Subalpine forest development in Bulgarian Mountain Forests under climate change

Project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, Youth and Science. The aim of the project is to study unmanaged subalpine forests in Bulgaria and the possible effect of climate changes on them. We address topics like natural disturbance regimes of Picea abies, Pinus heldreichii and Pinus peuce forests, regeneration within them, possible effects of future warming and droughts, effects of mycorrhiza. Project leaders: Swiss Team - Dr. Peter Bebi, SLF; Bulgarian team: Dr. Stefan Yurukov, University of Forestry. Project period: 2013 - 2015

Subalpine forests contribute greatly to societal well-being with diverse roles including the protection from avalanche and rock slides, the purification and supply of clean drinking water, a source of economically important coniferous wood, recreation and tourism, and a refuge for biodiversity. At the same time, subalpine forests are at risk of major changes due to global warming. For the Balkan Peninsula, dramatic decreases of summer precipitation and increases of summer temperatures are expected under most of the IPCC (2007) climate change scenarios (Raisanen et al., 2004; Rowell and Jones, 2005). Such changes are expected to increase drought stress for trees, which will have negative effect on forest ecosystems (Penuelas et al., 2009). Additionally, forest fire risk is expected to grow (Giannakopoulos et al., 2005) and thus loss of wood and habitat to more frequent and severe forest fires may be expected. While such changes will affect the natural forest dynamics and may lead to dramatic changes on the landscape level, there remains a poor understanding of the natural range of variability of subalpine forests in Europe (Kulakowski and Bebi, 2004) and specifically in Bulgaria (Panayotov et al., 2011a). It is not clear if the dominant tree species, some of which are native only to the region of South and Southeastern Europe (e.g. Pinus peuce Griseb. and Pinus heldreichii Christ) will be capable of overcoming the negative effects of increased droughts in future.

In our project we aimed at studying unmanaged subalpine forests in Bulgaria and the possible effect of climate changes on them. We asked ourselves the following specific questions: A) On which spatial and temporal scales do natural disturbances occur in the subalpine forests in Bulgaria? B) What is the role of historical disturbances, management and species composition in determining subsequent disturbances? C) What was the response of subalpine trees to climate extremes and what were the levels of climate variation that trees lived through successfully? D) What will be the response of young trees in cases of severe future droughts and will plants be able to overcome them? To address our questions we worked quantitatively assessing the spatial and temporal patterns of natural forest dynamics (i.e. natural structure, regeneration pattern, and disturbance regime) and studying the tree growth in several representative forest ecosystems in Bulgaria - Picea abies dominated forests in the Parangalitsa, Beglika and Bistrishko braniste reserves, Pinus peuce and Pinus heldreichii dominated forests in Pirin National Park.

Our study sites in the Bulgarian mountains belong to rare examples of natural coniferous forests in Southern and Central Europe, which have not been managed since a long time. Our study thus provides a unique opportunity to better understand the natural dynamics and disturbance patterns in such forests ecosystems. This is also very valuable for the understanding and management of mountain forests of the Alps and other mountain chains, where forests have long tradition of management and where only few or short term examples of natural forest development without management intervention exist. The tree ring chronologies will be usable as sources for proxy climate data for SE Europe, which is scarce, but urgently needed to understand long-term patterns of atmospheric circulation.

Summary of the main results in the project:

Task 1: Study natural representative natural forests, their dynamics and disturbance regimes:

We composed a database for disturbancs in Bulgarian coniferous forests based on historical data. So far we have found evidence for at least 195 disturbances in the period 1849-2010. Of them most frequent were fires (41%), windthrows (31%), avalanches (20%), damages from ice and snow accumulation (6%). The biggest recorded disturbances were the “Batalach” fires (1890, 1905) with territory of over 9000 ha. Quite impressive was also the “Beglika” windthrow (1961, 3000 ha). The collected evidence points out that natural disturbances such as fires and windthrows are quite important for Bulgarian mountain coniferous forests and may become even more important with expected warmer temperatures and drought in future.

We studied the disturbance regimes in 3 Norway spruce-dominated forests (the reserves "Parangalitsa", "Beglika" and "Bistrishko branishte") and representative old-growth forests from Pinus peuce and Pinus heldreichii in Pirin National Park. Our results indicate, that the main disturbance factor in Picea forests was windthrow; The windthrows varied from numerous gap disturbances in subalpine forests, to large-scale blowdowns. In one case (the Bistrishko branishte forest reserve) the blowdown (60 ha) was followed by large-scale (>200 ha) bark beetle (Ips typographus) outbreak. Within this are there was also a 70 ha fire in 2012.

The Pinus peuce and Pinus heldreichii forests were shaped mostly by fires and avalanches on steep slopes. In some of these old forests (age above 500 years) there were at least 3-4 fires, which left clear traces in trees and regeneration cohorts;

We studied regeneration processes after large-scale disturbances. Our analysis encompasses more than 50 years period. They indicate, that in Picea-dominated forests major role for the regeneration played the late-successional species Picea abies and Abies alba (at lower elevation). Pioneers had minor role. Sorbus aucuparia had higher participation if the site was not additionally disturbed by collection of the logs; In the long term dead wood was the most important substrate, but after a delayed period of 20-30 years. After such period there was a "second wave" of regeneration.

Task 2: Study the response of mature trees to climate variation and climate changes:

We composed and analyzed robust tree ring chronologies from Pinus heldreichii (750+ years), Pinus peuce (350+ years), Picea abies (200+ years) and Pinus nigra (400 years). Our data may serve as a proxy climate archive for drought and temperature variation. The Pinus heldreichii and Pinus nigra chronologies were used to support the construction of an Atlas of mega droughts and pluvials for the European region for the last 2000 years (Cook et al., 2015). In addition, we are working on a robust frost ring chronology (200+ years).

We were studying xylogenesis of mature Pinus heldreichii and Pinus peuce trees. The results showed that the first cells were laid down at the beginning of May (15-17 May) in years with warmer springs (2013 and 2014) and at the beginning of June and mid-June in years when there were cold spells in the springs (2011 and 2012). The maximum rate of cell production was 30 days after the beginning of cell production except in 2013 when the colder and wet spring and extreme cooling at the beginning of June delayed it with 53 days. Lower temperatures in winter (January-February) in combination with cooling in mid-May 2012 caused the late start of the cambial activity in this year while warmer winters and lack of extreme colds in springs caused earlier beginning and larger number of produced cells in 2013 and 2014. Due to the late start of cell production and the unusual warm and dry summer the total number of produced cells in 2012 was lower than in all studied years (average 37.7 cells), respectively the earlier start of cell production and the cooler and wetter summer in 2013 caused the highest number of produced cells (in average 48.7 cells). The end of the growing season in all studied years was in the first half of October with differences of 4 to 7 days preceded by a sharp drop in temperatures in most years and snowfalls in early October. Despite the unusually dry and warm periods in November in all study years there was no reactivation of the cambium or ongoing transformations.

Task 3: Study the effects of simulated droughts on saplings:

We set a greenhouse experimental site with 3 watering regimes: 1) normal (control); 2) June-July drought; and 3) July-August drought; In each of these regimes we treated 10 saplings from 4 species: Picea abies, Pinus mugo, Pinus heldreichii and Pinus peuce; Because the greenhouse was 300-400 m below the actual locations, from which the saplings were extracted (and are usually growing) we also simulated elevated temperature regime.

P. abies saplings demonstrated a potential to maintain their physiological processes unchanged in the drought-simulated regimes, but this strategy lead high mortality. The gas-exchange processes in P. mugo were strongly influenced especially by the July-August drought, but its survivorship remained high and stable. Both photosynthesis and transpiration of P. peuce and P. heldreichii were more sensitive to the July-August drought regime, in which they had lower survivorship. The limited potential for adaptation and competition of P. abies probably will decrease its range of distribution if future climate is drier and warmer in summer. The future allocation of P. mugo will be influenced by the overlapping of its physiological and ecological tolerance. The expected trends in climate change probably will lead to a further narrowing of the ecological and physiological comfortable zones for P. peuce and P. heldreichii in the mountainous regions of the Balkan Peninsula. This sets these endemic species to higher risk and requires higher attention and further studies on the topic.

The subalpine species may partially overcome the negative effects of drought thanks to mycorrhiza. This topic was almost unstudied in Bulgaria and therefore the project supported the PhD studies of Theodor Nedelin. For the drought experiment described above he found that among the chosen species adaptive mechanisms had common features. There were differences in the ratio of root diameter less than 2 mm (potentially ectomycorrhizal roots) to root diameter over 2 mm (generally non-ectomycorrhizal roots), which is genetically preconditioned by the two studied genus (Picea and Pinus). However this ratio in Pinus mugo resembled Picea abies and the reasons are probably ecological – i.e. unfavorable growth conditions governing the accumulation of large amounts of underground biomass. Drought periods during the summer had the most adverse effect. On the other hand, the number of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes was the smallest, but their significance is probably very high. As a difference in spruce there were a large number of morphotypes which had a relative good interchangeability. According to the Jaccard similarity index it can be assumed that the simulated drought regimes were most unfavorable in June for Picea abies and Pinus heldreichii, while they were most unfavorable in August for Pinus mugo and Pinus peuce.

During field sampling in natural conditions were found locations of several species with high conservation value. For example, the extremely rare for Bulgaria Sarcodon leucopus. A new micorrhizal fungy for Bulgaria from genus Wilcoxina was found. In addition we report the first discovery of ectomycorrhizae of truffle (Tuber sp. 19 - still taxonomically undetermined) + Picea abies in Bulgaria. For the purpose of species description and determination T. Nedelin used both morphological and molecular methods. He found that the found ectomycorrhizae could be determined morphologically only to genus level, but it resembles very much that of Tuber puberulum s.l. + spruce described in 1986. Results confirmed also the importance of truffle ectomycorrhiza in coniferous forests which up to date is not well studied (Nedelin et al., 2016).

Published and submitted papers:

Panayotov, M., N. Tsvetanov, G. Gogushev, E. Tsavkov, T. Zlatanov, S. Anev, A. Ivanova, T. Nedelin, N. Zafirov, N. Alexandrov, A. Dountchev, P. Vasileva, N. Sotirova, A. Vatov, P. Bebi and S. Yurukov. (2016). Mountain coniferous forests in Bulgaria – structure and natural dynamics. University of Forestry and Geosoft, Sofia, in press

Panayotov, M., Gogushev, G., Tsavkov, E., Vasileva, P., Tsvetanov, N., Kulakowski, D., Bebi, P. (submitted). Abiotic disturbances in Bulgarian mountain coniferous forests – an overview. Forest Ecology and Management, special issue

Tsvetanov, N., Dountchev, A., Panayotov, M., Zhelev, P., Bebi, P., Yurukov, S. (submitted): Long and short-term regeneration patterns after large-scale disturbances in Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria. European Journal of Forest Research, special issue.

Nedelin T., Gyosheva M., Kostov K., Savev S. (in press). New data on hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi in Bulgaria. Forestry Ideas, Vol. 22, No 1-2.

Nedelin T., Savev S. (in press). Fungi from genus Inocybe: An Essential for conifers, growing in extreme conditions. Phytologia Balcanica.

Anev, S. & Tzvetkova, N. (in press). Stomatal control on photosynthesis in drought-treated subalpine pine saplings. Genetics and Plant Physiology.

Vasileva, P. & Panayotov, M. (2016). Dating fire events in Pinus heldreichii forests by analysis of tree ring cores. Dendrochronologia, 38: 98–102. doi: 10.1016/j.dendro.2016.04.001

Panayotov, M., Kulakowski, D., Tsvetanov, N., Krumm, F., Berbeito, I., Bebi, P. (2016). Climate extremes during high competition contribute to mortality in unmanaged self-thinning Norway spruce stands in Bulgaria. Forest Ecology and Management 369: 74-88.

Dountchev, A., Panayotov, M., Tsvetanov, N., Zhelev, P. (2016) Consequences of Non-intervention Management for the Development of Subalpine Spruce Forests in Bulgaria, chapter 5 in B. Koulov, G. Zhelezov (eds.), Sustainable Mountain Regions: Challenges and Perspectives in Southeastern Europe, Springer, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-27905-3_5

Alexandrov, N., (2015) Studies on the natural dynamics and structure of subalpine Norway spruce forests in the Rhodopes Mountains. PhD Thesis. University of Forestry, Sofia

Cook, Edward R., Richard Seager, Yochanan Kushnir, Keith R. Briffa, Ulf Buntgen, David Frank, Paul J. Krusic, Willy Tegel, Gerard van der Schrier, Laia Andreu-Hayles, Mike Baillie, Claudia Baittinger, Niels Bleicher, Niels Bonde, David Brown, Marco Carrer, Richard Cooper, Katarina Cufar, Christoph Dittmar, Jan Esper, Carol Griggs, Bjorn Gunnarson, Bjorn Gunther, Emilia Gutierrez, Kristof Haneca, Samuli Helama, Franz Herzig, Karl-Uwe Heussner, Jutta Hofmann, Pavel Janda, Raymond Kontic, Nesibe Kose, Tomas Kyncl, Tom Levanic, Hans Linderholm, Sturt Manning, Thomas M. Melvin, Daniel Miles, Burkhard Neuwirth, Kurt Nicolussi, Paola Nola, Momchil Panayotov, Ionel Popa, Andreas Rothe, Kristina Seftigen, Andrea Seim, Helene Svarva, Miroslav Svoboda, Terje Thun, Mauri Timonen, Ramzi Touchan, Volodymyr Trotsiuk, Valerie Trouet, Felix Walder, Tomasz Wazny, Rob Wilson and Christian Zang (2015) Old World megadroughts and pluvials during the Common Era. Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1500561

Dountchev, A. & Zhelev, P. (2015) Natural and artificial regeneration of montane Picea abies forests in a cleared windthrow area in Vitosha Nature Park. Forestry Ideas, vol. 21, No 2 (50): 293-305.

Ivanova, A. and Dolezal, J. and Gartner, H. and Schweingruber, F. (2015). Forty centimeter long transverse and radial sections cut from fresh increment cores. IAWA Journal, 36, 460-463, DOI: 10.1163/22941932-20150115

Panayotov, M., Bebi, P., Tsvetanov, N., Alexandrov, N., Laranjeiro, L., Kulakowski, D. (2015). The disturbance regime of Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 45(9), 1143-1153. doi: 10.1139/cjfr-2014-0505

Tsvetanov, N., Panayotov, M., Yurukov, S. (2015). Age estimation of Norway spruce saplings: analysis of the cambial age at various stem heights. In: Hevia, A., Sanchez-Salguero, R., Linares, J. C., Olano, J. M., Camarero, J. J., Gutierrez, E., Helle, G., Gartner, H. (2016), TRACE - Tree Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology, Volume 14 (pp.128-133). Scientific Technical Report 16/04, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.

Ivanova, A., & Anev, S. (2014). Response of subalpine saplings to different drought stress. Ecologia Balkanica, 6(1), 19-23.

Dountchev, A., Tsvetanov, N., Zhelev, P., Panayotov, M. (2014) Challenges for the conservation of the Norway spruce forests in Vitosha Nature Park after large-scale natural disturbances. Ecologia Balkanica, vol.5, Special edition, 61-69.

Dountchev, A. & Zhelev, P. (2014) Regeneration of the spruce forests in Bistrishko branishte reserve after different types of natural disturbances. In: Proceedings of the 40 years of education on ecology and protection of the environment in the University of Forestry, Sofia. 13:19.

Nedelin T. (2014). Ectomycorrhiza – Nature and Significance for functioning of forest ecosystems. Forestry Ideas, Vol. 20, No. 1.

Tsvetanov, N., Yurukov, S., Panayotov, M. (2014). Natural regeneration after windthrows which occurred 50 years ago in the Parangalitsa reserve. In: Proceedings of the Conference “40 years of education on ecology and protection of the environment in the University of Forestry” (in Bulgarian).

Ivanova, A., Todorova, Y., Rangelova, P., Panayotov, M. (2013). Xylogenesis of Pinus heldreichii and Pinus peuce in Pirin Mts. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., Supplement 2, 19: 229–232.

Alexandrov, N. & Molle, E. (2014). Vertical structure assessment of spruce alpine forests in the Rhodope Mountains. Forestry Ideas. 20(2): 219-232

Rangelova, P. & Panayotov, M. (2013) Structure of old-growth Pinus heldreichii forests in Pirin Mts. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 19 (2) 2013, 273–276.

Conference presentations and posters:

2016

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2016
Title of contribution: Long-term species composition of natural regeneration following windthrow disturbances in Norway spruce forest in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 11 May 2016
Country: Bialowieza, Poland
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayitiv, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2016
Title of contribution: Wood formation of Pinus heldreichii Christ and Pinus peuce Griseb in NP "Pirin"
Starting date of event: 11 May 2016
Country: Bialowieza, Poland
Contributors: Anita Kostadinova, Albena Ivanova, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

2015

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Plant diversity towards society" organized by IBER
Title of contribution: Fungi from genus Inocybe: an essential for conifers, growing in extreme conditions
Starting date of event: 23 October 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Teodor Nedelin, Slavcho Savev

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: International Scientific Conference on Dendrochronology “Climate and Human History in the Mediterranean Basin” EURODENDRO 2015
Title of contribution: Long and short-term natural regeneration after windthrow disturbances in Norway spruce forest in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 18 October 2015
Country: Antalya, Turkey
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Alexander Dountchev, Momchil Panayotov, Peter Zhelev, Peter Bebi, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: International Scientific Conference on Dendrochronology "Climate and Human History in the Mediterranean Basin" EURODENDRO 2015
Title of contribution: An overview of tree-ring studies of forest disturbance histories in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 18 October 2015
Country: Antalya, Turkey
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Pepa Vasileva, Neno Alexandrov, Peter Bebi, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: International Scientific Conference on Dendrochronology "Climate and Human History in the Mediterranean Basin" EURODENDRO 2015
Title of contribution: Tree-ring chronologies from coniferous species in Bulgaria - current status and potential
Starting date of event: 18 October 2015
Country: Antalya, Turkey
Contributors: Stefan Yurukov, Momchil Panayotov, Albena Ivanova, Velislava Shishkova, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Nickolay Zafirov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: International Scientific Conference on Dendrochronology "Climate and Human History in the Mediterranean Basin" EURODENDRO 2015
Title of contribution: Forty centimeter long transverse micro-sections cut from fresh increment cores
Starting date of event: 18 October 2015
Country: Antalya, Turkey
Contributors: Anita Kostadinova, Albena Ivanova, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: PERTH III: Mountains of our Future
Title of contribution: Natural disturbances in Bulgarian mountain coniferous forests
Starting date of event: 4 October 2015
Country: Perth, Scotland
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Evgeni Tsavkov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Neno Alexandrov, Pepa Vasileva, Peter Bebi, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Mountain Forest Management in a changing world"
Title of contribution: Physiological response of subalpine saplings to drought
Starting date of event: 7 July 2015
Country: Stary Smokovec, Slovakia
Contributors: Svetoslav Anev, Adriana Ivanova, Nikolina Tzvetkova, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "Mountain Forest Management in a changing world"
Title of contribution: Natural disturbances in Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 7 July 2015
Country: Stary Smokovec, Slovakia
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Neno Alexandrov, Evgeni Tsavkov, Stefan Yurukov, Dominik Kulakowski, Peter Bebi

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Mountain Forest Management in a changing world"
Title of contribution: Regeneration of mountain Picea abies L. (Karst.) forests after large-scale disturbances in Vitosha Nature Park
Starting date of event: 7 July 2015
Country: Stary Smokovec, Slovakia
Contributors: Alexander Dountchev, Momchil Panayotov, Petar Zhelev

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: Conference "Mountain Forest Management in a Changing world"
Title of contribution: Long-term analysis of regeneration after windthrow disturbances in the Norway spruce Parangalitsa forest in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 7 July 2015
Country: Stary Smokovec, Slovakia
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2015
Title of contribution: Age estimation of Norway spruce saplings: implication for age structure analysis
Starting date of event: 20 May 2015
Country: Sevilla, Spain
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2015
Title of contribution: Sectioning and analyzing thirty centimeter long radial micro-sections cut from fresh increment cores
Starting date of event: 20 May 2015
Country: Sevilla, Spain
Contributors: Albena Ivanova, Anita Kostadinova, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov and Fritz Schwiengruber

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2015
Title of contribution: Dendrochronological reconstruction of fire history in Pinus heldreichii forests in Pirin Mts.
Starting date of event: 20 May 2015
Country: Sevilla, Spain
Contributors: Pepa Rangelova, Momchil Panayotov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: TRACE – Tree-Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology 2015
Title of contribution: Xylogenesis of Pinus heldreichii and Pinus peuce from the Pirin Mountains
Starting date of event: 20 May 2015
Country: Sevilla, Spain
Contributors: Anita Kostadinova, Albena Ivanova, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "Sustainable mountain regions: make them work" organized by Sofia University
Title of contribution: Consequences of non-intervention management for the development of subalpine spruce forests in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 14 May 2015
Country: Borovets, Bulgaria
Contributors: Alexander Dountchev, Momchil Panayotov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Petar Zhelev, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "Sustainable mountain regions: make them work" organized by Sofia University
Title of contribution: Сambial activity of Pinus heldreichii Christ and Pinus peuce Griseb. in NP "Pirin"
Starting date of event: 14 May 2015
Country: Borovets, Bulgaria
Contributors: Albena Ivanova, Anita Kostadinova, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: Conference "Ecology – a way of thinking – 7"
Title of contribution: Growth rate in some trees species: importance for forestry
Starting date of event: 9 May 2015
Country: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Alexander Dountchev, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: The effects of micro-relief forms on natural regeneration after windthrows in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Alexander Dountchev, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Xylogenesis of Pinus heldreichii Christ and Pinus peuce Griseb. in NP "Pirin"
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Albena Ivanova, Anita Kostadinova, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Large-scale natural disturbances in Bulgaria - a historical overview
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Evgeni Tsavkov, Georgi Gogushev, Peter Bebi

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Dendrochronological reconstruction of fire history in Pinus heldreichii forests in Pirin Mts
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Pepa Rangelova, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Stomatal control of photosynthesis in droughted saplings from genus Pinus
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Adriana Ivanova, Svetoslav Anev, Nikolina Tzvetkova

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: New hypogeneous fungi from Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Nedelin T., Gyosheva M., Kostov K., Savev S.

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "Forest Management – bridge to the future" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Natural and artificial regeneration of montane Picea abies forests in a cleared windthrow area in Vitosha Nature Park
Starting date of event: 6 May 2015
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Alexander Dountchev, Peter Zhelev

2014

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "Old World Drought Atlas" discussion meeting
Title of contribution: Tree rings from Bulgaria – how can they assist in proxy climate studies
Starting date of event: 7-9 April 2014
Country: Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: COST Action MedSTReeSS Meeting
Title of contribution: Drought and tree growth in Bulgarian Mountains
Starting date of event: 19-21 May 2014
Country: Switzerland
Contributors: Albena Ivanova

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: Conference "Forest landscape mosaics: disturbance, restoration and management at times of global change"
Title of contribution: Long and short-term regeneration patterns after large-scale disturbances in Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 11-14 August 2014
Country: Tartu, Estonia
Contributors: Alexander Dountchev, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayotov and Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: Conference "Forest landscape mosaics: disturbance, restoration and management at times of global change"
Title of contribution: "Different disturbance regimes in Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria dependent on forest histories and site conditions"
Starting date of event: 11-14 August 2014
Country: Tartu, Estonia
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Neno Alexandrov and Peter Bebi

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: Conference "Forest landscape mosaics: disturbance, restoration and management at times of global change"
Title of contribution: "Mortality processes in self thinning stands of Spruce dominated mountain forests"
Starting date of event: 11-14 August 2014
Country: Tartu, Estonia
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Frank Krumm and Peter Bebi

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: Sixth National Student Conference "Ecology - method of thinking 6" organized by University of Plovdiv
Title of contribution: Blue Reflectance - a new method for establishing climate variation
Starting date of event: 10-11 May 2014
Country: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "40 years Ecology education" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Natural regeneration 50 years after windthrow in Parangalitsa
Starting date of event: 12 June 2014
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Nickolay Tsvetanov, Momchil Panayotov, Stefan Yurukov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): poster
Title of event: "Plant physiology and genetics – Achievements and Challenges"
Title of contribution: Water use efficiency of Picea abies and Pinus mugo saplings under drought stress
Starting date of event: 24–26 September 2014
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Svetoslav Anev, Adriana Ivanova

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: National conference "Restoration Forum"
Title of contribution: Tree rings and archaeology – potential in Bulgaria
Starting date of event: 24-25 October
Country: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov, Velislava Shishkova

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "80 years Natural park Vitosha and Biosphere Reserve "Bistrishko branishte"
Title of contribution: The Forests of Bistrishko branishte reserve 80 years after its declaration – what did we learn from the last disturbances in them
Starting date of event: 21-22 October 2014
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Momchil Panayotov

Type of contribution (talk, poster): talk
Title of event: "40 years Ecology education" organized by Forestry University
Title of contribution: Vertical structure assessment of spruce subalpine forest in the Rhodope Mountains
Starting date of event: 12 June 2014
Country: Sofia, Bulgaria
Contributors: Neno Aleksandrov, Emil Molle

2013

• Alexander Dountchev, presentation "Challenges for the management and conservation of spruce ecosystems in Vitosha NP" on the international scientific conference "Ecology – a way of thinking", Plovdiv, Bulgaria, November 2013.
• Alexander Dountchev, presentation "Status and development of the old-growth forests in Vitosha Nature Park" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Anita Kostadinova; Albena Ivanova; Yanitsa Todorova; Stefan Yurukov; Momchil Panayotov, presentation "Сambial activity of the Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ) in NP "Pirin" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Evgeni Tsavkov, presentation "Historical data for natural disturbances in coniferous forests in Bulgaria" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Momchil Panayotov, Nickolay Tsvetanov, Frank Krumm, Dominik Kulakowski and Peter Bebi poster "Tree mortality in self-thinning subalpine Picea abies forests", on the ClimTree 2013 Conference, Zurich, Sept. 2013
• Neno Alexandrov, poster "The importance of old-growth forest phase for close to nature management" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Nickolaty Tsvetanov and Momchil Panayotov, poster "Natural dynamics of regeneration after windthrows in pristine Picea abies forest Parangalitsa" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Nickolay Tsvetanov, Stefan Yurukov and Momchil Panayotov, presentation "Regeneration dynamics after natural disturbances in Picea-dominated forests in Parangalitsa reserve" on the Fifth Students Scientific Conference on Ecology - University of Plovdiv "Paisii Hilendarski", November 2013
• Pepa Rangelova and Momchil Panayotov, poster "Structure of old-growth Pinus heldreichii forests in Pirin Mts." on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Svetoslav Anev and Adriana Ivanova, poster "The future of old forests in climate change – survival of subalpine saplings in different drought stress" on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Theodor Nedelin, presentation "Ectomycorrhizae in old forests" on conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
• Velislava Shishkova and Momchil Panayotov, presentation "Climate signal in tree ring width chronologies of Black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) from Rhodope Mts. and Slavyanka Mts." on the conference "OldConFor2013 – Old-growth coniferous forests in Central and Southeastern Europe – benefits and problems in their protection", October 2013, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Involved researchers:

1. Dr. Peter Bebi - SLF/WSL Switzerland
2. Prof. Steffan Yurukov - University of Forestry, Bulgaria
3. Dr. David Frank - WSL Switzerland
4. Dr. Holger Gartner- WSL Switzerland
5. Dr. Frank Graf- SLF/WSL Switzerland
6. Dr. Momchil Panayotov- University of Forestry, Bulgaria
7. Dr. Svetoslav Anev- University of Forestry, Bulgaria
8. Dr. Toma Tonchev- University of Forestry, Bulgaria
9. Neno Alexandrov, PhD student and Teaching Assistant, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
10. Evgeni Tsavkov, PhD studnet and Teaching Assistant, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
11. Alexander Dountchev, PhD student, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
12. Nickolay Tsvetanov, candidate PhD student, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
13. Albena Ivanova, candidate PhD student, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
14. Pepa Rangelova, master student, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
15. Theodor Nedelin, PhD student, University of Forestry, Bulgaria
16. Technical assistant field work/laboratory work
17. Bachelor/Master students
18. Additional expert in the filed

Involved research organizations/groups:

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Research Group "Mountain Ecosystems"
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Research Group "Dendroclimatology"
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Mycorrhiza Team
University of Forestry, Sofia, Dendrology Department
University of Forestry, Sofia, Siviculture Department

Contacts:

Dr. Peter Bebi, e-mail: bebi@ slf.ch (Please note: there is an empty space after the "@" symbol. You have to remove it to send e-mail)

Dr. Momchil Panayotov, e-mail: mp2@ abv.bg (Please note: there is an empty space after the "@" symbol. You have to remove it to send e-mail)