An example of the Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forest study plot in the Šumava National Park is a matter of this paper. There was a series of dead trees (a lot of they caused by bark beetle) in the stand at beginning of 90s. A wide surrounding of the locality is affected (with partly destroyed stands) by bark beetle (Ips typographus). First symptoms of this damage was revealed since 1993 by a monitoring programme. Stand on the plot has avoided this trend. The cause of it consist in environmental conditions (the stand is growing in natural Norway spruce community environment), inner structure of the ecosystem, and neighbouring stands without any important damage. No tree became dead by beetle during 1993 and 1999. Total defoliation decreased by 4% during this period. The spatial structure is studied as a factor of development of the stand.
Key words: damage, defoliation, Picea abies, spatial structure, tree mortality