Impact of silvicultural measures on forest stand microclimate

Jiří Souček

Automated meteorological stations were installed to monitor impact of realized silvicultural measures on microclimate conditions. The stations allowed us to gather information on air and soil temperatures, air humidity, soil moisture and solar radiation. The interval for recording data was 15 minutes to catch immediate differences. This study is based on stations in National Nature Reserve Koda (Protected Landscape Area Bohemian Karst, Central Bohemia) and Nature Monument Sítovka (Municipal Forests of Hradec Králové, eastern Bohemia). The Koda experimental site was designed as a series of narrow clear-cut (restored coppicing), adjacent forested strip (planned conversion to coppicing) and control plot under closed-canopy forest stand. The Sítovka experimental site was designed as series of clear-cut, inner forest fringe and forest stand gap. Since 2015 was an extreme year from climate point of view, the other sites were also used to analyze microclimatic condition in forests. Ecological processes are directly controlled or indirectly influenced by microclimatic conditions. The up-to-date results confirmed impact of forest environment on microclimate.

 

Project Silviculture measures to improve forest biodiversity in protected areas
Project number EHP-CZ02-OV-1-015-2014, Supported by grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway