The Strong Position of Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) in Fertile Variants of Beech and Oak-Hornbeam Forests in the Light of Studies Conducted in the Sudetes

Abstract

Silver fir is one of the longest living and tallest trees in Europe, it has major commercial importance and may be found in various communities predominantly connected with lower mountainous locations in Central Europe. One of the northernmost ranges in the region is the Sudetes. Currently, the once numerous fir is greatly dispersed, with just several specimens to be found together at one site on average. This drastic reduction in the number of specimens is mainly attributable to intensive forest management, based on the artificial cultivation of fir, conducted in the 19th and 20th centuries, and high industrial air pollution (mainly in the 20th c.). Because practically no firs have been cultivated for the last 200 years, the remaining sites of the species that are remnants of its bigger populations should be regarded as natural. This paper compares fir locations with areas of potential natural vegetation. The obtained results indicate that firs may grow in various types of habitats, with the preferred one being fertile beech woods and richer variants of oak-hornbeam forests. In our opinion, the presented findings are of great importance for the knowledge of the ecology of the species in question and for providing appropriate forest management.

The early impact of mixed canopies with Norway spruce, European beech and silver fir on a new forest floor

“…Spruce is a main Central European commercial species, whereas the most important conifer of the past-fir is very limited. These three trees accompany each other in different mixtures along a gradient from foothills to Alpine sites in Europe (Hilmers et al 2020;Filipiak et al 2021;Zielonka et al 2021). As European foresters are facing a decline of monocultures, the issue of mixed-species forest restoration has been raised.…”

Biomass and Primary Production of Silver Fir Stands in Ukrainian Carpathians

“…In the context of global climate change, the issues of studying the resistance of fir stands 11,12 to adverse environmental conditions and growth characteristics in conditions of moisture deficit are of particular relevance 13,14 .…”