carbon stocks in these forest soils. Therefore, with an objective to understand better variations in soil properties, both in space and time, aiming to minimize the uncertainties of the SOC (soil organic carbon) and TN (total nitrogen) stocks, we have set up a research objects in silver fir-beech forests, in Slovenia (research plots in Kočevje, Snežnik and Trnovo) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (research plots on MT Bjelašnica). We analysed soil properties of the unmanaged and managed sites studying differences between treatments and also changes for the two years period of observations. Preliminary results from Slovenian sites show that the high intensity of logging (50 and 100% cut of growing stock) causes a decrease in SOC and TN contents, wider C/N ratio and higher pH values, with the largest level of alternations in the organic part of the soils. The study in Bosnia gave information on inherent SOC and TN concentrations in the organic and surface mineral soil, and also indicated no differences in soil properties between unmanaged and managed sites characterized by low (14-18%) intensities of logging.
Highlights
Fir-beech forests (Omphalodo-Fagetum, syn.: Abieti-Fagetumiliricum, Horvat 1938, 1957 in Puncer 1979, 1980) in the Dinaric mountain region are recognized as uneven aged, self-regenerative and attributed to diverse soil and climate conditions highly favourable for forest growth, due to the abundant precipitations and high air humidity
Three study sites were selected in Slovenia (Kočevski rog, Snežnik, and Trnovo) and one site in Bosnia (Mt Bjelašnica) (Table 1)
The hydrology of karst sinkholes, specific for Slovenian sites, influence more intense processes of leaching and lower pH values compare to Bosnian sites
Summary
Fir-beech forests (Omphalodo-Fagetum, syn.: Abieti-Fagetumiliricum, Horvat 1938, 1957 in Puncer 1979, 1980) in the Dinaric mountain region are recognized as uneven aged, self-regenerative and attributed to diverse soil and climate conditions highly favourable for forest growth, due to the abundant precipitations and high air humidity. The bedrock is predominantly consisted of limestone, dolomitic limestone and dolomite, on which a mosaic of Rendzic Leptosols, Chromic Cambisol, Calcaric Cambisol and Chromic Luvisols occur Such forests extend in high karst plateaus from the eastern Alps in SE Slovenia to the northern Albanian massifs at the altitudes from 700 to 1200 (1500) m a.s.l. the applied management system favourites preservation of genuine forest structure, with least changes in canopy openings and site microclimatic conditions. Considering the number of one stand entries per ten year’s rotation period, in Bosnia they match the same category and they have been described by high biodiversity and unstable ratios the mixture of their major species (Ćirić et al, 1971; Stefanović et al, 1983)
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