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INFLUENCE OF DRAINAGE RECONSTRUCTION AFTER BEAVER INFUENCE ON TREE INCREMENT: CASE STUDY IN LATVIA

Kārlis Bičkovskis, Baiba Jansone, Linards Sisenis, Irina Pilvere, Aija Ozola

Abstract

Flow of water and thus access of oxygen to the roots of the trees is ensured by drainage system. Therefore these system had been established, mostly since 1960th and 70th in a third of the forest area of Latvia. It has boosted the overall increment of forests substantially. However, around the same time, also beavers had been reintroduced in territory of our country. Water flow is often stopped by beaver dams. The aim of our case study was to assess the impact of dam removal and ditch reconstruction on the increment of trees. Increment cores were collected from 137 trees at a distance up to 45 m from the ditch in two the drainage system that was reconstructed 6 years prior. Sampling included primarily black alder that is less frequently studied in this context. Increment was highest for trees growing closer to the ditch. Also the survival of trees was significantly higher closer to the ditch, indicating a better growing conditions. Reestablishment of water flow did not ensure immediate positive change in the increment of trees. For black alder it was significant and on average 20-23%; however in some sites and for other tree species such influence was not observed presumably due to prolonged period of negative effect of standing water and/or tree age.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2021/3.1/s14.77

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