Untersuchungen zur Behandlung von jungen Eichenbeständen

In five sessile oak stands established by direct seeding, a silvicultural experiment with four tending treatments was established in 1985. The stands, comprising of two thickets, two pole stands, and a young timber stand are located in Lower Franconia. After a period of 5 years this investigation has provided numerous informative results which allow some silvicultural conclusions. Accordingly, in oak thickets thinning from below (negative Auslese) should only be applied if it is expected that at a stand height of 6 m the height/dbh ratio of healthy oaks will drop below 130, or that up to this stage the live-crown percent will be at least over 50. Otherwise, there is a strong hint of overdensity which leads to crown shrinkage and extremely inhibited diameter increment. This effect of overdensity can only be averted by heavy improvement thinnings (starker positiver Eingriff). In pole and young timber stands, positive selection is appropriate if cutting from below alone does not bring about invigoration of a secondary beech crop.