Oak Areas Research Articles

FORESTRY AND STAND MENSURATION CHARACTERISTICS OF OAK STANDS IN RECREATIONAL AND HEALTH FORESTS OF THE LEFT-BANK STEPPE

The study of forestry and stand mensuration characteristics of oak stands in the recreational and health forests of the Left-Bank Steppe was carried out based on forest management materials. The distribution of oak stands in recreational and recreational forests of the region by location, origin, forest types, age groups and classes, health status classes, and relative completeness was analyzed. Indicators of the use of forest site capacity by modal oak stands within forest areas of green zones around settlements (forestry part of forests of green zones) were calculated. It was found that oak groves in the recreational and recreational forests of the Left-Bank Steppe occupy an area of more than 73 thousand hectares or 39% of the total area of recreational and recreational forests of the Left-Bank of Ukraine. Artificial oak plantations predominate, the share of which is 52.9%. Sprouted oak stands occupy 42.5% of the area, and natural seeded stands occupy 4.6%. The largest reserve (195 m3·ha–1) is characterized by natural seed stands. Forests in the conditions of dry birch and sapwood predominate — 25,9 thousand hectares, which is 35.4% of the total area of oak stands in study region. In terms of area and stock, medieval plantations prevail, the share of which is 60.7% of the total area and 56.6% of their total stock. The predominance of oak stands growing according to the II and III site classes (62.7%) and characterized by a relative completeness of 0.7–0.8 (63.7%) was noted. It was established that the relative completeness of oak stands, starting from the VII age class, gradually decreases. The rate of use of forest plant potential by oak trees within the forests of green zones around settlements (forestry part) compared to local highly productive stands amounts to 76%. Losses of wood due to the insufficient degree of use of land fertility were estimated at 916.7 thousand m3.

Non-conventional treatments to control cork oak infection by Phytophthora cinnamomi

AbstractCork oak (Quercus suber) is one of the most important forest species in Portugal and in the Mediterranean basin, but in recent decades a progressive decline has been registered in the montado ecosystem. The main phytopathogenic agent involved in this process, Phytophthora cinnamomi, has a high infection potential and survival ability, and became a serious threat to this ecosystem. Extensive areas of cork oak are infected in Portugal, being imperative to find new ways to control this disease. The complex lifecycle of this pathogen and the small number of effective agrochemicals currently authorized against Phytophthora spp., with phosphonates taking advantage, justifies this work where new products with antagonism against Oomycetes or biostimulant properties were tested. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of BLAD (a polypeptide with antifungal, anti-oomycete and biostimulant properties), potassium phosphonate and salicylic acid in Q. suber infected with P. cinnamomi, quantifying the severity of root lesions. BLAD, potassium phosphonate and salicylic acid treatments showed lower root lesion severities than the inoculated control, and proved to be effective as they provided a slower disease evolution. The lowest lesion severity in cork oak roots observed with BLAD treatments allowed us to consider BLAD as the most promising product among the three we tested.

Criteria for selecting plus trees for protective forestry

Protective forest strips are the basis of the environmental frame on sparsely wooded areas. To create such highly productive objects, the selection of the corresponding gene pool is required. Plus trees the representatives of this gene pool. The aim of the research is to develop criteria for highlighting plus trees for protective forestry, focused on the creation of plantings, the main parameter of which is the working height. 16 trial areas of cherry oak (Quércus róbur L.), black locust (Robinia Pseudoacia L.), green ash (Fraxinus lanceolata B.), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), thorney locust (Gleditschia triacanthos L.), walnut (Juglans regia L.) have been laid out. A continuous recalculation of heights in 100–142 individuals have been recalculated on each trial area and their statistical indicators have been determined. The height of the trees had a normal or close to it statistical distribution at the studied objects. Data processing was carried out using the Stadia 8.0/Prof licensed program for Windows. The method of selecting plus trees has been proposed, the height of which should exceed the average one by 25% or more. A comparison of the proposed and well -known method has revealed that the proposed one can increase the breeding differential with instrumental selection by 48,25–53,78%, and with eye-instrumental selection by 31,15–41,39%. Criteria for trees of various selection categories have been developed. Due to different conditions, it is recommended to highlight plus trees separately in the extreme and mid-protective forest strips. With breeding inventory, it is also necessary to take into account the sanitary condition of the trees.

Drought Effects on Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Traits in Persian Oak and Black Poplar Seedlings

In many arid and semi-arid regions, increasing water scarcity pushes woody species to their physiological limits, making strong drought resistance essential for adaptive forest management. Here, we examined morpho-physiological and biochemical drought responses of the forestry-relevant Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) and black poplar (Populus nigra L.). In a 120-day greenhouse pot experiment, seedlings were subjected to three watering regimes (FC100, FC60, and FC30, indicating percentages of field capacity). Under FC100 conditions, all biomass measures and the total and specific leaf area of oak were significantly greater compared to those of poplar. FC60-exposed poplar seedlings exhibited strong declines in relative water content (RWC; −33%) and carotenoids (−46%) and a surge in electrolyte leakage (EL; +51%), while these parameters did not change significantly in oak. Although both species showed 80% EL under FC30 conditions, poplar suffered more severe drought damage than oak as evidenced by a 65% lower survival, stronger reductions in RWC and total chlorophyll, as well as stronger increases in oxidative stress markers. Accordingly, poplar seedlings displayed a drought-related 56% decline in quality index while only statistically insignificant reductions occurred in oak seedlings. The superior drought resistance of oak seedlings implies economically more viable nursery production and better seedling establishment, suggesting a shift towards Persian oak-dominated forestry in its natural range under future climate projections.

Stand Composition, Tree-Related Microhabitats and Birds—A Network of Relationships in a Managed Forest

Forest ecosystems contain many tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), which are used by various groups of organisms. Birds use TreMs for shelter, foraging and breeding. The abundance and variability of TreMs is related to tree stand composition and age. Over the last few centuries there has been a drastic decline in the structural and biological diversity of temperate forests over large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These changes have reduced the diversity and quantity of TreMs. In this study we showed the relationships between stand composition, the abundance of TreMs, and the species richness of birds in a managed forest. We focused on TreMs that are important to birds: woodpecker breeding cavities, rot holes, dead branches, broken treetops, and perennial polypores. Our study was performed in a managed lowland temperate forest. In 94 plots (10 ha each) we made bird surveys and inventoried the stand composition and TreMs. Our results show that the tree stand composition of a managed forest affects the abundance of TreMs. The share of deciduous trees in the stand favors the occurrence of such TreMs as dead branches, rot holes and perennial polypores. The overall richness of bird species and the species richness of primary cavity nesters depended on the total basal area of oak, hornbeam and birch, whereas the species richness of secondary cavity nesters increased with the total basal area of birch and oak.

Contribution of geomatics tools to the study of the spatio-temporal evolution of forest stands of the Maamora forest in the face of global changes

A better knowledge of the land use of an environment is based on the establishment and comparison of various spatio-temporal situations of the different components of this space. This work is part of a research on the dynamics of the Maamora forest. It aims to show the contribution of the use of geomatics tools in the evaluation of dynamics of forest cover and therefore the evaluation of the impact of global changes and previous forest management methods. The approach followed for the assessment of forest cover in 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 and 2019, was based on satellite images of Landsat 5 and Landsat 8, with a spatial resolution of 30 m. The classification supervised by the “Support Vector Machine” (SVM) algorithm made it possible to develop forest cover maps for the dates selected and subsequently to evaluate the changes. The classification evaluation showed a Kappa coefficient over 87% and an overall accuracy over 90% for all the selected dates. The results showed a great dynamic of the forest cover between 1984 and 2019 with two significant periods. The first one is 1984-1994 when areas of cork oak and acacia fell respectively by 20% and 39% in favor of other introduced forest species, mainly eucalyptus and pines, which increased respectively by 28% and 74%. For the second period 1994-2019, there was a reversal trend of regression of cork oak’s area towards an increase of 11%, while the area of eucalyptus plantations was generally stabilized and that of pines and acacia stands fell by 37% and 33% respectively. These results make it possible to provide decision-makers with tools for the future management of the space.

Intra- and Inter-Annual Growth Patterns of a Mixed Pine-Oak Forest under Mediterranean Climate

Temperature and precipitation variability throughout the year control the intra-annual dynamics of tree-ring formation. Physiological adaptation of trees to climate change is among the key issues to better understand and predict future forest performance and composition. In this study, we investigated the species’ coexistence and performance of Scots pine and pubescent oak growing in a mixed sub-Mediterranean forest in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. We assessed intra-annual cumulative growth patterns derived from band dendrometers during four consecutive growing seasons and long-term changes in basal area increment for the period 1950–2014. Our results revealed that Scots pine followed an intra-annual bimodal growth pattern. Scots pine growth was mainly limited by water availability at intra-annual, interannual and decadal time scales, which resulted in a negative long-term growth trend. Conversely, oak displayed a unimodal growth pattern, which was less climatically constrained. A significant increase in basal area of oak denotes an overall better potential acclimation to prevailing climatic conditions at the expenses of a higher risk of physiological failure during extreme climate events.

Legacy of plant-parasitic nematode communities from past ecosystems and shift by recent afforestation

Ancient ecological legacies and past land use changes may inform on the present structure of biological communities. However, regions providing such successive ecosystems are scarce. In France, the ‘Landes de Gascogne’ area provides such ecological shifts since a few ancient moorland, peatland and oak areas prior the afforestation with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) 160 years ago still remain. Focusing on soil-borne parasites such as plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN), because forests were recently increasingly impacted by the introduction of intensive agriculture, this study is therefore aimed at comparing the diversity and the community patterns of these organisms at different scales (intra- and intersites) and between different successive ecosystems. The understory vegetation as well as the pedo-climatic characterization of the sampled sites were also considered. Common diversity indices were not impacted by this transition from ancient to past ecosystems. Although the most colonizer nematodes prevailed in all the ecosystems, PPN community structures significantly diverged between both ecosystems. In the logged pine forests, the sediment legacy could have primarily impacted the diversity. Moreover, the PPN diversity would mainly respond to the soil hydromorphicity that determined the associated understory vegetation. Consequently, a significant shift in community structure from moorlands to logged pine to logged pine forests was observed, regarding especially high pathogenic species such as Pratylenchus spp. Thus, analyzing PPN community structure highlights the PPN potential risk to consider during the introduction of intensive cropping systems.

Торговля лесными материалами Киевской губернии в первой половине ХIX в.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the reasons for the deterioration of the environmental situation in Ukraine related to trade in forest materials. Periodic floods occur due to disregard for the need to preserve forests. In the first half of the 19th century, the Russian Empire offered raw materials for import and export, including timber and products of primary wood processing from state forests. Executive institutions monitored the increase in sources of tax revenues to the treasury. Taxes were levied on both business activities related to timber trade, and primary and secondary processing. At the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries, the development of the Black Sea Fleet remained a matter of national importance, for the needs of which huge areas of oak and pine forests were allocated in the Kyiv province. Local governments immediately complied with imperial instructions regarding the army, provincial and county administrations, providing their needs. The priority for the authorities was to provide the military with weapons, transport, and heating. There were cases of neglect of the local populations’ interests, whose needs were opposed by the military and the administration. Private initiative concerning forests as a source of income often led to mass felling of heating, energy raw materials for distilleries and sugar factories. The newest industries at that time brought superprofits, which resulted not only in the emergence of new social classes and industrial relations, the foundations of the Ukrainian national consciousness, but also a change in attitudes toward Mother Nature. The formation of industrial society was due to the slow growth of welfare of employees, and the accelerated disappearance of age-old forests.

An evaluation of english oak earlywood vessel area as a climate proxy in the UK

This research evaluates the usefulness of oak earlywood vessel area as a climate proxy in the western United Kingdom (UK). The results demonstrate that at this site earlywood vessel area contains a different environmental signal (March relative humidity) to a ring-width chronology developed from the same trees. The vessel area signal passes commonly used verification statistics and was found to be representative of the climate of a similar geographic area to other tree-ring proxies, albeit with a lower explained variance. Taking the average of all the vessels identified for each year weakened the reconstructed climate signal and it was found for this study that the average of the 10 largest vessels provided the strongest and most stable match. The results demonstrate earlywood vessel area of oak in the UK has potential as a climate proxy, but that further work to strengthen and characterise the climatic target variable controlling vessel area is required.

Long-term monitoring and microbiological control programs against lepidopteran defoliators in Sardinian cork oak forests (Italy)

The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), and the tent caterpillar, Malacosoma neustrium (L.), are the main cork oak, Quercus suber L., pests in the Mediterranean area and cause complete defoliation in large forest districts. In order to control infestations, large scale aerial applications of insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki ( Btk ) have been carried out in Sardinia (Italy) since 2001. This paper evaluated the frequency of outbreaks in forest districts with varying homogeneity of land use, forest areas annually exposed to defoliation and the effectiveness of control programs based on Btk insecticide applications. The volume of areas annually exposed to defoliation depends on forest homogeneity, as infestations are more frequent in cork oak areas with a lower than 25% canopy cover rate. The microbiological control programme efficiently protected cork oaks from lepidopteran defoliators and caused an overall annual mean mortality of over 60%, with maximum rates of 89.9 and 98.0% for L. dispar and M. neustrium , respectively. To date, approximately 180,000 hectares of cork oak forests have been protected by spraying Btk -based insecticides.

Структурно-функціональний розподіл дубових насаджень Лівобережного Лісостепу

За матеріалами лісовпорядкування (таксаційної повидільної бази даних) проведено розподіл загальної площі вкритих лісовою рослинністю лісових ділянок у межах Лівобережного Лісостепу за панівними породами. Проаналізовано розподіл площі та запасу дубових насаджень за категоріями лісів та їхню вікову структуру в розрізі походження. Виявлено, що видовий склад головних лісотвірних порід у лісах Лівобережного Лісостепу є доволі різноманітним і представлений загалом 70 деревними видами. Найпоширенішими є насадження за участю дуба звичайного (Quercus robur L.), які займають 46,4 % (284,1 тис. га) від загальної площі вкритих лісовою рослинністю лісових ділянок. Результати проведених досліджень свідчать, що найбільша частка від загальної площі дубових лісів Лівобережного Лісостепу припадає на рекреаційно-оздоровчі ліси – 38,7 % (109,7 тис. га), дещо меншою – 28,1 % (79,9 тис. га) – є частка захисних лісів, а частка експлуатаційних лісів і лісів природоохоронного, наукового, історико-культурного призначення становить 18,2 % (51,8 тис. га) та 15,0 % (42,7 тис. га) відповідно. Розподіл загального запасу дубових лісів у межах категорій лісів приблизно такий самий, як і за площею. В усіх категоріях лісів виявлено розбалансованість вікової структури дубових насаджень із істотним переважанням середньовікових і пристиглих насаджень, доволі значною часткою стиглих і перестійних насаджень та незначною часткою молодняків. Віднесення кожної окремої лісової ділянки дубових насаджень до певної категорії лісів зумовлює встановлення відповідного режиму лісокористування, насамперед виконання відповідних видів рубок. Для ефективного ведення лісового господарства, зокрема, в дубових лісах Лівобережного Лісостепу, доцільним є поліпшення вікової структури цих насаджень із урахуванням їхнього функціонального призначення, що визначається їх належністю до певної категорії лісів.

Population structure, soil characteristics and carbon stock of the regenerating banj oak forests in Almora, Central Himalaya

The present study is aimed to study regeneration status, population structure, soil characteristics and carbon stock of seven regenerating banj oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) forests in the central Himalaya. The phytosociological study was done by using ten 10 m × 10 m quadrat at each site. Biomass and carbon stock of trees were calculated by using regression equations. Soil samples were collected from three depths (0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm) by using soil corer. The tree density of two most dominant species of the study sites i.e. banj oak and pine (Pinus roxburghii) varied from 260–1200 trees ha−1 and 90–300 trees ha−1, respectively. Whereas, basal area of banj oak and pine varied between 5.5–21.0 m2 ha−1 and 6.4–26.0 m2 ha−1, respectively. Density-diameter curve indicated the increasing population of banj oak while declining pine in all the sites. Carbon density of the banj oak was found between 46.96–167.36 Mg ha−1 and in pine it was 17.18–72.95 Mg ha−1. Soil nutrient (especially carbon and nitrogen) improved with increase in density and basal area of forests. Additionally, substantial amount of carbon stored by these trees makes them viable for the region. Thus, identification and conservation of such forests are recommended.

Analyzing the recent dynamics of wildland fires in Quercus suber L. woodlands in Sardinia (Italy), Corsica (France) and Catalonia (Spain)

Wildland fires represent a major threat to Quercus suber L. ecosystems, which provide relevant socioeconomic and ecological services in the Mediterranean Basin. In this work, we analyzed recent wildland fire dynamics in cork oak woodlands along the fire-prone areas of Sardinia (Italy), Corsica (France) and Catalonia (Spain). We first characterized geographic extent and main characteristics of cork oak woodlands in these regions and analyzed how environmental (climate and elevation) and socioeconomic factors (population and land uses) vary in the areas covered by Quercus suber L. We then evaluated how wildfires affected cork oak stands and, by logistic regression analysis, to what extent wildfires in cork oak areas were related to the above set of environmental and anthropic explanatory variables. Results revealed specific variations across study areas in cork oak characteristics as well as in environmental and social factors. We highlighted the spatial and temporal patterns of wildfires on cork oak woodlands, in terms of extent, seasonality, frequency and main driving factors. In the period 2003–2015, the percentage of cork oak woodlands burned ranged from 3.42% in Corsica to 11.30% in Sardinia. A few large and severe wildfires accounted for most of the area burned in cork oak woodlands. The most significant predictive variable that explained the spatial variation in wildland fire ignitions inside or nearby cork oaks was summer precipitation, while the weight of other factors varied depending on the region. This study provides evidence on recent fire dynamics in cork oak woodlands and gives valuable information and insights for the implementation of forest management and planning strategies in the Mediterranean area.

Tree litter identity and predator density control prey and predator demographic parameters in a Mediterranean litter-based multi-trophic system

Plant litter decomposition is an essential process of ecosystem functioning, driven by a complex soil food web. The identity and density of the predators, as well as the quality and quantity of litter, could conjointly affect the strength of trophic interactions within a soil food web. Pine and oak are dominant tree species in temperate and Mediterranean forests and, although they exhibit distinct litter characteristics, no previous study attempted to decipher how these two litters can affect a litter-based multi-trophic system with varying predator density. Using a microcosm experiment, we aimed at understanding how different densities of a predatory Acari (Stratiolaelaps scimitus) and two Mediterranean litter species (Quercus pubescens and Pinus halepensis) may impact the demographic parameters of the predatory Acari, its Collembola prey (Folsomia candida) and the fungal biomass associated with litter. We did not observe any interactive effect of litter identity and predator density on both predator and prey demographic parameters. Survival and fecundity rates of the predator and its prey decreased at high predator density. However, demographic parameters of the predator and its prey were differentially affected by litter identity, with greater prey demographic parameters in Quercus litter and, in the opposite, greater predator demographic parameters in Pinus litter, probably due to differences in physical characteristics providing more or less refuge for the prey. We also observed a higher increase in fungal biomass in Pinus compared to Quercus litter, i.e. the litter with the fungivorous Collembola abundance reduced by the predatory Acari. Litter identity could thus strongly regulate these tri-trophic interactions (Fungi – fungivorous Collembola – predatory Acari) in forest ecosystems. Finally, the implications of our findings could be important as the distribution area of oak and pine forests may be altered in response to climate change with then potentially strong cascading effects on soil organisms and the processes they drive.

The Use of qPCR Reveals a High Frequency of Phytophthora quercina in Two Spanish Holm Oak Areas

The struggling Spanish holm oak woodland situation associated with Phytophthora root rot has been studied for a long time. Phytophthora cinnamomi is considered the main, but not the only species responsible for the decline scenario. This study verifies the presence and/or detection of Phytophthora species in two holm oak areas of Spain (southwestern “dehesas” and northeastern woodland) using different isolation and detection approaches. Direct isolation and baiting methods in declining and non-declining holm oak trees revealed Phytophthora cambivora, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora gonapodyides, Phytophthora megasperma, and Phytophthora pseudocryptogea in the dehesas, while in the northeastern woodland, no Phytophthora spp. were recovered. Statistical analyses indicated that there was not a significant relationship between the Phytophthora spp. isolation frequency and the disease expression of the holm oak stands in the dehesas. Phytophthora quercina and P. cinnamomi TaqMan real-time PCR probes showed that both P. cinnamomi and P. quercina are involved in the holm oak decline in Spain, but P. quercina was detected in a higher frequency than P. cinnamomi in both studied areas. Thus, this study demonstrates that molecular approaches complement direct isolation techniques in natural and seminatural ecosystem surveys to determine the presence and distribution of Phytophthora spp. This is the first report of P. pseudocryptogea in Europe and its role in the holm oak decline should be further studied.

Is research supporting sustainable management in a changing world? Insights from a Mediterranean silvopastoral system

Science-based sustainable management of agroforestry and silvopastoral systems is essential for their maintenance in a changing world. Using bibliometric and network analyses, we characterized how research is addressing the ecological and socio-economic dimensions of sustainable management of cork oak (Quercus suber) silvo pastoral systems, Mediterranean ecosystems of high nature conservation and socio-economic value. We retrieved publications on cork oak from the Web of Science. More than 60 countries contributed with research on this system. Retrieved papers addressed a great diversity of topics and were published in a variety of journals, highlighting the multidisciplinary character of cork oak research. Research grew exponentially after the 1990’s, possibly stimulated by the establishment of the European Forest Ecosystem Research Network. Our analysis shows that most research priorities identified for the Mediterranean region are being well addressed in cork oak systems, although research on the interactions between ecological and socio-economic components remains underrepresented. Less research has been published in North Africa compared to Europe, which is worrisome because it hosts a large area of cork oak that faces major sustainability challenges, often different from those prevailing in Europe. Our study shows that, despite constraints, the global scientific community is contributing to fill relevant knowledge gaps on the sustainability of cork oak systems across their range. Bibliographic and network analyses proved effective to uncover patterns, gaps, and potential constraints on cork oak scientific research and can be easily used to analyze research in other agroforestry and silvopastoral systems worldwide.

How to Make Open Air Shopping Centres Walkable ( breakout presentation )

The planning and design of large retail areas is such an important issue within our cities that it is more than just a retail industry topic. These ever-larger development sites with their “big-box-store format” are separate and isolated from their adjacent communities by an oversized transportation infrastructure. The stores are stand-alone, single-use, lowest FAR formats separated from streets and public sidewalks from large parking areas, without any consideration of the urban context and the public realm is generally of very poor quality. The “Large Retail/Commercial Urban Design Guidelines” of the City of Calgary is a document that positively influences Planning decisions and built outcome. Since introduced in 2014 the Guidelines resulted in multiple new large retail site applications and a new wave of site redevelopment and constructions that successfully promote walkability, a mix of uses, great streets that make connections, create places, embrace “park once” principles and encourage innovation and evolution. Recent examples can be found in the retail areas of Seton, Auburn Bay, Sage Hill, Royal Oak, Northland, East Hills and Deerfoot City. Others are under way. The Guidelines serve as a guide and inspiration for future development decisions for the enhancement and new development of medium and large-format commercial development sites. They build on and expand the objectives of the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) to develop commercial sites with improved form and function that are well-integrated, vibrant and walkable within development patterns that allow for greater diversity, intensity and change. These commercial retail areas should aspire to better serve community needs, strengthen community focal points and encourage better designed and more diverse shopping areas, emphasizing the integration of commercial sites with their urban context Guidelines Applicability: The Guidelines are being tested and developed in close collaboration (the above-mentioned link to the City of Calgary website informs about the outcomes of stakeholder collaboration) with the development industry between 2011 and 2014 and finally adopted by The City’s Planning and Development Administration They apply to all existing retrofits and future commercial sites that provide a retail component of more than 9,300 m2 (100,000 ft2).

Типологічне різноманіття лісів на водозборі річки Сіверський Донець на території Луганської області

Typological analysis of watershed forests of the Seversky Donets River was carried out on the basis of forest management data with electronic databases of "Ukrderzhlisproekt" Production Association. More than 27 types of forest were analyzed with total size of 228.2 thousand hectares. The classification of forest growth conditions, forest types and tree species on the left and right banks of the Seversky Donets River was done for the Luhansk region. We determined that the forest fund of the Luhansk region consists from the oak forests – 46.4 %, sudubrava – 21.1 %, conifer forest – 17.5 %. The proportion of coniferous forests makes up to 15.0 % of total forest area. We calculated that the area of common oak and common pine is 86.9 and 70.9·103 ha respectively. The following types of forests are prevailing: dry birchbark-marple sudubrava (30.8 %), fresh oak-pine sudubrava (13.1%), dry Tatarian maple sudubrava (12.9%), and fresh pine forest (10.6%). In the forest area of the Luhansk region we registered 70 tree species, of which 19 species – in oak-pine forest; 37 – in conifer forest; 55 – in sudubrava; 59 – in oak forest. By categories of protection the recreation forests (51.7 %) and protective forests (42.0 %) are the dominant. The forests of nature protection, forests of scientific, historical and cultural significance have only 6.4 % from the total forest area. The structure of forests by age groups was: middle-aged forests – 41.3 %, young growths – 17.8 %, ripening forests – 15.5 %, mature forests – 16.7 %, and old growth forests – 13.3 % from total forest area of Luhansk region.

Variation of cork quality for wine stoppers across the production regions in Portugal

Cork production and technological quality were characterized following a field sampling covering the whole area of cork oaks in Portugal (six regions), with one site per 20,000 ha of cork oak area (30 sites), using samples taken from the tree at the time of cork stripping (20 trees per site). The following quality parameters were determined: thickness of the raw cork planks, calliper of the cork planks after boiling, cork growth index, i.e., growth of the first 8 complete years, density and porosity. The cork growth index was 28.6 mm, with significant differences between regions and sites within regions. A production cycle of 9 years was applied to 51% of the trees with annual productivity of 0.93 kg m−2 year−1 of debarked surface, 30.3 mm raw cork plank thickness, 33.9 mm corkboard calliper, 251 kg m−3 density and a porosity coefficient of 5.8%. For all the cork quality parameters analysed, the regions and sites within regions were a significant factor of variation. This research covers the natural variability of cork production features for industrial processing, namely for the production of wine stoppers. It is the most extensive work characterizing the geographical variation of cork as an industrial raw-material. The results are useful for optimizing the production cycle and for improving management practices and regulations.