Competition between sessile oak seedlings and competing vegetation under a shelterwood

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research on competitive relations between sessile oak seedlings and the most important competing species of woody vegetation, as well as ground flora that grows under a shelterwood, after the preparatory-seed cut of the shelterwood cutting. The research was conducted in sessile oak (Quecus petraea /Matt./Liebl.) stand in the area of northeastern Serbia. The studied stand is located at 320 to 350 m above sea level, with a slope up to 25° and western exposure. In terms of phytosociology, the stand is defined as an association of sessile oak with hairy sedge (Carici pilosae – Quercetum petraeae B. Jov. 1989). After the preparatory-seed cut, 124 trees per ha remained in the stand, with a basal area of 11.9 m2/ha and a volume of 129.1 m3/ha. The obtained results in the paper indicate the competitive relations between sessile oak and the most important competing woody species, as well as the species of ground vegetation. The most common competing woody species are silver linden (Tilia tomentosa Moench.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), while other species (Fraxinus excelsior L., Fraxinus ornus L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Acer campestre L., Cornus mas L.) are represented individually. In addition to a significant presence, competing species of woody vegetation are characterized by very intensive development, which significantly reflects on the presence and development of sessile oak seedlings. In contrast, eight-year-old sessile oak seedlings have outgrown blackberries in the studied stand, which no longer competes with them. The obtained results indicate that during the regeneration of sessile oak forests, special attention must be focused on the presence and dynamics of the development of competing vegetation, as well as that the success of the regeneration largely depends on controlling this factor.