ABSTRACT:The objective of this paper was to test the hypothesis that growth and soil moisture would increase after heavy thinning in seven years old oak-hornbeam coppice stand. Effects of thinning on (i) diameter and height increment of the remaining sprouts in polycormons, and (ii) soil moisture were studied one year after thinning. The experiment was carried out in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic. Thinning reduced 50% of the total stump basal area per polycormon. One to five dominant sprouts were left. Results showed that thinning significantly increased diameter increment of sessile oak (59%) and European hornbeam (61%). However, thinning did not increase height increment of sessile oak and European hornbeam. Diameter increments of sessile oak and European hornbeam were not different. Height increment of European hornbeam was 30% higher than that of sessile oak in thinned plots and 53% higher in unthinned plots. Soil moisture increased significantly in thinned plots.

Abstract:We observed the growth of juvenile sprouts at stool level in an oak-hornbeam selective coppice after selective thinning. We tested the relations of sprouting probability, number and height of new sprouts, and stool biometric characteristics with thinning intensity and light conditions. We compared the results between the two species. The sprouting probability, number of new sprouts, and height of new sprouts were modelled using different types of regression (logistic, generalized linear, and multiple linear regression) evaluated from 84 sessile oak (Quercus petraea Matt. Liebl.) and 139 European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) stools with the same site conditions. There were no significant relations between sprouting probability and the tested parameters because nearly all stools re-sprouted. The growth (number and height) of new sprouts depended on the stool basal area before thinning and on thinning intensity. Light conditions (indirect site factor) only influenced the number of new European hornbeam sprouts in 2016 and the height of new sessile oak sprouts. The number of new sprouts in European hornbeam was higher than in sessile oak.

Kadavý J., Kneifl M., Fedorová B., Bartůněk J. (2017): Evaluation of transformation from even-aged to selection forest by means of Gini index. J. For. Sci., 63: 476-484.We used the Gini index for evaluation of the 40-year transformation to selection forests in the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny (Czech Republic). The Gini index values for particular forest stands were compared with the reference values derived from the diameter distribution model curve (type E) by Meyer. From a total of sixteen stands which were evaluated in 2013 (the last periodic inventory), only two stands reached the desired diameter structure. Four other stands reached the desired diameter structure at least once during the transformation period. We recommend the application of Gini index for determination of a success rate of even-aged stand transformation to selection forest.