Zur Notwendigkeit einer Hebung der oberen Waldgrenze im Bereich der Tschechoslowakischen Karpaten

Wien

1976

S. 85-99

3 Abb., 15 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200144857

The timberline is an important phytogeographical limit. Knowledge of conditions and factors forming or influencing this line in particular mountains is meaningful of theoretical as well as practical standpoint.Tree and shrub stands in the upper part of montane zone have substantial soil and water conservation as well as anti-avalanche protective functions. However, these functions are safely fulfilled there and than, when the forest and dwarf-pine belt are extended up to a natral limit of their occurrence. In the Czechoslovak/Western/Carpathians, there the timberline is decreased among all factore mostly by shepherd owing to extending of pasture area. In this way the timberline was decreased on the average about 180 to 220 m in the High Tatras, 280 m in the Belianske Tatry Mts, 100 to 150 m in the Western Tatry Mts, 50 to 160 m in the Nizke Tatry Mts, 150 to 200 m in the Vel'ká Fatra Mts and about 260 m in the Malá Fatra Mts. Maximum of decreasing under the natural timberline has amounted to 400 m and more. Average range of the present-day timberline is about 1350 m a.s.l. in the Czechoslovak Carpathians. Relations between percentage of forest cover /including dwarf-pine stands/ and altitude are shown in the fig.1. Above the present-day timberline there is about 10 % of srea affected by the most intensive proceeses of soil erosion. Between percentage of forest cover and percentage of area affected by soil erosion are close correlations /fig.2/. Relations between percentage of soil erosion and altitude are also very significant /fig.3/. In addition to the erosive injury of soil cover above the timberline also a threat of upper present-day /empiric/ line of tree is significant. By soil erosion processes in the Czechoslovak Carpathians there is more than 13 % of the total lenght of the present-day timberline threatened immediately and additional almost 20 % is threatened potentially.