Structure, production and regeneration processes in the primeval oak forest in the National Nature Reserve Boky

The National Nature Reserve Boky near Budča (district Zvolen) is an extraordinarily precious and important object of studies, equally from the viewpoint of natural sciences as well as for nature protection. The aim of this study was to examine the structure, production and regeneration abilities of the primeval mixed deciduous forest at the site in 2004 and to compare the actual values with the corresponding values obtained in 1994. We focussed our investigation on the forest type Corneto-Quercetum. In the examined biocoenosis, Quercus pubescens is not present, it is substituted by its ecological equivalent Quercus cerris, growing here at the northen boundary of its distribution range. We measured selected dendrometrical biometrical variables on the trees (thicker than 2 cm) on three permanent research plots established in the Reserve. The evaluation revealed that there is a rather high variability in the total number of trees and timber volume, (in 1994 the number of trees in separate stages ranged between 747 and 924, and in 2004 between 614 and 1,000 per ha). Quercus petraea was the most abundant species in all permanent research plots (PRP). In case of large timber (stemwood), the share of winter oak ranged between 4%–71% and between 35%–65% in 1994 and in 2004, respectively and the share of Quercus cerris between 16% and 27% and between 13% and 24%. The diameter interval was found the widest for the advanced phase of disintegration stage turning into the initial phase of ingrowth stage on PRP 3. The smallest variation interval was obtained for PRP 1 – the optimum stage. According to the volume of large timber, the average standing volume ranged between 340–470 cubic m and between 322–330 cubic m per ha in 1994 and in 2004, respectively. Tree regeneration processes running in this primeval forest are different, on the background of differences in their ecological tolerance to light corresponding to the individual developmental stages. The best conditions for growth of Quercus cerris and Quercus petraea seedlings were observed till the end of the optimum stage.