Forest fires are becoming an increasingly serious environmental and social problem, driven by climate change and growing anthropogenic pressure. While their ecological aspects have been widely studied, less attention has been paid to social perception and its impact on fire management. The aim of this study is to analyse the social perception of forest fires among respondents residing in Poland, with particular emphasis on levels of knowledge, attitudes, and perceived risk. A quantitative (Computer-Assisted Web Interview, CAWI) survey was conducted between November 2025 and February 2026, involving 246 participants. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation analysis, and the Relative Importance Index. The results indicate a moderate level of knowledge combined with predominantly negative attitudes toward forest fires. Significant differences were observed between socio-demographic and professional groups, with higher levels of knowledge recorded among respondents associated with forestry. A discrepancy was identified between perceived and actual knowledge, as well as a tendency to prioritise direct and visible effects of fires over long-term climatic consequences. Although some respondents recognised fire as a natural ecological process, the level of acceptance and understanding of management practices, such as controlled burning, remained limited. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening environmental education, improving risk communication, and increasing public awareness of integrated fire management methods. Given the non-probability and forestry-skewed sample, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory and cannot be generalised to the Polish population. Nevertheless, they provide insight into patterns of forest-fire perception that may inform further representative studies.
Drought has been demonstrated to exert a substantial influence on the growth of plants and the chemical emissions thereof. The present study aims to examine the alterations in biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and chemical compounds in Pinus massoniana seedlings under the conditions of drought stress and subsequent rehydration. The findings revealed that drought stress and rehydration significantly altered the emission of total BVOCs, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes, with isoprene emission showing only a marginal decrease. Under conditions of drought stress, the emission of total BVOCs, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes increased significantly, while the emission of isoprene decreased slightly. Following rehydration, the discharge of each chemical compound essentially recovered to the level prior to drought stress. Given the inconsistent response of different plant BVOCs to drought stress, it is imperative to closely monitor the effects of drought stress and global change on plant BVOC emissions in future research.
This study analyses the bark beetle species spectrum (Scolytinae) in supranational migration across the Czech Republic (2020-2025) using a Johnson-Taylor suction trap network. Out of 2 129 identified individuals (45 species), Pityogenes chalcographus (Linnaeus, 1761) and Crypturgus cinereus (Herbst, 1793) were dominant, with their 2021 outbreak temporarily altering the community's proportional abundance. Ecological indices (H', J') confirmed an acute internal asymmetry caused by massive pest flights. The findings support the dispersal flight phenomenon, where individual scattering into vast air volumes explains the high proportion of sub-recedent species without compromising the representative value of the samples. The proven efficacy of suction traps for invasive species detection led to their official integration into the Czech national phytosanitary surveillance system.
Uneven-aged forest management and Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) are increasingly discussed as adaptive silvicultural approaches capable of improving forest resilience under climate change, increasing disturbance frequency, and growing uncertainty in forest ecosystems. However, the conversion of structurally homogeneous stands into uneven-aged structures represents a complex optimisation problem involving economic performance, structural stability, regeneration continuity, and long-term sustainability. This study presents a multi-period optimisation framework based on size-class dynamics, transition matrices, and Liocourt-based structural regulation. The model is formulated as a quadratic optimisation problem that maximises net present value while simultaneously minimising deviations from a target uneven-aged diameter distribution. A hypothetical case study was developed to analyse the conversion of structurally homogeneous stands toward uneven-aged structures regulated by Liocourt distributions. The optimisation experiments included extensive sensitivity analyses involving combinations of q-ratio, target basal area, recruitment intensity, growth dynamics, and mortality parameters. Results demonstrate that recruitment and lower diameter class dynamics represent the dominant drivers of successful structural conversion, while harvesting alone cannot compensate for insufficient regeneration inflow. The analysis further confirms that Liocourt distributions should not be interpreted as universal biological equilibria but rather as regulatory and optimisation targets dependent on ecological, silvicultural, and economic conditions.
In recent years, hyperspectral imaging has been widely adopted in agriculture and plant phenotyping, while its application in forestry has been increasing. From that point onward, hyperspectral imaging has become a valuable tool for plant phenotyping, enabling the assessment of a broad range of plant traits. Given that seedlings of forest trees are one of the most widely used types of forest planting stock, advancements in hyperspectral technology have created new possibilities for improving seedling quality assessment. High-quality forest seedlings are important for the successful establishment of forest stands, especially after outplanting within restoration initiatives. Even though hyperspectral imaging brings numerous advantages, continued technological improvements are necessary to address its several limitations and challenges. Despite its widespread use in agricultural phenotyping, applications in forest nursery production remain limited. Therefore, this review focuses on research involving hyperspectral imaging in forest seedling production and its potential for assessing seedling quality parameters.
The article aims to raise the knowledge on how the Northern red oak affects the soil formation and nutrient cycling compared to Scots pine during the early-stage reclamation of nutrient-poor mineral soil that originated in the deep soil layers in a former sand quarry. Furthermore, the aim is to also answer the question if the admixture of red oak helps to regenerate the soil properties more effectively than pure stands. Three treatments were established: pure red oak, pure pine, and a mixed stand, where organic [composite samples of L+F (litter and fermented), F+H (fermented and humic)] and mineral (A, C) soil horizons were analysed. The oak significantly outperformed the pine in the soil amelioration, showing elevated pH, higher base saturation, and enriched concentrations of basic cations in the humus horizons. The lower litter accumulation under the oak reflected the enhanced decomposability of its litter. A pattern of reduced cation exchange capacity, but the elevated base saturation of the oak soils suggested the development of a nutrient-rich microenvironment with a diminished risk of aluminium toxicity. Phosphorus remained critically limiting. The mixed stand exhibited intermediate properties closer to the pine stand, with the synergistic effects currently limited. Our results support red oak as an effective reclamation species for infertile post-mining soils, though sustained amelioration requires a decades-long perspective and integrated forest management strategies.
Forest ecosystems provide multiple ecosystem services (ES), including timber production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, soil protection, and cultural functions. Integrating these often conflicting objectives into forest management planning represents a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDA) problem. This study proposes a practical MCDA framework for evaluating selected ecosystem services within the Czech forest management planning system (LHP/LHO). The framework integrates forest growth simulation, ecosystem service indicators, GIS data, and MCDA methods. Five indicators were evaluated: wood production, carbon stock, erosion risk, biodiversity, and cultural ecosystem value. Criteria weights were derived using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), while management scenarios were ranked using TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and PROMETHEE methods. A pilot simulation over a 100-year horizon compared four forest management scenarios: clear-cutting, shelterwood, selective, and non-intervention management. Selective management achieved the highest multifunctional sustainability [composite sustainability index (CSI) = 0.855], combining relatively high production with strong ecological and cultural performance. Clear-cutting management maximised short-term production but showed higher erosion risk and lower biodiversity. The study demonstrates the potential of MCDA to support transparent multifunctional forest management under Central European conditions.
Forest canopy structure is crucial for regulating light interception, carbon exchange, and water balance, making accurate estimation of leaf area index (LAI) essential for forest ecology and management. This study compared three indirect optical methods (LAI-2200 PCA, LaiPen LP 110, and digital hemispherical photography-DHP) for estimating effective leaf area index (LAIe) in young Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] stands. It evaluated the influence of the field of view (FOV) and seasonal timing on inter-method agreement. The research was conducted in young, even-aged Norway spruce stands at the K & rcaron;ivina experimental site in the Czech Republic, using three research plots with varying stand densities. Results showed that LAIe estimates were influenced by the selected FOV, with mean values generally decreasing as FOV increased, particularly for the LAI-2200 PCA. Narrow FOV configurations produced greater local variability among sampling positions, whereas broader FOVs resulted in more homogeneous spatial canopy patterns. The strongest agreement among methods was observed between LaiPen LP 110 and LAI-2200 PCA, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.71 to 0.84 across temporally matched measurements. In contrast, DHP exhibited weaker and more variable relationships with LaiPen LP 110. Differences among research plots were most pronounced between the dense control stand and the heavily thinned stand, indicating that canopy density and structural heterogeneity substantially affected LAIe estimation. The study demonstrates that indirect optical methods are sensitive to both canopy structure and measurement configuration; therefore, careful instrument selection, FOV standardisation, and synchronised measurements are essential for obtaining reliable and comparable LAIe estimates.
This study evaluated the phytotoxic potential of ground-level ozone (O3) on native forest tree species at eight intensive forest monitoring plots in the Czech Republic. O3 risk was assessed using the exposure-based AOT40F (accumulated O3 concentration above 40 ppb for forest protection) and the flux-based POD1 (phytotoxic ozone dose above a flux threshold of 1 nmol O3 m-2 & sdot;s-1 per leaf area) indices, together with data on visible foliar O3 injury. The analysis was based on data from the 2021-2023 vegetation seasons. AOT40F exceeded the critical level of 5 ppm center dot h at all plots. The critical levels of POD1 (5.2 mmol center dot m-2 for Fagus sylvatica and 9.2 mmol center dot m-2 for Picea abies) were exceeded at all sites in all seasons, except for one plot in 2022. Exceedance of POD1 generally occurred earlier than that of AOT40F for F. sylvatica, while for P. abies it occurred later in the season. POD1 showed a significant positive relationship with altitude, but AOT40F did not. Air temperature, soil moisture, and the O3 concentration were identified as the main predictors of stomatal O3 flux. Visible O3 injury was absent in P. abies and limited in F. sylvatica, with a weak relationship to the O3 metrics. The results emphasise the greater relevance of flux-based approaches for O3 risk assessment and indicate that visible foliar O3 injury alone provides only a limited indicator of O3 impacts under Czech conditions.
Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is an ecologically and silviculturally important tree species in Central European forests due to its high production potential and increasing relevance under ongoing climate change. Therefore, its regeneration and promotion are of key importance for both ecosystem functioning and sustainable forest management. This study evaluates the potential of natural (four localities) and artificial (ten localities) regeneration of silver fir under close-to-nature silviculture across two natural forest areas (K & rcaron;ivoklatsko and Cesky kras; Brdska vrchovina) at altitudes of 362-570 m a.s.l. in Czechia. The objective was to assess the growth potential of fir regeneration across six contrasting site type categories on 62 research plots: acidic (3K, 4K), nutrient-rich (3B), loamy (3H), nutrient-medium (3S), gleyed nutrient-medium (4O) and gleyed acidic (4P) categories; and to quantify game browsing damage. The highest natural regeneration density was recorded on 4O sites, reaching on average 182 800 pcs center dot ha-1, while the lowest density was observed on 4P (25 600 pcs center dot ha-1). Compared to the overstory composition, regeneration layers showed a marked increase in the proportion of silver fir. In contrast, the highest annual height increment of natural regeneration was found on 4P (10.6 cm), significantly exceeding that on 3S (2.1 cm). Browsing damage ranged from 11.0% (3S) to 19.2% (4O). In terms of artificial regeneration, the highest annual height increment was recorded at site type 3H (38.4 cm), whereas the lowest was observed at site type 3B (15.2 cm). Our results show that fir regeneration is mainly driven by site conditions and ungulate browsing, providing a basis for targeted silvicultural and game management to support its long-term persistence.
Water reservoirs (WR), as a key source of drinking water in Slovakia, face increasing challenges due to environmental pressures, economic aspects and technological limitations related to water collection and treatment. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare the economic external factors of seven major Slovak drinking water reservoirs (Malinec, Trucek, Nova Bystrica, Hrinova, Klenovec, Starina, and Bukovec). The results of the study evaluated the following economic factors: (i) drinking water supply, (ii) drinking water demand, and (iii) average annual costs for drinking water treatment and purification. The last-mentioned was studied in more detail to investigate how the catchment's forest cover affects annual water treatment costs. The analysis of economic factors showed that smaller reservoirs with a lower technical base, such as Hrinova and Turcek, are more sensitive to seasonal and ecological fluctuations, leading to greater cost variability and more negative management effects. In contrast, large reservoirs such as Starina and Nova Bystrica exhibit greater stability and resilience to these impacts, and economic factors positively influence water resources management. The study also demonstrates that the catchment's forest cover and reservoir volume significantly contribute to lower drinking water treatment costs in Slovakia. These findings highlight the economic relevance of forested catchments for drinking water supply and underline the importance of integrating forest management considerations into water resource management.
This study evaluates the approach to public communication within economic entities managing ecclesiastical forest properties. Following the extensive property restitutions in the Czech Republic after 2012, forests owned by the church and religious societies now account for more than 5% of the country's total forest area. The communication practices of these entities were assessed through a questionnaire survey of 221 respondents (comprising forest visitors as part of a general sample), nine in-depth interviews with employees, and, in addition, a detailed analysis of communication methods used by five selected forestry subjects. The results indicate that the general public does not expect a specialised communication approach despite the ecclesiastical nature of the property. Furthermore, foresters themselves do not perceive the need for a specific philosophy or approach based on church principles in their professional activities. No specialised communication strategies exist for church-owned forest properties, and employees are neither familiar with nor utilise Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical, Laudato si'.
Tree-ring analysis is a valuable tool for understanding long-term climate patterns and their influence on tree growth. This study investigates the climate-growth relationships of Khasi pine (Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon) in Doi Khuntan National Park, northern Thailand (at elevations of 850 to 1 035 m a.s.l.), to reconstruct past climate and inform forest management. Using 48 cross-dated increment cores, we developed an 83-year chronology (1936-2018). Standard dendrochronological methods and regression models were applied. The radial growth of P kesiya was primarily influenced by moisture availability, showing significant positive correlations with March rainfall (r = 0.39, P < 0.01) and April-July relative humidity (r = 0.45, P < 0.01). Growth was negatively correlated with April-July mean temperature (r = -0.47, P < 0.01), indicating that warmer wet seasons induce stress. False-rings served as complementary intraannual drought proxies, linked to cool-dry transitional periods. Multiple regression models explained 40.6% of radial growth variance and 65.6% of false-ring frequency variance. Reconstructed climate series revealed significant warming trends since the 1930s, most pronounced in April extreme minimum temperature, which increased by +0.98 degrees C over the study period (Mann-Kendall test, P < 0.01). These findings highlight the vulnerability of montane pine forests to increasing temperatures and atmospheric dryness, providing a multi-proxy baseline for climate change adaptation.
The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is the second most planted tree species worldwide, and the most common in Hungary. Phenotypic traits, particularly flowering patterns, are well-established indicators of the species' response to climate change. This study examined four forest subcompartments across three Hungarian regions: Northern-Central, Eastern and Southern-Central. The aim was to identify climatic factors correlating with the onset and duration of the flowering period. Additionally, the relationships between these factors and nectar weight and sugar concentration were defined. Results indicate a strong negative correlation between precipitation levels and flowering time: lower accumulated and average precipitation during the spring months of the preceding year was associated with a delayed flowering period in the following year (r = -0.922, r = -0.918, P = 0.05). However, when examining the 14-day period (r = 0.829) before blooming or examining from 1 January (r = 0.929, r = 0.890), the results indicate that other environmental factors may play a more dominant role. Furthermore, the number of chill and heat days was found to affect the starting date (R2 = 0.819, R2 = 0.765).
Headwater streams are key pathways for carbon (C) transfer from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. Sediments and plant litter constitute major C pools in streams, yet their roles in regulating dissolved carbon (DC) exports remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations and export through monthly sampling over one year in a subtropical forest headwater stream. DOC export peaked during the wet season (98.9 +/- 171.8 kg & centerdot;h-1), whereas DIC export showed no significant seasonal variation. During the wet season, C pool characteristics were more strongly related to DOC dynamics, whereas during the dry season they were more closely associated with DIC dynamics. DOC concentrations in sediments and plant litter were positively related to stream DOC concentrations, while higher total carbon (TC) storage showed weak relationships with DC exports. These results indicate that C pool characteristics influence stream C dynamics mainly through C quality rather than pool size, and that different C pools exert different effects on DOC and DIC dynamics. However, hydrological variables - especially stream discharge - exerted the strongest control on DC export. Together, these findings indicate that hydrology controls C export, whereas C pools regulate the composition of DC in headwater streams.
The paper examines the impact of biotic factors - mainly pests and pathogens - on the degradation of Betula spp. in the forests of Ukrainian Polissia. The taxonomic structure of the identified mycobiota includes representatives of 9 genera, 8 families, 5 orders, 4 classes, and two divisions (Ascomycota 44.4%, Basidiomycota 55.6%). Xylotrophic Basidiomycetes, particularly Fomitopsis betulina and Fomes fomentarius, pose the greatest threat due to their ability to destroy wood tissues. The bacterial pathogen Lelliottia nimipressuralis, the agent of wetwood, also plays a major role, impairing xylem water transport and causing systemic physiological imbalance in affected trees. Entomofauna significantly contributes to degradation processes. A total of 31 insect species were recorded, belonging to five orders, 24 families, and 29 genera, with Coleoptera being the most numerous (32.3%). The most harmful are xylophagous species (e.g. Agrilus betuleti, Rhagium mordax) and phytophagous species (e.g. Geometra papilionaria, Parornix betulae), which cause mechanical tissue damage and facilitate secondary infections. The results indicate that pathogenic complexes intensify under environmental stress, accelerating the decline of Betula spp. stands. These findings underscore the necessity for ongoing phytosanitary monitoring and adaptive management measures to mitigate further degradation risks in the birch forests of Polissia.
Disturbance regimes in Central European mountain forests are changing under the ongoing climate change, raising questions about how protected areas should respond to increasingly frequent windthrow and bark beetle outbreaks. In Tatra National Park, a major windstorm in 2004 triggered a landscape-scale bark beetle eruption that challenged long-standing expectations that non-intervention alone could safeguard forest ecosystems. Using the Socio-Ecological Systems framework, we combined long-term field observations with archival sources and stakeholder interviews to examine how ecological dynamics, governance structures, and actor perspectives interacted during and after the outbreak. We show that warming, abundant post-storm breeding substrate, and legacy Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) monocultures reduced forest resilience and enabled successive beetle waves. Governance fragmentation led to delayed decision-making, allowing large volumes of wind-felled timber to remain untreated and facilitating its spread into high-naturalness stands. In contrast, evidence from other European countries suggests that timely, spatially focused measures can reduce outbreak duration without compromising conservation values. Our results indicate that in disturbance-prone, spruce-dominated forest systems experiencing climate change, a combination of strict protection in core areas and timely, selective measures in adjacent zones is more likely to maintain resilience and support conservation outcomes than strictly passive or fully interventionist approaches.
Mexico ranks among the countries with the highest deforestation rates, increasing the demand for highquality forest seedlings of valuable species such as Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl., which face germination limitations due to seed dormancy and low viability. Ionising radiation has emerged as an alternative pregermination treatment capable of inducing adaptive responses in plants through hormesis. This study evaluated the effects of different doses of gamma radiation (Co-60) and high-energy X-rays (linear accelerator, 6 MeV) on the germination, growth, and quality of P pseudostrobus seedlings. A total of 1 440 seeds were irradiated per radiation source with 12 doses (0-25 Gy) and sown under nursery conditions in a completely randomised design. Germination parameters, morphological traits, photosynthetic pigment content, and quality indices were analysed. With both radiation sources, low doses (0.5-1.5 Gy) significantly enhanced germination, chlorophyll content, and seedling height and diameter, while doses above 15 Gy inhibited these responses. The LD50 (median lethal dose) was estimated at 20 Gy for gamma rays and 12 Gy for X-rays, whereas GR(50) (median growth reduction dose) exceeded 45 Gy in both treatments. These findings demonstrate that low radiation doses elicit a beneficial hormetic effect in P. pseudostrobus, representing a viable biotechnological approach to improve seedling production and ecological reforestation efficiency.
This study analyses the professional interests and motivations of people regarding forestry careers. An online survey (N = 162) was conducted in May 2025. The study identifies the profile of a typical forestry candidate as an individual from a rural area, regardless of gender, who prioritises job security and personal satisfaction over high financial reward. The findings confirm that while forestry students show the strongest interest, intrinsic motivation and a personal relationship with nature are the primary drivers across the board. The key results indicate that practical field experience and communication with professionals significantly bolster career interest. Furthermore, the emerging generation of foresters demonstrates an 'ecologically realistic' perspective, favouring sustainable management and biocentric values over traditional paradigms. The study suggests that to combat the declining workforce, forestry communication should leverage these intrinsic values and increase practical engagement during university studies. Respondents assigned the greatest importance to statements reflecting biocentric and ecocentric values, emphasising the intrinsic value of forests, ecosystem impact considerations, and their role in environmental balance and human well-being.
