DEADWOOD STOCK IN A LINDEN-PINE-OAK FOREST OF SLOBOZHANSKYI NATIONAL NATURE PARK

Deadwood is one of the principal components of forest ecosystems. It completes numerous nature conservation and ecological functions. The work aimed to assess the reserves of woody detritus in the mixed forest of Slobozhanskyi National Nature Park (NNP) of natural origin. The research was carried out in an 86-year-old forest on fresh and fertile soils. Dead wood fractions, tree species, components, and classes of destruction were assessed on fixed area sample plot. The volume of woody detritus (WD) in the forest ecosystem is 21.8 m3∙ha-1. It consists of fallen dead trunks and dead branches, which make up 75.7% of the total WD. Standng dead trunks (snags) account for the remaining 24.3%. The main part of the volume of dead wood formed by three tree species: Tilia cordata Mill., Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. The share of these species together was 78.0%. The WD belonged from the I to V class of destruction. At the same time, the WD of the II class of decomposition was 52.5% had an advantage. The volume of snags was 5.3 m3∙ha–1. In terms of species composition, Q. robur, Acer platanoides L., T. cordata, and P. sylvestris had a significant advantage. In the total volume of snags, the wood of the I class of destruction significantly prevailed at 67.9%, and the woody volume of the II class was 32.1%. Logs had a reserve of 16.5 m3∙ha–1. The species composition dominated by wood detritus of T. cordata (35.8%), slightly fewer detritus of P. sylvestris (31.5%), and Betula pendula Roth. (22.4%). The fallen dead wood were represented by five classes of destruction. The biggest variety of fallen dead wood by classes of destruction was characteristic of T. cordata. A low amount of detritus are associated with a short period of strict protection of the studied forest ecosystem.