The Configuration of Romanian Carpathians Landscape Controls the Volume Diversity of Picea Abies (L.) Stands

Abstract

The present study analysed how growth of the Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) is influenced by site conditions throughout the Eastern and Southern Romanian Carpathians. In order to achieve the aim and the objectives stated in the present study, the volume of spruce stands was taken into account and grouped into six transects, both in the north–south direction in the Southern Carpathians and in the east–west direction in the Eastern Carpathians. We used data that were extracted from the forest management plans of the areas, carried out during the period of 1980–2005. For the Eastern Carpathians, the results revealed that at the same altitudes (700–1000 m), the volumes were higher on the eastern cline than on the western. In the case of the Southern Carpathians, for altitudes between 1300 and 1600 m, the volume of trees in the southern cline was greater than that of the trees in the northern cline. It was also found that the pure spruce stands had higher growth than the mixed ones for the same age and altitude; this was true in the cases of both the Eastern and Southern Carpathians.