COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

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euroPeaN beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)
GeNeTIc resources IN sLovaKIa
DUŠAN GÖMÖRY 1 – LADISLAV PAULE 1 – ROMAN LONGAUER 2
1 Technical University in Zvolen, Faculty of Forestry, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-96053
Zvolen, Slovakia
2 National Forestry Centre, T. G. Masaryka 22, SK-96092 Zvolen, Slovakia
absTracT
The study gives an overview of the current state of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and its genetic
resources in Slovakia. Basic information about the horizontal and vertical distribution, representation
in forest stands, plant communities and management of beech stands is provided, along with an
overview on the sources of forest reproductive material and gene conservation measures. Past and
recent research activities on the field of beech genetics are also mentioned.
Key words: European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), European beech, buk lesný (in Slovak), distribution
range, gene-pool conservation, forest reproductive material, Slovakia
dIsTrIbuTIoN oF euroPeaN beech IN sLovaKIa
Slovakia with the proportion of forested land of 41% belongs to the most forested countries of Europe.
The total area of forests is 1,932,900 ha, the average standing stock is 232 m 3 .ha -1 .
Beech is one of the most important forest tree species in Slovakia. It is the most widespread one,
sharing 31.2% of the present tree species composition (Ministry of Agriculture 2008), whereby
this share is quite stable over the last 60 years or more. The natural range covers almost the whole
country from the Small Carpathians in the west to the Poloniny Mts. in the east, with the exception
of lowlands (Zahorie, Danube and East-Slovakian lowlands), river valleys, dry karst plains of
southeastern Slovakia, and subalpine and alpine environments. Beech is also absent at the southern
slopes of the Tatra Mts. even at lower elevations. However, in several regions the share of beech
in the tree species composition was severely reduced during the last centuries, when indigenous
broadleaved and mixed forests were replaced by conifer (mainly spruce) monocultures (Upper-Hron
valley in Central Slovakia, Orava and Kysuce regions in the northwest).
Generally, continuous distribution of beechwoods is limited by approx. 330 m and 1,200 m a. s. l.
However, sporadic occurrence of beech has been reported at the elevations of 120 m in the Burda
Mts. in the southwest and at 180 m in the Vihorlat Mts., in eastern Slovakia; on the upper limit,
beech climbs up to 1,480 m a. s. l. in the Low Tatra Mts. (Blattný, Šťastný 1959). In several
mountain ranges such as the Velka Fatra Mts. or Poloniny Mts., where summits were deforested
during the Wallachian colonization in the 16th century to obtain pastures for sheep, beech forms
an artificial upper forest limit. Although no true krummholz beech stands are found in Slovakia, in
several mountains stand height is severely reduced at sites exposed to wind and low temperatures.