EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

Task 4: Investigation of interactions between primeval forest patterns and organisms; Task
description and approach: In compliance with Huston (1979), who predicted the highest
species richness under intermediate perturbations, no significant differences in species
richness between a beech primeval forest and a properly managed beech forest have been
detected (Duelli et al. 2005). However, primeval forests patterns support saprophagous
organisms groups, e. g. millipedes, gastropods, saproxylophagous beetles and xylobiont fungi,
birds nesting in tree cavities and others. They in turn may strongly influence primeval forests
traits, such as the spatial heterogeneity of surface humus and natural regeneration. Therefore,
these and other important interactions, such as those between ungulates and their predators in
relation to natural regeneration dynamics, will be studied. Comparatively less attention will be
paid to biodiversity inventories. Task leader: RAK; Involved partners: ZVO, RAK, BRA
Task 5: Mimicking of primeval forests patterns in close to nature forestry; Task description
and approach: Three teams in this network (GOT, ZVO, LJU) have made independently
significant contributions to the study of primeval forests patterns and their incorporation into
close-to nature silviculture. These teams join forces in this network to evaluate primeval
forests patterns and experiments, as well as to emulate the underlying processes by means of
computer modeling. In that way, new applications and recipes for nature-based management
of forest resources will be developed. That approach will draw on findings from previous
tasks. We envision that ESRs employed in the network are thoroughly exposed to both theorybuilding
and empirical research. Task leader: GOT; Involved partners: ZVO, LJU, GOT,
RAK, BRA
4.2 Research facilities
We have chosen approximately fifty primeval forests of outstanding authenticity and
integrity. The group reflects the variability of climax forests across an area that extends from
Central France to Western Ukraine and from Southern Sweden to the mountainous part of
Central Italy. The group includes primeval forest in the Slovak republic (e. g. Kasivarova,
Dobroc, Havesova,), in Ukraine (e. g. Uholka, Svydovets, Kuzyi-Trybushany) and in Slovenia
(e. g. Strmec) They are composed mainly of sessile oak (Quercus petraea), European beech
(Fagus sylvatica), silver fir (Abies alba) and Norway spruce (Picea excelsa). These species
represent the backbone of the European forestry and some of the best studied tree species in
Europe. The field sites were selected from areas close to the home institutions of the network
partners. In these localities, advanced research methods will be applied. Besides, teams in
Zvolen, Rakhiv, Ljubljana and Göttingen avail of series of experimental plots where close-tonature
forest management methods are applied, which enable comparative studies based on
multiple replications.
4.3 Selected research methods
The research teams have further developed within collaborative research, e. g. by O’Linger et.
al (1997), and successfully applied the following selection of methods: Site capacity
determination: As opposed to usual site descriptions, the field method relies on the
determination of site parameters in absolute terms, e. g. total amount of available nutrients
instead of concentration only. This is achieved by the conversions using for instance the total
volume of forest soil cover. The variables will be measured by advanced technology, such as
electrical resistivity tomography, Time Domain Reflectometry, elemental analyzers and others
owned by several teams (ZVO, DUB). Population genetics of forest tree species: Our
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