Regeneration of forest stands on permanent research plots in the Krkonoše Mts

Abstract

The article describes natural, combined and artificial regeneration on 38 permanent research plots in both Czech and Polish part of the Krkonoše Mts. The attention is paid to species composition, spatial (horizontal and vertical) and age structure of forest regeneration according to different stand and site conditions. Concerning the structure and dynamics of forest stands and their regeneration, the potential and prospects of regeneration according to particular developmental stages and stand types (beech stands; mixed stands: spruce-beech, fir-beech, spruce-firbeech; spruce stands, stands in the ecotone of the upper forest limit and relict pine woods) were evaluated. In many aspects the plots show several similarities, nevertheless the regeneration in different site and stand conditions show clear differences in dynamics of development. The main differences are result of different ecological conditions, environmental limits and biological characteristics of dominant tree species.