Characteristics of soils under spruce plantation (Picea abies, Karst.) in the west part of the Republic of Srpska

Abstract

The paper analyzes the characteristics of the soil under spruce plantations in the west part of the Republic of Srpska. Artifi cially established spruce stands (Picea abies, Karst.) are presented in different parts of the Republic of Srpska. There are several reasons for their establishment, and one of them is high productivity and economic viability in a relatively short period. Quality of stands is often dependent of physical and chemical properties of soil. This research covered four sites in the west part of the Republic of Srpska (Kotor Varos, Kneževo, Kozara and Gornja Jošavka). The common characteristic is acidity and poverty of surface horizons because of the impact of raw humus that is created from spruce litter decomposition. The physical properties of the soil are better than chemical one.The nitrogen, potassium content is medium, and phosphorus is scarce. Given the ecology of spruce, analyzed soils are productive and the quality of plantations is mainly the result of earlier measures of applied forest management (thinning). The aim of paper is to perform a comparative analysis of the soils characteristics and to define significance and impact of soil on quality of spruce plantations. We have determined two types of soil: acid brown soil and illimerised soil.