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<p>Due to the increased number of forest fires, a detailed examination and knowledge of the effects of the microclimatic conditions of forests is currently significant. The study carried out in Arboretum Borova hora (Slovak Republik), investigates the influence of meteorological factors (air temperature, relative humidity), the value of the Angström index, and the danger class of the Angström index on the moisture content of fine fuel at the edge of a beech forest stand, but also in its interior. We tested three working hypotheses: a) meteorological conditions differ significantly between the edge and the interior of the beech forest, b) the moisture content of fine fuel is higher in the beech forest interior than at the forest edge, c) the Angström index fire danger class is higher at the edge of the beech forest than in its interior. We created a calibration curve that was also used to measure the humidity of beech leaves with the help of the ME 2000 hygrometer. Our results show that edge beech stands are significantly more susceptible to fires, lower air humidity and fine fuel moisture content, and higher air temperatures than forest interiors. From our point of view, the microclimate is considered the main factor that explains the difference between the vegetation structure of the forest edge and the forest interior.</p>
</abstract>

Due to the increased number of forest fires, a detailed examination and knowledge of the effects of the microclimatic conditions of forests is currently significant. The study carried out in Arboretum Borova hora (Slovak Republik), investigates the influence of meteorological factors (air temperature, relative humidity), the value of the Angström index, and the danger class of the Angström index on the moisture content of fine fuel at the edge of a beech forest stand, but also in its interior. We tested three working hypotheses: a) meteorological conditions differ significantly between the edge and the interior of the beech forest, b) the moisture content of fine fuel is higher in the beech forest interior than at the forest edge, c) the Angström index fire danger class is higher at the edge of the beech forest than in its interior. We created a calibration curve that was also used to measure the humidity of beech leaves with the help of the ME 2000 hygrometer. Our results show that edge beech stands are significantly more susceptible to fires, lower air humidity and fine fuel moisture content, and higher air temperatures than forest interiors. From our point of view, the microclimate is considered the main factor that explains the difference between the vegetation structure of the forest edge and the forest interior.

Influence of meteorological factors on the moisture content of fine forest fuels: responses of fire danger class to different microclimates on the example of European beech (<italic>Fagus sylvatica</italic> L.) stands

Department of Fire Protection, Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology

Department of Forest Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry Technical

Faculty of Forestry Technical University in Zvolen

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Influence of meteorological factors on the moisture content of fine forest fuels: responses of fire danger class to different microclimates on the example of European beech ( L.) stands

Due to the increased number of forest fires, a detailed examination and knowledge of the effects of the microclimatic conditions of forests is currently...

Influence of meteorological factors on the moisture content of fine forest fuels: responses of fire danger class to different microclimates on the example of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands

Published Online: May 09, 2024

Page range: 223 - 237

Received: Jan 19, 2024

Accepted: Feb 20, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2024-0005

Keywords
Microclimate, European beech, Forest stand edge and interior, Moisture content of fine fuel, Angström index danger class

© 2024 Milan Ostrihoň et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Influence of meteorological factors on the moisture content of fine forest fuels: responses of fire danger class to different microclimates on the example of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands

Published Online: May 09, 2024

Page range: 223 - 237

Received: Jan 19, 2024

Accepted: Feb 20, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2024-0005

KeywordsMicroclimate, European beech, Forest stand edge and interior, Moisture content of fine fuel, Angström index danger class

© 2024 Milan Ostrihoň et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Microclimate, European beech, Forest stand edge and interior, Moisture content of fine fuel, Angström index danger class