EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

LIST OF PROJECT WORK PACKAGES
AND ACTIONS
26
Description of work: The results of 50-years long research in the Slovak Carpathians primeval forests preserves have only been processed
per partes, within individual thematic fields. This obstructs attempts to draw general far-reaching conclusions for forestry and,
biodiversity conservation theory and practice, as well as in water and carbon accumulation management, although the critical mass of
partial knowledge has already been most likely collected. The research will therefore concentrate within a Oracle DBMS platform, whereby
large numbers of observations from various locations will constitute long-enough chronosequences for drawing conclusions on
natural dynamics, disturbance regimes, spatio-temporal variability and interpretation of any new findings in this context from action 2.2.
Indicator: Time series of primeval forests dynamics for main forest types
Milestones: • Metadatabase of results from 50-years long research 31. December 2007
• Publication of three peer-reviewed sci. papers 31. December 2009
• Publication of mean results in the book Slovak Primeval Forests
– Diversity and Protection (2 nd edition) 31. January 2010
Action 2.2:
Field research on the effect of primeval forests structure, texture and developmental dynamics on water and solute
transport in forest slopes and their stability
Description of work: The forests water regime features specific traits, e. g. nearly total dissipation of raindrops kinetic energy on the forest
storeys and surface humus, retention of water in the trees necromass, moderation of forest microclimate, irregular infiltration and preferential
flow in forest soils, efficient use of resources by forests indigenous to a given sites. Methods suitable for intensity–capacity approach,
e. g. electric resistivity tomography, Time Domain Reflectometry, dye (Duasyne) tracing and others will be used to provide a
quantitatively and qualitative description of processes that can be used for natural enhancement of water management, erosion and
slope stability control in forest management. Results will be used in action 3.2.
Research will be conducted in the primeval forests of the following four clusters (see map, Annex VIII.):
1. NPR Vtáãnik, Badín, Mláãik, Svrãiník;
2. NPR Poºana, Hronãeck˘ GrúÀ, Dobroã, Klenovsk˘ Vepor;
3. NPR Pod Latiborskou Hoºou, ëumbier, Skalka;
4. NPR Have‰ová, RoÏok, StuÏica, Udava, Pºa‰a, Vihorlat.
Indicator: Estimates of the retention, accumulation, filtration and transformation capacity of main primeval forests ecosystems
Milestones: • development of new rapid method for the measurement of soil hydraulic properties: 31. December 2007
• dominant transport processes in forests soils determined 31. December 2008
• four peer-reviewed sci. papers: 31. August 2009
Action 2.3:
Field research of organic carbon spatial variability, accumulation and decomposition in forest ecosystems
Description of work: Spatial variability of carbon from the atmospheric CO 2 in primeval forests ecosystems, and mainly in their soil component,
will be analyzed, because the main resident time of carbon in deep soil layers may well exceed several hundred years (Persson et al. 2000),
and, unlike climax above earth biomass can hardly be increased, soils represent a reservoir still unsaturated. We ascertained that the organic
carbon concentrations in soils copy the spatial distribution of trees necromass down to minimum 50 cm. A combination of these findings with
the measurement of the soil and slope deposits thickness will facilitate development of models for nature based management of forests of all
categories. Advanced sampling designs based on known processes and variograms will be employed, along with state-of-the-art devices (Vario
Macro elemental analyzer, BIO-plates). Results will be used in action 3.2. The research will be conducted in same localities as above.
Indicator: Quantitative expression of the relationships between carbon content in soils and primeval forests patterns
Milestones: • maps of carbon stock in primeval forests soils: 31. December 2008
• three peer-reviewed sci. papers: 30. June 2009