Open AccessBrowse supply in lowland forests of eastern Poland
Author(s) -
Borowski Stanislaw,
Dzięciolowski Ryszard
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1980.tb00726.x
Subject(s) - geography , ecology , agroforestry , environmental science , biology
Browse supplies in different growth stages of 4 forest associations and forest site types were estimated. Two ecological situations were compared: exclusion from browsing and unrestrained access of ungulate animals. Harvest technique was applied. Three big forest tracts in eastern Poland provided study locations. Results were tested with the use of analysis of variance. The fresh mixed coniferous forest revealed the highest species diversity in the understorey and regeneration zone, while fresh coniferous forest had the lowest. No obvious influence of animal exclusion upon the number of plant species was found. Altogether, 41 plant species were found in the understorey and regeneration zones. In young plantations shoot weight was higher than in thickets, pole‐sized and timber stands. Shoots clipped in autumn were heavier than those clipped in spring. The browse biomass varied from 400‐600 kg ha ‐1 in poor communities to 2–3 tonnes ha ‐1 in the most productive ones. Generally, low (5%) utilization of browse by ungulates was found.