Summary

The Lithuanian Forest Research Institute is a state scientific institute. The main fundamental and applied forest research goals of the Institute are to achieve new knowledge with the purpose of social, ecological and economical country development, the dissemination of scientific and technical information about forests and the environment and to educate PhD students in forest and environmental sciences.
In 2004 the governing body at the Institute remained the same. The 19 member Council was elected in 2003 (Chairman of the Council - Prof. Stasys Karazija, a corresponding member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences). Director of the Institute - Prof. Remigijus Ozolinčius, an expert member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
During 2004 there were 91 employees including 21 scientists and 21 PhD students at the Institute.
The Council of the Lithuanian Forest Research Institute decided to restructure the scientific subdivisions in 2004.
From 2004, scientific work is being performed at the following research departments: Department of Silviculture (Head of department - Prof. Juozas Ruseckas), Department of Ecology (Head of department - Dr. Vidas Stakėnas), Department of Forest Protection and Game Management (Head of department - Ass. prof. Artūras Gedminas), Department of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Head of department - Ass. prof. Rimvydas Gabrilavičius), Department of Forest Resources, Economics and Policy (Head of department - Dr. Jonas Saladis) and the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (Head of laboratory - Ass. prof. Sigutė Kuusienė).
The following research directions were confirmed by the Lithuanian Government (No 1102, 10-07-2002):
Biodiversity and sustainability of forest ecosystems;
Reforestation, forest productivity increasing, protection and usage;
Forest genetic resources and breeding of forest trees;
Forest policy, social and economic problems (in the context of new modes of ownership).
In 2004 the Lithuanian Forest Research Institute carried out 11 research projects funded by the State budget. Some more important research results are presented below.
By investigating long-term tree condition changes (1991-2001), reliable statistic correlation were identified between the condition of different tree species (percent of healthy trees) and environmental factors such as the average air temperature of the vegetation period, amount of precipitation and air pollution by SO2, NO2 and O3.
Forest euthropication was identified for the first time in Lithuania. During the last 20-30 years the following changes occurred in Vacciniosa pine forests: 1) mean weighted Ellenberg index (EN) of ground vegetation increased; 2) 6 new relatively nitrofilous species (EN>5) were recorded; 3) occurrence of plants with high EN increased; 4) projection cover of nitrofilous species increased and typical Vacciniosa pine forests species such as Vaccinium myrtillus L. and V. vitis-idaea L. declined.
Experiments carried out in climatic chambers (controlled environmental conditions) revealed that aspen, birch and ash seedlings were most sensitive to the impact of high ozone concentrations with spruce and oak the least sensitive. Ozone impact was displayed by specific foliage damage (dots, spots) and non-specific symptoms – faster ageing of foliage (yellowing, necrosis and defoliation).
The probability of the damage caused by root rot Heterobasidion annosum is lower in mixed with deciduous trees and higher in pure pine stands.
The number of Hymenoptera increases (approximately 10% from control) at the beginning of the outbreak of Panolis flammea and the number of all entomophagus arthropods increases later. Due to this reason the treating period with piretroidic insecticides against defoliating insect pests should be shortened to avoid reducing the number of entomophagus.
A monitoring system for the interaction between wild animals and forest vegetation was established. It was based on the principles of territorial division according to living conditions of game animals. The structure of game populations (according to sex and age) was deviated from the optimal norms due to insufficient regulations (hunting). The main factor influencing interactions between herbivore mammals and forest vegetation is the variability of air temperature and snow cover. Despite significant decrease in the abundance of individual plant species, especially on plots with high densities of cervine animals, the diversity of plant vegetation was stable or even increased.
As compared with forest soils, sandy soils of abandoned agricultural land are more alkaline and their upper arable mineral layer is more saturated by mobile P2O5 and K2O. However, in pine regenerated stands at the Ah horizon (Ap (0-2 cm)) concentrations of mineral nitrogen and organic carbon are 3-4 times higher. The abundance of microorganisms is higher in soils of abandoned agricultural land; however soils in pine regenerated stands provide a greater diversity of microflora.
On former agriculture land with a close proximity to forest and especially on sandy soils, forest often regenerates naturally. The most common regenerating species are birch, pine, willow and grey alder. Natural regeneration of birch and pine on former agricultural land can successfully progress to a distance of 130 m from the forest edge (fruiting stands). Young regeneration stands of sufficient density are possible to form at a distance of 175 m if soil preparation methods are applied and by preventing competition from other ground vegetation. Pine and birch seeds germinate best at the bottom of shallow furrows.
Middle aged, premature and mature pine, ash, birch, black alder and grey alder stands on former agricultural land is quite productive but contains a low level of commercial wood. Lower productivity of stands on former agricultural land and especially low levels of commercial wood is determined by the low primary density of regenerated stands. In order to increase productivity and wood quality of regenerated stands it is necessary to plant additional seedlings.
It is estimated that in natural mixed grey alder stands the share of grey alder in the first tree layer composition from 15-20 years systematically declines with increases in the share of other tree species (spruce, birch, aspen, and ash). If natural grey alder stands remain mixed until 15-20 years old, there is a great possibility to transform them into stands with prevailing other tree species (spruce, birch, aspen and ash).
During the process of soft wood deciduous stands’ transformation the abundance of spruce regeneration decreases with an increased fertility of the forest site: the higher fertility of the forest site, the more negative impact of the shrub layer on spruce regeneration. Due to this reason final clear cutting in order to gain natural spruce regeneration should primarily be carried out on the less fertile sites. Spruce regeneration in such stands (more intensive at the age of 30-50 years old and at the age of 70-90) leads to the development of mixed aged spruce stands.
A new method based on the calculations of ground water inclinations and measuring the directions of ditches regarding drained stands was proposed for evaluating the negative impact of drainage to forest stand growth. It is stated that pine and aspen stands on permanently over moist and temporarily over moist mineral soils have a positive reaction to drainage. It is also defined that oak stands growing on temporarily over moist mineral heavy texture soils and non homogenous soils (of light and heavy texture) in wet periods have inferior growth due to a surplus of moisture. Oak stands growing on well drained light texture soils in the last century grew best during the humid summers, and growing on well drained heavy texture and non homogenous soils (of light and heavy texture) – humid and warm summers.
The research results on Spruce provenances indicated that Telšiai provenance trees transferred to the south by one degree of northern latitude (Mid Lithuania) exhibited poorer growth and contained a greater number of two stemmed trees than trees of other origins. The main possible reasons of such inferior growth are the relatively earlier beginning (greater risk of damage caused by spring frosts) and the earlier finish of the growth period.
An examination of the genetic diversity and structure of Norway spruce populations, by using the RAPD method identified the interpopulation of genetic diversity reaches 10.2% and the intrapopulation - 89.8%. Genetic test results reveal the most similar spruce populations were from the Dubrava and Rokiškis forests, while the Rokiškis and Plungė populations showed the greatest difference. The number of alleles-migrants (4.4) shows intensive gene migration between the examined populations.
Currently one third of Lithuanian forests are private and private companies carry out the main work for state forest enterprises (state timber processing companies no longer exist). The main economic activity features of state forest enterprises are: decrease in income and profitability, mismatch with prognosis of timber processing assortments structure, inefficiency of timber processing, expansion of work carried out by contractors, increased share of expenditures for administration. The main problems of private forest management are: lack of funds for forest maintenance, complicated documentation, small forest holdings, and lack of experience and knowledge. Currently cooperatives consist of approximately 7 members and are not interested in increasing the number of their members. The further development of state forest economic regulation is related with the privatisation of state exploitable forests. Small-scale private forest holdings economic regulation should be developed through improving the cooperation of private forest owners.
Except 11 projects funded from the State budget, 43 research projects funded from other sources were carried in 2004. They include various recommendations for forestry practice.
The institute was involved in 3 State research programs: 1) Investigation of genetic resources of forest tree species and their conservation in conditions of a changeable environment; 2) The integrated impact of anthropogenic climatic and environmental changes to vegetation of forest and agro-ecosystems; 3) Adaptability of plants and their regulation by means of biotechnology. The institute participated in the EU project WOOD-EN-MAN and in 11 other international projects (ICP-Forest, SNS projects, COST programs and etc). The annual report “Activity review of Lithuanian Forest Research Institute in 2003” was prepared and published. In peer-reviewed international and Lithuanian scientific journals 34 scientific articles were published. 56 reports were presented at scientific conferences, among them 44 at international conferences. In cooperation with Lithuanian University of Agriculture the Lithuanian Forest Research Institute publishes the national peer-reviewed scientific journal “Miškininkystė” (Forest Science), and also the peer-reviewed international journal “Baltic Forestry” in cooperation with the Forest Research Institutes of Latvia and Estonia. This journal is included in the Master Journal List of the Institute of Scientific Information.
In 2004 Prof. R. Ozolinčius was elected as an expert member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. The Lithuanian State science award in the field of biomedicine science for the work “The theory of the most productive forest and its application for the increasing of ecological sustainability of the country (1972-2002)” was awarded to Prof. L. Kairiūkštis, Prof. A. Juodvalkis and Prof. R. Ozolinčius. The Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science awarded four scientists of the Institute for 2004 science popularisation, I Prize (Dr. K. Armolaitis and Prof. R. Ozolinčius) and III Prize (Ass. prof. J. Danusevičius and Ass. prof. R. Gabrilavičius).
In 2004, 2 students started their PhD studies in environmental sciences. The international conference for young scientists and PhD students “The Relevance of Ecological, Social and Economic Research in Forestry and Environmental Science” was organised on October 21st, 2004.
The Lithuanian Forest Research Institute is a member of the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IURFO). The collaboration agreements with the Institute of Cytology and Genetics (Belarus Academy of Sciences) and with St.-Petersburg Forestry Research Institute (Russia) were signed in 2004.