CURRENT RESEARCH ON THE BIOECOLOGY OF FAGUS SYLVATICA L., STRUCTURE OF REGENERATION AND USE OF BEECH PLANTINGS IN THE KREMENETS BOTANICAL GARDEN

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a research project conducted from 2021 to 2025, focused on restoring common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) plantations in the hilly terrain of the Kremenets Botanical Garden. This work aligns with the Garden's broader initiative to establish rare phytocoenoses featuring native rare dendroflora. Our research assessed the current condition of the beech plantation, evaluated its natural seed regeneration, and included an attempt at artificial regeneration. To conduct this research, we surveyed a forest plot within Allotment 26 of the Kremenets Botanical Garden, using existing forest management data. We characterized the silvicultural, taxonomic, and phytocoenotic structure of the F. sylvatica plantation and studied its growth conditions. To plan for the plantation's reproduction, we assessed the potential for natural beech self-renewal under the forest canopy, following Professor M. M. Gorshenin's methodology for flat areas. The selected reforestation area is a silvicultural zone where F. sylvatica is a key forest-forming species, accounting for 40 % of the tree composition. The total area of Allotment 26 is 1.34 hectares, with the isolated forest covering 0.1 hectares. To study natural regeneration, we established nine 2x2 meter test plots. On these plots, we conducted a complete inventory of self-seeded saplings and undergrowth of the main tree species, determining their ages. Summarizing two years of natural regeneration data from these plots revealed an increase in self-seeding: one-year-olds (up to 0.25 m high): increased by 102 units; two-to-three-year-old undergrowth (up to 0.5 m high): increased by 57 units; four-to-seven-year-old age group (up to 1.5 m high): increased by 4 units.
To enhance the species diversity within the beech plantation, we also undertook artificial reforestation. As of December 2024, 90 seedlings have been planted across an area of 1,440 m².