EVALUATION OF THE SURVIVAL, QUALITY AND GROWTH OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANTS OF SOUTHERN NORWAY SPRUCE ORIGIN

Abstract

Due to rapid climate change, many tree species do not have time to migrate naturally to ecoclimatic zones suitable for them, so it becomes relevant to find out how artificially raised different tree origins would grow in new ecoclimatic zones, where climatic changes suitable for this origin are predicted in the future. This study examines the economic benefits of assisted migration of southern Norway spruce origin. Tested origins: Poland – Wigry (north-eastern Poland); Poland - Zwierzyniec – Pogorzelce (north-eastern Poland); Russia, Kaliningrad region – Černiachovsko; Poland - Zwierzyniec – Krzyze (north-eastern Poland); Poland - Nowe Romuki (central Poland); Poland – Blyzin (central Poland); Germany – Erfurto and Ukraine – Carpathians Rovno/Ratalovsko. The results discuss the patterns of survival, quality (wedge branches, stem straightness, multistemness index) and growth (average diameter, diameter x survival index) of southern origin of Norway spruce. The application of the obtained results can be used to achieve greater economic benefits in Lithuanian forests.