<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The paper evaluates the results of a 6-year-monitoring of the eco-hydrological influence of Norway spruce (<italic>Picea abies </italic>(L.) Karst.) and European beech (<italic>Fagus silvatica </italic>L.) forest stands on the hydro-physical properties of snow cover. The experiment was carried out in the artificially regenerated 20-25-year-old forest stands approaching the pole timber stage in the middle mountain region of the Polana Mts. - Biosphere reserve situated at about 600 m a.s.l. during the period of maximum snow supply in winters of years 2004 - -2009. Forest canopy plays a decisive role at both the snow cover duration and spring snow melting and runoff generation. A spruce stand is the poorest of snow at the beginning of winter. High interception of spruce canopy hampers the throughfall of snow to soil. During the same period, the soil surface of a beech stand accumulates greater amount of snow. However, a spruce stand accumulates snow by creating snow heaps during the periods of maximum snow cumulation and stand´s microclimate slows down snow melting. These processes are in detail discussed in the paper. The forest stands of the whole biosphere reserve slow down to a significant extent both the snow cover melting and the spring runoff of the whole watershed.</p></abstract>

The paper evaluates the results of a 6-year-monitoring of the eco-hydrological influence of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European beech (Fagus silvatica L.) forest stands on the hydro-physical properties of snow cover. The experiment was carried out in the artificially regenerated 20-25-year-old forest stands approaching the pole timber stage in the middle mountain region of the Polana Mts. - Biosphere reserve situated at about 600 m a.s.l. during the period of maximum snow supply in winters of years 2004 - -2009. Forest canopy plays a decisive role at both the snow cover duration and spring snow melting and runoff generation. A spruce stand is the poorest of snow at the beginning of winter. High interception of spruce canopy hampers the throughfall of snow to soil. During the same period, the soil surface of a beech stand accumulates greater amount of snow. However, a spruce stand accumulates snow by creating snow heaps during the periods of maximum snow cumulation and stand´s microclimate slows down snow melting. These processes are in detail discussed in the paper. The forest stands of the whole biosphere reserve slow down to a significant extent both the snow cover melting and the spring runoff of the whole watershed.

Hydrological effects of Norway spruce and European beech on snow cover in a mid-mountain region of the Polana mts., Slovakia /  Hydrologický vplyv smreka obyčajného a buka lesného na snehovú pokrývku v stredohorských polohách pohoria poľana na slovensku

Technical Univerzity Zvolen, Masarykova 24, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia

The University Forest Enterprise, Študentská 20, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

The paper evaluates the results of a 6-year-monitoring of the eco-hydrological influence of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and European beech (Fagus...

Hydrological effects of Norway spruce and European beech on snow cover in a mid-mountain region of the Polana mts., Slovakia / Hydrologický vplyv smreka obyčajného a buka lesného na snehovú pokrývku v stredohorských polohách pohoria poľana na slovensku

Published Online: Dec 14, 2012

Page range: 319 - 332

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10098-012-0028-x

This content is open access.