Structural analysis of carbonate larch forests in Gesäuse National Park

The Gesäuse National Park is the easternmost distribution area in the Northern Limestone Alps of Austria, where the pine is formed. In order to find out more about these refuges and to observe their further development, this project was carried out. As part of the project, four permanent test areas were created in the Gesäuse National Park in 2014 and 2015. The areas were laid out in the pine-focused areas of the National Park. Two areas were fully folded to one hectare each and in two areas were taken along a line N15 samples (15 next trees). General forest parameters such as breast height diameter, height, age, etc. were collected during the full shots as well as in the N15 samples. In addition, dead wood, rejuvenation, shrub influence as well as solitaires were included. The abundance of data was evaluated with regard to the central questions in the project. Thus, it was of particular importance the influence of the latches on the survival of the herds and what other tree species occur in these areas and exert competitive pressure on the pine (larch). From the current point of view, the spread of larch-circle forests upwards through the latches is strongly limited. The latches form a striking, seemingly insurmountable boundary for the trees. It is clearly recognizable that where the latches occur massively, trees only have a chance on open spaces and only until they are not overgrown by the latches. Apart from the shrubs, larch and spruce exert the greatest competitive pressure on the pine. The low occurrence of birdberry and fir is not a competitive pressure for the pine, but an increase in diversity in these areas. The survival of the stocks is currently only ensured with very little rejuvenation. Although pine rejuvenation could be collected in all areas, the number of stems per hectare in the areas was very small. With the installation of these areas, a first important step for the monitoring of the pine stocks in the groom is given, however, how these stocks will develop will show the future.