Review of oak stand decline with special reference to the role of drought in Poland

Abstract

Declines in oak-forest ecosystems have been reported frequently throughout the world since the beginning of this century. They have been assoeiated with the death of individual trees, of small groups of trees or of entire stands. In this paper, the phenomenon of oak decline is presented in the context of the local site eonditions in seleeted eountries. Oak deeline is regarded as a result of the synergistic aetion between damaging agents, both biotie and abiotie. Periodic changes of the climate in selected experimental plots of Quercus robur stands in Poland were analysed by comparing Walter's climatic diagrams and annual growth rings. Climatic conditions have a major intluenee on the vigour of oaks. An increase in the frequency ot dry years (espeeially when drought occurs at the beginning of the glowing season, e.g. in May-June) has eontributed to the eomplex phenomenon of oak deeline.

Influence of annual weather on growth of pedunculate oak in southern Sweden

“…3). This is in agreement with the results of other European studies, which have shown a clear negative effect of summer water deficit on oak growth (Osipov, 1989;Tessier et al, 1994;Bridge et al, 1996;Siwecki and Ufnalski, 1998;Kelly et al, 2002). In addition, while higher summer temperatures had a negative impact on growth, it was not as pronounced as was the positive impact of precipitation (Fig.…”

“…The clear negative association between growth and water deficit, however, points to reduced hydraulic conductance of shoots, and, as a result, limits stomatal conductance and carbon assimilation during drought periods (Rust and Roloff, 2002). Previous studies indicated that oak sensitivity to water stress is especially high during spring and early summer (Bridge and Winchester, 2000;Siwecki and Ufnalski, 1998).…”

The anatomical traits of trunk wood and their relevance to oak (Quercus robur L.) vitality

“…in the Chojnów Forest District (Masovian Voivodship) and Krotoszyn Forest District (Wielkopolskie Voivodship, Table 1), where the process of oak decline has been observed for several years (Siwecki and Ufnalski 1998). The forest within each study site was dominated by Q. robur.…”

Temperate forest trees and stands under severe drought: a review of ecophysiological responses, adaptation processes and long-term consequences

“…The implication of drought in oak stand decline was demonstrated in France (after the 1976' drought [13], after the 1989-1991 dry sequence [20]), in Poland [130], and in all Central Europe wide [142]. Nevertheless, the latter authors proposed a conceptual model of the interaction of abiotic (drought) and biotic factors (defoliation for two consecutive years) responsible for the onset of oak decline.…”