The soil water retention potentials and other hydrolimits of individual soil horizons of podzolized soil were determined in the stand of Picea abies (Mecuvka, the Beskids, Czech Republic) on godulic sandstone. Different hydropedologic characteristics for the individual soil horizons were found. Extreme values were detected for the albic E horizon, which importance for water and nutrient status of forest stand on podzolic soil is discussed.

In the region of Knehyne-Velka Stolova in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids, where there are ecologically difficult conditions for functioning forest ecosystems, possibilities were studied for the naturat regeneration of beech. The study of problems was particularly related to generative propagation, however, cases of vegetative propagation were also found. Potential possibilities of regeneration are related to the seed year 1995. Rooting ability of layered branches or lying beech trees wes studied. Analysis is given of a rooting beech branch.

The studies of grass communities, which spread in deforested areas, also involved observations of soil thermal regimes. Three sites were chosen in order to determine differences in diurnal and seasonal variations of soil temperatures: (1) open site (barren) without plant cover, (2) site covered by a young, lower and thinner stand of Avenella flexuosa, and (3) old, dense stand of Calamagrostis villosa with a layer of plant litter on the soil surface. Soil temperatures were measured at the soil surface and in the soil depth of 5 and 10 cm. In summer months, the greatest differences in maximal temperatures recorded at the soil surface and at the 5, 10 cm depth between the bare site and the old stand of C. villosa represented 21.6, 15.9, 12.4 deg C, respectively. Soil temperatures measured in the bare plot in autumn months were lower than those in grass stands.

This contribution deals with the relationship evaluated on the basis of 32 permanent monitoring plots. Tree volume increment as a total "brutto" and also as a pure "netto" change for 1 ha is defined. The first one includes also the influence of felling, mortality and increment ingrowth, second one includes only changes due to the growth process. Relationship of increment to stand variables is investigated bz stepwise regression. A more higher correlation to defoliation was found, less high to age, site index and altitude.