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Forstw. Cbl. 121 (2002), 97−108
2002, Blackwell Verlag, Berlin
ISSN 0015-8003
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval
Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park, Southern Poland
Einflussfaktoren des Grundflächenzuwachses in Urwäldern des
Babia Go
´ra-Nationalparks, südliches Polen
By A. J
AWORSKI
and J. P
ALUCH
Summary
The forests of the Babia Go
´ra National Park (southern Poland), under protection since 1933, have
maintained their primeval character to the present day. Studies were conducted in selected stands
(volumes 4422691 m
3
ha
21
), composed of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), fir (Abies alba Mill.) and spruce
(Picea abies [L.] Karst.), in seven permanent sample plots (total area 2.35 ha) representing various devel-
opment stages of primeval forests.
The aim of the investigation was to determine the relationships between the stand structure and
the basal area increment in the primeval forests composed of shade tolerant, long-living trees. It was
expected that the highest increment would be shown by stands of middle growing stock with a high
percentage of spruce and fir in their species composition.
In 1986 and 1996 the diameter at breast height (d
1.3
), height and crown length (in three sample
plots) of all living trees of 8 cm in d
1.3
and above, were measured and the vitality of the trees was
evaluated. The basal area increment of the trees, and the basal area and volume increment of the stands
were computed. A number of characteristics was analyzed, which could explain the variation of the
basal area increment of the stands (site, species composition, mean basal area increment in diameter
classes of each of the species, participation of the diameter classes in the basal area increment) and the
trees (crown length, diameter, vitality).
The basal area increment reached 0.2720.48 m
2
ha
21
year
21
. No significant relationship has been
found between the species composition and the basal area increment of a stand. The variation of the
increment was most fully explained by the mean basal area increment of the firs 60280 cm in d
1.3
(r =
0.94, p = 0.005) and the stand basal area (r = 0.74, p = 0.058). The mean basal area increment of the
trees 60280 cm in d
1.3
was positively correlated with the stand basal area (r = 0.67, p = 0.091).
There was no significant relationship between the crown length, d
1.3
, and the vitality of large trees
(diameter greater than 60 cm), and their basal area increment. The great variation in the increment of
the large trees, which have a considerable participation in the increment of the stands, concealed the
influence of factors associated with the stand structure and species composition.
Key words: Primeval forest, increment, developmental stages
Zusammenfassung
Die Wälder des Babia Go
´ra- Nationalparks stehen seit 1933 unter Schutz und haben bis heute ihren
ursprünglichen Charakter bewahrt. Die Untersuchung wurde auf sieben Dauerversuchsflächen mit ins-
gesamt 2,35 ha durchgeführt. Die ausgewählten Bestände (die Vorräte 4422691 m
3
ha
21
) sind aus Bu-
che (Fagus sylvatica L.), Karst.), Tanne (Abies alba Mill.) und Fichte (Picea abies [L.] zusammengesetzt und
repräsentieren verschiedene Entwicklungsstadien von westkarpatischen Urwäldern.
Ziel war die Untersuchung der Wachstumsverhältnisse der Berg-urwälder in Abhängigkeit von Arten-
zusammensetzung und Strukturmerkmalen. Angenommen wurde, dass die Bestände von der mittleren
Grundfläche mit höheren Anteil an Fichte und Tanne den höchsten Zuwachs aufweisen werden.
In den Jahren 1986 und 1996 wurden die Brusthöhendurchmesser, Höhe und auf 3 Versuchsflächen
auch die Kronenlänge und Vitalität der Bäumen bewertet. Auf diesem Grund wurde Grundflächenzu-
wachs der Bäume und Grundflächen- und Volumenzuwachs der Beständen berechnet. Eine Reihe von
Kennzeichen wurden analysiert, die die Variabilität des Bestandeszuwachses (die Standortsgüte und
Artenzusammensetzung, der durchschnittliche Zuwachs der Bäumen nach Arten und Durchmesserklas-
sen) und die Variabilität des Zuwachses der Bäumen (die Kronenlänge, Brusthöhendurchmesser und
Vitalität) erklären sollten.
Der Grundflächenzuwachs an Derbholz beträgt 0,2720,48 m
2
ha
21
J
21
. Es wurde kein statistisch
gesicherter Zusammenhang der Artenzusammensetzung des Bestandes mit der Größe des Zuwachses
U.S. Copyright Clearance Center Code Statement: 0015−8003/2002/12103−097 $ 15.00/0
98
A. Jaworski and J. Paluch
festgestellt. Die Variabilität des Zuwachses konnte am besten aus dem mittleren Grundflächenzuwachs
der dicken Tannen (60 > d
1,3
< =80 cm, r = 0,94, p = 0,005) und der Grundfläche des Bestandes
(r = 0,74, p = 0,58) erklärt werden. Der mittlere Grundflächenzuwachs der dicken Bäume wies eine
positive Korrelation mit der Grundfläche des Bestandes auf (r = 0,67, p = 0,091).
Bei Bäumen mit Durchmessern über 60 cm wurde keine Beziehung zwischen der Kronenlänge, dem
Brusthöhendurchmesser, der Vitalität und dem Grundflächenzuwachs festgestellt. Die große Differen-
zierung des Zuwachses der Bäume in der Oberschicht kann den Einfluss der Bestandesstruktur und
Artzusammensetzung überlagern.
Schlüsselwörter: Urwald, Zuwachs, Entwicklungsstadien
1 Introduction
The primeval montane forests in the Western Carpathians, composed of beech, fir and
spruce, are characterized by a complex vertical structure (J
AWORSKI
and K
ARCZMARSKI
1991,
J
AWORSKI
et al. 1994, J
AWORSKI
and S
KRZYSZEWSKI
1995), and considerable homogeneity of
texture (S
ZWAGRZYK
et al. 1997). Their dynamic is based on the formation of small gaps,
2022330 m
2
(mean 179) in the area (H
OLEKSA
1993). The diversification of the vertical
stand structure is affected by a high percentage of beech, which shortens the optimal
stage (K
ORPEL9
1995) and by the forest floor vegetation which fills the gaps and, therefore,
hinders the natural regeneration of trees (S
ZWAGRZYK
et al. 1996). The shortening of the
optimal stage results in a small amplitude of fluctuations of the growing stock in the
developmental cycle (K
ORPEL9
1995, J
AWORSKI
and P
ALUCH
2001).
The structure of primeval forests composed of beech, fir, and spruce differs signifi-
cantly from the structure of the uneven-aged managed stands of a similar species compo-
sition. This is due to a greater age variation, lack of a distinct mixture form created by
silvicultural treatments and the frequent occurrence of fragments of a complex vertical
structure. The primeval forests also differ from the selection forests in a more diversified
species composition, fluctuation of the growing stock and a tendency to periodic simplifi-
cation of the structure in the optimum stage.
The increment relations in the selection fir forests (F
LURY
1933, S
CHÜTZ
1975, K
NOKE
1998, S
CHÜTZ
1997, B
ACHOFEN
1999) and beech forests of a complex structure (D
ITTMAR
1990, D
ITTMAR
1992, G
EROLD
and B
IEHL
1992, S
CHÜTZ
1997, S
CHÜTZ
2001) have been well
documented. Therefore, it seems interesting to present the increment of the spon-
taneously developing, many-storied stands composed of beech, fir and spruce, especially
in the context of the well documented increase of productivity of sites in Central and
Western Europe (P
RETZSCH
1996, S
KOVSGAARD
and H
ENRIKSEN
1996, U
NTHEIM
1996).
The primeval forests are characterized by a considerable variability of volume increment
(D
ZIEWOLSKI
and R
UTKOWSKI
1987, D
ZIEWOLSKI
and R
UTKOWSKI
1991, J
AWORSKI
et al. 1994,
K
ORPEL9
1995, P
RZBYLSKA
et al. 1995). This may be due to the variability of site conditions,
species composition, stand structure, and the developmental diversification of individual
trees. The role played by each of these factors has not been determined entirely yet. It
was expected that, in similar site conditions, the diversification of the increment will be
explained to a greater extent by the variation of the species composition and growing
stock of stands. The purpose of this study was to verify the following hypotheses:
2The basal area increment is greater in stands with a high percentage of fir and spruce,
i.e. the species of greater crown productivity in comparison with beech (B
URGER
1942,
B
ADOUX
1949 after S
CHÜTZ
1998, S
CHÜTZ
2001).
2The basal area increment increases as the basal area increases, reaching the highest
value in the stands characterized by a medium volume and high participation of trees
representing the generation of optimal growth (sensu R
ˇ
EHA
´K
1964). Beyond this level
the volume increment starts to decrease.
2The basal area increment of large trees is positively correlated with their vitality and
the size of their crowns, and negatively with the stand basal area.
99
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park …
2 Characteristics of the study area and sample plots
The conservation of the forests of Mt Babia Go
´ra was initiated in 1933 when a consider-
able part of the present National Park (created in 1954) was transformed into a nature
reserve. At the moment, the strict reserves include almost 1100 ha, and 22 % of this area
is covered by the montane forests. The high scientific value of this region was confirmed
when, in 1978, it joined the international network of the biosphere reserves.
The Babia Go
´ra National Park (49°349N, 19 °319E) covers the upper part of the
Babia Go
´ra massif (highest peak 1725 m above sea level) which is the highest range of
the Beskid Wysoki Mountains, part of the Western Carpathians. This mountain range
consists mainly of the Magura sandstones and, in some parts, of the hieroglyph layers
with marl inserts. In the montane zone acid brown, brown podzolic and leached brown
soils prevail (A
DAMCZYK
1983). The average annual temperature is 5 °C and the total
annual precipitation is 1200 mm, with the maximum amount in June and July. A snow
cover is present for 1102120 days during a year, on average (O
BRE
˛SKA
-S
TARKLOWA
1983).
The Carpathian beech forest association (Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum) dominates the
montane zone, including the beech-fir forest stands with an admixture of spruce. Strongly
skeletal soils are gowned with fir forest (Galio-Abietetum) which has fir as its dominant
species. In the poorer fragments, at the elevations ranging from 900 to 1100 m above sea
level, the montane mixed coniferous forest (Abieti-Piceetum montanum) is present, with
spruce and fir as its major species (C
ELIN
´SKI
and W
OJTERSKI
1983).
The characteristics of the investigated stands are summarized in Tab. 1. The maximum
age of trees was determined by adding 30 years to the results obtained by Z
ABIELSKY
et
al. (1961), who in 1960, during preparation of the management plan for the reserve forests
of the Babia Go
´ra National Park, cored the largest trees in the forest complexes in which
the sample plots have been located. The various size of the sample plots was a result of the
Table 1. Characteristics of sample plots
Tabelle 1. Charakteristik der Versuchsflächen.
Sample Orawski Pod Dolny Płaj Jałowiecki Czarna Dolny Płaj Orawski
plot Chodnik I Sokolica
˛IIIB Potok Hala III Chodnik II
(OP54)
1)
(GR14) (GR54) (GR16) (BR49) (BR27) (BR43)
Size (ha) 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.25 0.2
Altitude (m) 940 1045 920 890 1010 970 940
Slope ( °)18232 5232 9221 10215 5 10 25
Aspect NNW NNW NNW NE NNW N NNW
Association Dentario Abieti- Dentario Abieti- Dentario Dentario Dentario
glandulosae- Piceetum glandulosae- Piceetum glandulosae-Fa- glandulosae- glandulosae-
Fagetum montanum Fagetum montanum getum festuceto- Fagetum Fagetum
sum silvaticae poor variant
Species 29A 54F 17P 15A 14F 71P 32A 54F 14P 58A 16F 26P 39A 49F 12P 57A 27F 16P 35A 43F 22P
composition
2)
Maximum 260 230 260 290 290 220 260
tree age
3)
Develop- optimum/ growing-up/ growing-up/ growing-up/ break-up/ break-up/ break-up/
mental stage/ aging selection selection selection regeneration old age and regeneration
phase acc. to forest forest forest regeneration
Korpel
4)
1)
abbrevation used in text
2)
according to participation in volume during first measurement (A-Abies alba,F-Fagus sylvatica,P-Picea abies)
3)
increment cores in 1960
4)
(K
ORPEL
’ 1995)
100
A. Jaworski and J. Paluch
selection of the forest fragments representing different developmental stages according to
K
ORPEL
’s classification (K
ORPEL
’ 1995).
3 Methods
In July 1986 and 1996 the vitality of trees was evaluated in a four-grade scale (taking
into account losses of assimilation apparatus, crown deformations, external symptoms of
pathogen infection) and the diameter at breast height (d
1.3
) and height of all the living
trees, 8 cm in d
1.3
and above, were measured exactly to 0.5 cm and 0.5 m respectively.
The diameter was measured with a caliper in the same marked spot each time. It was
assumed that if there was no evidence of any damage of the tree top the height of the
tree in 1996 should not be smaller than the height measured in 1986. In the plots GR14,
OP54, and GR54 the crown lengths were also measured. In the middle part of the plots
GR14, OP54 i GR54, the strip 70(60) 310 m in size was mapped in order to illustrate
the vertical structure of the stand.
The stand volume, recruitment (total volume of the trees which reached d
1.3
measuring
threshold, in this case 8 cm, during the control period), and volume loss (total volume of
the trees which died during the control period) were determined by using G
RUNDNER
2
S
CHWAPPACH
volume tables (G
RUNDNER
and S
CHWAPPACH
1952). The current volume in-
crement (I
V
) was computed according to the following formula:
I
V
=(V
96
2V
86
+V
L
2V
R
)⋅10
21
[m
3
ha
21
year
21
]
where:
V
96
2volume at the end of the period (1996)
V
86
2volume at the beginning of the period (1986)
V
L
2volume of the loss
V
R
2volume of the recruitment.
The same method was used when computing the basal area increment (I
G
). The volume
increment (I
V
) determined using this method, disregarding errors made during the meas-
urement (due to the rounding and trunk asymmetry), also carried the burden of the error
of the volume tables. Owing to the computation of this increment, however, it was pos-
sible to compare the results with literature data, which are often expressed in the volume
increment units.
The trees were distributed in the following diameter classes: 8220, 20.5240, 40.5260,
60.5280, 80.52100 and above 100.5. For each of the species and diameter classes, the
coefficients of correlation and multiple correlation between the crown length, d
1.3
, and
vitality of the trees and their basal area increment were computed.
For each plot, the following characteristics were analyzed:
2site index (h
60A
,h
60F
,h
60P
, computed for each species as an extrapolated height of a
tree 60 cm in d
1.3
; as an approximate method the N
ÄSLUND’
s equation was applied:
h=d
1.32
*(a+b⋅d
1.3
)
22
+ 1.3, where: a,b −parameters, h −height),
2stand basal area at breast height (G),
2species composition (expressed by the percentage of trees of a given species in G),
2mean basal area increment of trees of each species and each diameter class,
2participation of each of the diameter classes in the basal area increment.
Using the coefficients of correlation (T
ADEUSIEWICZ
et al. 1993) the power of relation-
ships between these characteristics and the basal area increment of stands (I
G
) were deter-
mined.
101
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park …
4 Results
The number of trees varied from 140 to 346 per hectare and reached the highest number
in the stands representing a growing-up stage (2662346 trees/ha) and the lowest number
in the BR49 sample plot (140 trees/ha, break-up stage) (Tab. 2). The d
1.3
distributions
had forms intermediate between a unimodal distribution with a right-sided asymmetry
and a multimodal distribution (Fig. 1). The profiles shown in Fig. 2 illustrate a many-
storied structure, which is characteristic for a growing-up stage (exemplified by GR14 and
GR54) and a one-storied structure, frequently developed in an optimal stage (exemplified
by OP54).
The extrapolated heights of beeches 60 cm in d
1.3
ranged from 29.8 to 32.4 m (Tab. 3),
with exception of the GR14 plot, where h
60F
amounted to 25.6 m. However, in the GR14
and GR54 plots the values of h
60
for spruce, which was the dominating species in GR14,
were similar.
The greatest I
G
was computed for the stands in a growing up stage: GR16
(0.482 m
2
ha
21
year
21
) and GR54 (0.458 m
2
ha
21
year
21
), and a little smaller for the stand
OP54 (0.368 m
2
ha
21
year
21
) (Table 3). The stand BR43 exhibited the smallest I
G
Table 2. Changes in number of trees (N), basal area (G), and stand volume (V) from198621996
Tabelle 2. Die Veränderung der Anzahl von Bäumen (N), der Grundfläche (G) und des Vorrates (V)
in 198621996.
1986 Recruitment
1
Loss
1
1996
Sample Species N
86
G
86
V
86
N
R
G
R
V
R
N
L
G
L
V
L
N
96
G
96
V
96
plot
(No.ha
21
)(m
2
ha
21
)(m
3
ha
21
) (No. ha
21
)(m
2
ha
21
)(m
3
ha
21
) (No. ha
21
)(m
2
ha
21
)(m
3
ha
21
) (No. ha
21
)(m
2
ha
21
)(m
3
ha
21
)
OP54 Abies 54 10.01 154.57 2 0.08 0.57 10 1.44 22.38 46 9.33 145.50
Fagu s 94 18.23 289.93 2 0.01 0.07 2 0.40 6.18 94 20.13 325.75
Picea 54 6.66 91.94 22 2 6 0.11 0.74 48 7.26 99.92
Total 202 34.90 536.44 4 0.09 0.64 18 1.95 29.32 188 36.72 571.17
GR14 Abies 18 4.56 67.92 2 0.01 0.04 4 0.15 1.63 16 4.61 69.21
Fagu s 64 4.94 61.22 28 0.21 0.72 22 2 92 5.67 68.73
Picea 242 25.59 312.57 8 0.05 0.12 12 1.01 11.62 238 26.99 326.07
Total 324 35.09 441.71 38 0.27 0.88 16 1.16 13.25 346 37.27 464.01
GR54 Abies 56 11.97 177.70 22 2 2 2 2 56 13.18 196.01
Fagu s 128 19.43 295.49 26 0.18 0.69 8 2.10 33.51 146 20.25 308.84
Picea 82 6.72 78.49 8 0.04 0.08 12 1.21 13.57 78 6.18 70.89
Total 266 38.12 551.68 34 0.22 0.77 20 3.31 47.08 280 39.61 575.74
GR16 Abies 80 20.86 353.34 22 2 5 1.51 26.89 75 21.31 369.60
Fagu s 150 10.41 139.75 20 0.12 0.56 22 2170 12.54 173.91
Picea 50 12.92 197.95 22 2 15 3.98 58.55 35 9.79 149.10
Total 280 44.19 691.04 20 0.12 0.56 20 5.49 85.44 280 43.64 692.61
BR49 Abies 60 11.27 173.45 22 2 2 2 2 60 12.21 185.43
Fagu s 70 22.26 391.31 22 2 5 1.71 30.09 65 22.63 389.33
Picea 15 0.88 8.60 22 2 2 2 2 15 1.04 11.05
Total 145 34.41 573.36 22 2 5 1.71 30.09 140 35.88 585.81
BR27 Abies 68 18.85 292.52 22 2 12 3.24 50.39 56 16.82 256.76
Fagu s 56 10.98 175.12 48 0.34 1.18 4 2.83 48.54 100 9.96 149.21
Picea 28 7.33 93.92 22 2 2 2 2 28 7.90 98.99
Total 152 37.16 561.56 48 0.34 1.18 16 6.07 98.93 184 34.68 504.96
BR43 Abies 40 12.19 198.25 22 2 5 0.04 0.16 35 12.31 202.34
Fagu s 140 15.55 242.76 40 0.27 0.90 10 1.54 22.29 170 16.15 252.15
Picea 55 9.04 125.35 22 2 2 2 2 55 9.69 133.48
Total 235 36.78 566.36 40 0.27 0.90 15 1.58 22.45 260 38.15 587.97
1
see text
102
A. Jaworski and J. Paluch
Fig. 1. d
1.3
distribution curves in 1986.
Abb. 1. Stammzahlverteilung nach Stärkestufen im Jahre 1986.
(0.268 m
2
ha
21
year
21
). In all sample plots beech was characterized by the highest per-
centage of volume increment (Tab. 3).
In most cases the basal area increment of the trees 20260 cm in d
1.3
was positively
correlated with their vitality and d
1.3
(Tab. 4). This correlation, however, was not found
for large trees (above 60 cm in d
1.3
).
The trees of d
1.3
40280 cm had the greatest participation in I
G
(Fig. 3). In the stands
representing a growing-up stage (GR14, GR16, GR54) the smaller trees also had high
participation in I
G
(Fig. 3). The mean basal area increment varied mostly in the diameter
interval 602100 cm, especially in the case of fir (Fig. 4). The correlation between the
mean increment of the trees 60280 cm in d
1.3
and G was positive but weak (r = 0.67,
df = 5, p = 0.091).
There was a positive correlation between the I
G
and G (r = 0.74, df = 5, p = 0.058)
and between the I
G
and the mean basal area increment of fir 60280 cm in d
1.3
(r = 0.94,
df = 5, p = 0.005). The other analyzed relationships were not significant statistically.
5 Discussion
The current volume increment in the primeval forests of the Polish Western Carpathians,
determined by the statistical-mathematical method, ranges from 1.1 to
11.0 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(D
ZIEWOLSKI
and R
UTKOWSKI
1987, D
ZIEWOLSKI
and R
UTKOWSKI
1991,
J
AWORSKI
et al. 1994, P
RZYBYLSKA
et al. 1995). In the strict forest reserves Dobroc
ˇand
Badin in Slovakia, which have species composition similar to the Polish stands, the current
increment varies from 4.7 to 12.1 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(K
ORPEL
’ 1995), and in the Peruc
ˇica
reserve (Sutjeska National Park in Bosnia) from 6.40 to 8.82 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(P
INTARIC
ˇ
1978). In the beech stands of the Vihorlat (Kyjov), Roz
ˇok, and Haves
ˇova
´reserves, grow-
ing under very favorable site conditions, the current volume increment varied from 3 to
12 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(K
ORPEL
’ 1995), and in the stands of the Western Bieszczady Mts.
103
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park …
Fig. 2. Profile of forest stands GR14, OP54, GR54 in 1986.
Abb. 2. Bestandesprofil der Versuchsfläche GR14, OP54, GR54 im Jahr 1986.
104
A. Jaworski and J. Paluch
Table 3. Site index in 1986 (h
60
), and basal area (I
G
) and volume increment (I
V
) of the stands from
198621996
Tabelle 3. Die Indexziffer des Standortes im Jahre 1986 (h
60
) und Grundflächen- und Volumenzu-
wachs (I
G
,I
V
) in 198621996.
Sample plot Species h
601)
I
G
I
V
(m) (m
2
ha
21
year
21
) (%) (m
3
ha
21
year
21
) (%)
OP54 Abies 34,5 0.068 18 1.274 20
Fagus 30.9 0.229 63 4.194 66
Picea 34.8 0.071 19 0.872 14
Total 30.368 100 6.340 100
GR14 Abies 20.019 6 0.288 8
Fagus 25.6 0.052 17 0.679 20
Picea 31.5 0.236 77 2.500 72
Total 30.307 100 3.467 100
GR54 Abies 31.2 0.121 26 1.831 26
Fagus 29.8 0.274 60 4.617 66
Picea 31.6 0.063 14 0.589 8
Total 30.458 100 7.037 100
GR16 Abies 36.9 0.196 41 4.315 50
Fagus 29.9 0.201 42 3.360 39
Picea 20.085 17 0.970 11
Total 30.482 100 8.645 100
BR49 Abies 33.6 0.094 30 1.198 28
Fagus 30.3 0.208 65 2.811 66
Picea 20.016 5 0.245 6
Total 30.318 100 4.254 100
BR27 Abies 32.2 0.121 37 1.463 36
Fagus 20.147 45 2.145 52
Picea 20.057 18 0.507 12
Total 30.325 100 4.115 100
BR43 Abies 20.016 6 0.425 10
Fagus 32.4 0.187 70 3.078 71
Picea 20.065 24 0.813 19
Total 30.268 100 4.316 100
1)
computed if there were at least 10 trees of a given species representing different size classes
from 3.94 to 8.85 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(J
AWORSKI
and K
OŁODZIEJ
in preparation). For compari-
son, a model stand of the 2nd yield class, composed of fir (50 %) and beech (50 %) at
the culmination age of 120 exhibits an average volume increment of 9.1 m
3
ha
21
year
21
(according to the yield tables by H
AUSSER
2for fir and S
CHWAPPACH
2for beech (C
ZURAJ
1990)). In relation to the yield tables, the rise of the stand yield, as observed in Western
Europe during the last three decades, reached 150 % on average (P
RETZSCH
1996,
S
KOVSGAARD
and H
ENRIKSEN
1996). Therefore, the above mentioned model value is ex-
pected to be higher. The current volume increment in the stands of the Babia Go
´ra
National Park ranges from 3.47 to 8.65 m
3
ha
21
year
21
. Thus, it was considerably smaller
than in the managed forests, and close to the values found in other primeval forest with
similar species composition.
The current basal area increment (I
G
) shows a significant positive correlation with the
stand basal area (G). M
ITSCHERLICH
(1952 after B
ACHOFEN
1999), M
ITSCHERLICH
(1961 after
B
ACHMANN
1998), S
CHÜTZ
(1975), B
ACHMANN
(1998) and K
NOKE
(1998), who investigated
selection forests composed of fir and spruce in a wide range of stand volumes (about
1602600 m
3
ha
21
), did not find any significant correlation between the growing stock
and the current increment. M
ITSCHERLICH
(1952 after B
ACHOFEN
1999) concluded, that the
volume increment in the selection forests is related more to the proportion of small,
105
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park …
Table 4. Coefficients of correlation between the basal area increment and the diameter, vitality and
crown length of trees
Tabelle 4. Die Korrelationskoeffizienten zwischen dem Grundflächenzuwachs und der Durchmesser,
Kronenlänge und Vitalität der Bäumen.
Species N
1)
Crown length
1)
Nd
1.3
Vitality
(No.) mean ±SD (m) r (No.) r R
2)
20<d
1.3
<=40
Abies 21 12.7 ±7.8 0.19 28 0.51 20.55
Fagus 36 14.3 ±6.7 0.17 59 0.43 20.32
Picea 63 13.0 ±5.4 20.04 69 0.44 20.58
40<d
1.3
<=60
Abies 13 17.8 ±7.4 0.03 28 0.37 20.27
Fagus 38 16.3 ±5.3 20.31 56 0.24 20.38
Picea 40 19.8 ±5.6 0.06 49 0.21 20.47
60<d
1.3
<=80
Abies 12 21.1 ±8.7 0.14 25 0.24 20.27
Fagus 23 17.3 ±4.6 0.20 36 0.18 0.13
Picea 11 23.3 ±5.3 0.16 16 0.36 20.03
Significant values on the level α=0,05 are in bold type
1)
only for trees from the OP54, GR14 and GR54 plots
2)
coefficient of S
PEARMAN
’s rank correlation
Fig. 3. Percentage of diameter classes in the basal area increment.
Abb. 3. Der Anteil der Durchmesserklassen an dem Grundflächenzuwachs.
medium and large trees, than to the stand volume itself. On the other hand, G
EROLD
and
B
IEHL
(1992) observed in the beech selection forests a decrease of volume increment, as
the stand volume exceeded 350 m
3
ha
21
. The volumes of stands in the Babia Go
´ra
National Park were much larger, though. Therefore, initially a negative relationship be-
tween the stand volume and increment was expected.
106
A. Jaworski and J. Paluch
Fig. 4. Mean basal area increment of trees (smaller marks indicate diameter classes with less then
5 trees)
Abb. 4. Der mittlere Grundflächenzuwachs der Bäumen (kleineren Zeichen markieren Durchmesser-
klassen mit weniger als 5 Bäumen).
The basal area increment (I
G
) was also positively correlated with the mean increment
of large firs. The increment of the latter was characterized by a considerably greater
variation than in the case of beech (Fig. 4). It is worth mentioning that in the stands
which exhibited small increment (BR49 and BR27, both representing a break-up stage) a
volume decrease of about 30 % was observed during the former control period
(197621986). It was mainly due to high mortality of fir (J
AWORSKI
and P
ALUCH
2001). A
sudden change of the environmental conditions could unfavorably influence the vitality
of the remaining trees, especially firs, and cause a decrease of their increment. This sugges-
tion could also explain the surprising fact that at relatively high volumes the basal area
increment of the trees 60280 cm in d
1.3
was positively correlated with the stand basal
area. It should be stressed, however, that such a rapid break-up of the stands composed
of beech, fir and spruce rarely occurs and is more likely linked to the influence of external
factors (K
ORPEL
’ 1995, J
AWORSKI
and P
ALUCH
2001).
The species composition did not influence the increment in a significant way since the
stands of similar basal area and higher percentage of fir and spruce were characterized by
a smaller increment (Tab. 2, 3).
The increment of the trees above 60 cm in d
1.3
showed no distinct relation to their
diameter, crown length and vitality. The spatial distribution (K
OTAR
1993, S
ZWAGRZYK
and
C
ZERWCZAK
1993, P
RETZSCH
1995) and age diversification of the trees of this group could
explain to a greater extent the variation of their increment. The inclusion of the indices
into the model, which express competition, increase the accuracy of the approximation
of the basal area increment of individual trees by 10220 % (P
RETZSCH
1995, B
ACHMANN
1998), especially in the case of shade-tolerant species (B
IGING
and D
OBBERTIN
1992). Dur-
ing their study on the spatial variation, conducted in a large plot covering 4 ha near the
stands OP54, GR54, BR27 and BR43, S
ZWAGRZYK
et al. (1997) found a random distri-
107
Factors Affecting the Basal Area Increment of the Primeval Forests in the Babia Go
´ra National Park …
bution of trees over 35 cm d
1.3
. A similar type of spatial distribution was also discovered
in other primeval montane forests in the Western Carpathians (S
ZWAGRZYK
and C
ZERWCZAK
1993). Thus, in the larger areas, the distribution of trees of a diversified social position
should be similar, especially in the upper layer, characterized by a smaller variation of
competitive relations. The size of the plots examined in this study obviously does not
meet this criterion, and, to some extent, this could explain the great variation of the
increment of the investigated stands.
The lack of any distinct relationship between the basal area increment of large trees
(above 60 cm in d
1.3
) and their crown length also seems to be very interesting. The crown
length, especially in the primeval stands developing spontaneously, is a characteristic which
illustrates the history of the social position of a tree. Since the crown length is closely
correlated with its width (P
RETZSCH
1992 after B
ACHMANN
1998, S
ZWAGRZYK
1997), it can
be assumed that trees with long crowns have been growing in favorable social conditions
and, at the same time, are characterized by a large side area and large crown volume. In
spite of smaller productivity of the crown (A
SSMANN
1961, B
ADOUX
1949 after S
CHÜTZ
2001), they should be characterized by a large increment. This assumption, however, was
not confirmed by the research conducted in the investigated stands and this points out
to other factors more strongly affecting the growth of large trees.
The increment of primeval stands, composed of beech, fir and spruce, depends on
fluctuations of the growing stock during the developmental cycle as well as on a very
diversified increment of individual large trees which have a considerable participation in
the increment of the stands. In the managed stands, due to the continuous selection of
the growing stock, the variation of increment within a social class is theoretically smaller
than in the primeval forests. It reveals the effect of the more subtle characteristics of the
structure on the stands increment.
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Authors9address: Prof. A
NDRZEJ
J
AWORSKI
Ph.D. and M.Sc. J
AROSŁAW
P
ALUCH
, Department of Silviculture,
Agricultural University, Al. 29 Listopada 46, 312425 Cracow, Poland, E-mail: rlszlach
@cyf-kr.edu.pl
