Norwegian Journal of Agricultural Sciences : the succession of seedlings of Betula spp. and Sorbus aucuparia after clear-felling of a forest area

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in five experirnental areas, two in Akershus and three in Vestfold, in which the invasion of seedlings of Betula spp. and Sorbus aucuparia was evaluated during the first 4-5 years after clear-felling. The evaluations took place in 1990-9I. The results indicate thai most of the Sorbus seedlings developed shortly after or possibly even before clear-felling. A general decline in the total number of seedlings and just slight differences in the distribution of seedlings on height classes between the two years of evaluation, indicate intense browsing by moose as the most likely reason for the suppression of the Sorbus seedlings regarding both number and height. The Betula picture is essentially similar to that of Sorbus . However, the Betula seedlings invaded the area over a longer period of time after clear-felling than those of Sorbus. A more pronouced variation in the height of the seedlings indicates that Betula seedlings are less attractive than those of Sorbus for browsing.