Retrospective assessment of the foliation fo spruces by means of needle traces in the trunk

English. Investigation of spruce from the Krkonose (Czech Republic) has shown that it is possible to reconstruct foliation using the needle trace method. Annual needle production on the main shoot as well as the mean needle age, number of needle sets, annual needle shedding and needle density on the trunk can all be reconstructed in this way. - It was also possible to show variations in the foliation of individual trees, in addition to annual and long-term changes regarding needle retention. So far no connection could be found between needle retention and growth in spruce. - The needle trace method is a useful tool for both the time-related assessment of forest condition and the interpretation of the resulting data. By enabling the analysis of foliation variables in time series it opens up new opportunities for extensive statistical analysis of growth and its ecological determinants.

German. Untersuchungen an Fichten aus dem tschechischen Riesengebirge zeigten, dass das Nadelspurverfahren geeignet ist, die Benadelung von Baeumen retrospektiv zu erfassen. Es ist moeglich, die jaehrliche Nadelproduktion am Haupttrieb sowie das mittlere Nadelalter, die Anzahl der Nadeljahrgaenge, den jaehrlichen Nadelabwurf und die Benadelungsdichte am Stamm zu rekonstruieren. - Es konnte ferner bewiesen werden, dass die Benadelung zwischen den Fichten variiert und sowohl jaehrlichen als auch langfristigen Veraenderungen unterliegt. Ein Zusammenhang zwischen einerseits dem mittleren Nadelalter und der Anzahl der Nadeljahrgaenge und andererseits dem Hoehen- und Radialzuwachs konnte nicht nachgewiesen werden. - Das Nadelspurverfahren ist ein Werkzeug, um die jaehrlichen Waldzustandserfassungen zu ergaenzen und deren Ergebnisse zu interpretieren. Sie ermoeglicht die zeitreihenanalytische Auswertung von Benadelungsvariablen und eroeffnet damit die Option einer umfangreichen statistischen Analyse der Benadelung und deren oekologischen Bestimmungsfaktoren.TAGX8602Investigation of spruce from the Krkonose (Czech Republic) has shown that it is possible to reconstruct foliation using the needle trace method. Annual needle production on the main shoot as well as the mean needle age, number of needle sets, annual needle shedding and needle density on the trunk can all be reconstructed in this way. - It was also possible to show variations in the foliation of individual trees, in addition to annual and long-term changes regarding needle retention. So far no connection could be found between needle retention and growth in spruce. - The needle trace method is a useful tool for both the time-related assessment of forest condition and the interpretation of the resulting data. By enabling the analysis of foliation variables in time series it opens up new opportunities for extensive statistical analysis of growth and its ecological determinants.