COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

– Matured and over-aged groups account for 42.9% of the forest area and the supply of wood is
59.6%.
Beech forests of Georgia are characterized by high indicator levels of productivity (Fig. 4)
particularly:
– High productivity (I-II class quality) groups occupy 21% of all forests;
– Average productivity groups (III class quality) – 44.9% of forests;
– Low productivity groups (IV class quality) – 24.9% of forests;
– Very low (V-Va class quality) productivity groups – 9.2% of forests.
25%
9%
45%
21%
I-II growth class
III growth class
IV growth class
V growth class
Fig. 4: Distribution of areas covered with beech forest according to quality classes
One important determinant of biological diversity of forests in Georgia, like other countries, is the
dynamics of accumulation of biomass over a period of time. An individual beech tree or an entire
stand accumulates a certain amount of biomass at various stages of growth and development under
the influences of external factors (soil, climate, relief etc.) and due to their biological characteristics.
Based on data by Gigauri, Dzebisashvili (1990), of the main species forming the forests of Georgia,
oriental beech occupies one of the leading places after eastern spruce and fir, according to the index
of accumulation of biomass by a tree of one and the same diameter, and at 100 cm diameter, its total
volume on average contributes 16. 1 m3 (Tab. 2).
Tab. 2: Dynamics of accumulation of biological mass of beech according to thickness stages
Thickness
stage (cm)
20
60
100
140
160
Average
height (m)
24.0
37.5
42.0
44.0
45.5
Volume of wood biomass (m3 ) among them
Stem Crown wood
Green mass
of crown
Total
0.34
0.08
0.03
0.45
4.52
0.97
0.31
5.80
13.80
2.44
0.47
16.71
27.79
3.81
0.53
32.13
37.33
4.67
0.71
42.71
105