Vitality of Norway spruce Karst in Slovenia
Mavsar, R.; Simoncic, P.
Journal of Forest Science 47(Special Issue): 128-131
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 1212-4834 Accession: 036041181
The first research activities in Slovenia in the field of forest damage caused by air pollution began in the late 1960s. Today we have an integrated forest monitoring system. We perform an annual forest condition survey on a systematic 16X16 km grid net, and also on a more dense 4X4 km grid every five years. In 1995 we performed a co-ordinated inventory of tree damage and tree nutrition status. The vitality of Norway spruce was analysed on 30 plots out of a total 43 in the Slovenian 16X16 km net. To this end, the crown conditions and the density of lichens population were assessed on permanent control plots. Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and heavy metals contents in spruce needles and the pH value of the upper mineral soil layer were analysed on the same plots. Different parameters were compared. We found stronger correlations between crown conditions and lichens population (IAP), lichens population and sulphur content, magnesium content and pH values of mineral soil.