U radu se prikazuju rezultati usporedbe strukturnih i proizvodnih karakteristika bukovih sastojina gospodarskog i prašumskog tipa u Srbiji. Istraživano je pet sastojina gospodarskog i tri sastojine prašumskog tipa. Cilj ovog istraži­va­nja bio je utvrditi utjecaj prethodnog gospodarenja šumama na strukturnu raznolikost i proizvodne osobine visokih bukovih šuma u Srbiji. Istraživane sastojine nalaze se u planinskom rasponu od 400 do 1200 metara nadmorske visine u područjima gdje se nalaze najproduktivnije bukove šume u Srbiji (slika 1 i tablica 1). Strukturne karakteristike uspore­đe­ne su pomoću sljedećih parametara: visinske krivulje, debljinska struktura, Gini indeks, koeficijent varijacije, koeficijent vitkosti i maksimalne dimenzije dubećih živih i mrtvih stabla. Sastojinsku gustoću i produktivne osobine proučavane su pomoću sljedećih procijenenih taksacijskih elemenata: broj stabala, temeljnica, volumen, biomasa, zaliha ugljika, srednji promjer po temeljnici, Lorajeva srednja visina i volumen mrtvog drveta. Najveće razlike pronađene su u dimenzijama najvećih stabala u bukovim sasatojinama gospodarskog i prašumskog tipa (tablica 4). Određene razlike pro­na­đene su u obliku visinskih krivulja i debljinskoj strukturi, i vrijednostima koeficijenta vitkosti (slike 2, 3, 4 i 5, i tablica 3). Međutim, Ginijev indeks i koeficijent varijacije pokazuju da su bukove sastojine gospodarskog tipa u Srbiji u velikoj mjeri sačuvale iskonsku strukturnu raznolikost (tablica 2 i slika 6). Razlike u prosječnim vrijednostima taksacijskih elemenata sastojina gospodarskog tipa visokih bukovih šumama u Srbiji u odnosu na sastojine prašumskog tipa su statistički značajne, što nam govori da je prethodno gospodarenje imalo značajan utjecaj na promjene u proizvodnim karakteristikama ovih šuma u Srbiji (tablica 5).

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is the most important deciduous tree species in Europe. According to different climate scenarios, there is a relatively high probability of a massive decline in and loss of beech forests in southern Europe and in the southern part of central Europe. Thus, the authors of this study explored the dynamics of tree diameter increments and the influence of extremely dry years on the width of tree rings. This study used dendroecological methods to analyze the growth and diameter increments of European beech trees at locations in Serbia and the Republic of Srpska. The sampling was conducted along the vertical distribution of beech forests, at five sites at the lower limit of the distribution, at five optimal sites of the distribution, and at five sites at the upper limit of the distribution. Long-term analyses indicate that dry conditions during a growing season can reduce tree-ring width, but a reduction in tree growth can be expected as a result of more than one season of unfavorable conditions. Low temperatures in autumn and winter and prolonged winters can strongly affect upcoming vegetation and reduce tree development even under normal thermal conditions during a growing season.

Many studies have shown that small climate changes can strongly affect the forest trees growth rate, many times causing changes in species habitats. In general, drought is mentioned as the main problem, so it is necessary to carry out its identification and quantification to investigate its effects on forests in Republic of Srpska. This study aims to analyse the relationship between the growth of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) at optimal altitudes in the Republic of Srpska and its climate characteristics represented by the Forestry Aridity Index (FAI) and Ellenberg's climate quotient (EQ) for 1950-2015 timespan. FAI and EQ were calculated using climate data (temperature and precipitation) extracted from a gridded dataset (E-OBS). Sampling was carried out in two localities near Vlasenica and Mrkonjić Grad at 1050 and 1030 meters above sea level (m a.s.l.), sampling the cores from 15 dominant trees at each locality. Using the Pearson Correlation Analysis, a negative impact on tree rings width (TRW) with rising index values was identified. This is especially pronounced for the index values of the year prior to the ring formation. In general, stronger negative correlations between TRW and EQ are found for the locality near Mrkonjić Grad, while FAI index showed a greater negative impact on TRW for the locality near Vlasenica.