Influence of micro-relief and weed competition on natural regeneration of mountain forests in the Šumava Mountains

Abstract

Natural regeneration and its relationship to micro-relief and weed competition were studied on 6 research plots in mountain spruce forests in the Šumava Mountains. The data on density regeneration, total height and height increment of each seedling were recorded on 50 by 5 m transects. The position of each seedling was adjusted by a satellite system "Field map". The data show that an elevation is a significantly (significance level P = 0.99) preferable micro-relief for seedlings in most cases (7 of the total 9 cases). The regeneration density is low in a high-competition environment, i.e. in grass and ferns, where the number of seedlings is significantly low on all surveyed plots. But dead wood, which is also an elevation in terms of the micro-relief, is the most preferable micro-site. The data show no significant differences in seedling heights due to differently dominant competing plants. Neither was the hypothesis about the beneficial influence of stem or stump in close surroundings on seedlings confirmed by our data.