Norway spruce - the most common conifer tree in the western sector of the forest zone of Eurasia. Simply put, this is our usual Christmas tree, well known to everyone. But even in the familiar, familiar, everyday, you can find something new and unknown.

Norway spruce, or European

Common spruce is also called European spruce. Although in Western and Central Europe the tree grows only in the mountains. This spruce is most common in Northern Europe, Belarus, in the north of Ukraine. And, of course, in the north of European Russia, where it forms significant forest areas.

In the east, closer to the Urals, and in the very north of the forest zone, the common spruce is replaced by a close species - the Siberian spruce. The view is close, but still different - with shorter and prickly needles, smaller cones, lower height. And the ability to survive in harsher climates.

The view is different, but still close. Fir-trees ordinary and Siberian are crossed, forming viable hybrids. They even talk about a special transitional species - Finnish spruce.

If you carefully consider the cones of common and Siberian spruce, you can notice differences that are considered specific features. The edge of the scales of the Siberian spruce is rounded and smooth, while that of the common spruce has small denticles, notches.

Spruce belongs to the pine family. Indeed, despite the obvious differences, these trees have a lot in common. In addition to green needles that persist for several years, common spruce is dioecious with pine - both male and female cones ripen on the same tree. The structure and origin of cones, the structure of pollen and seeds, the processes that occur during pollination and fertilization are also similar.

There are many differences. Unlike pine, spruces are able to grow tall and slender trees, whether they grow in a dense forest or in an open area. The fact is that common spruce grows mainly with its apical bud. It is she who gives the longest shoots - from 30 to 50 cm annually.

Moreover, spruce grows with its top all its life. True, on condition - if the apical kidney is not damaged. Or, for some reason, the shoot carrying this kidney has not been removed. In this case, one of the lateral buds takes over the function of the apical bud. But the tree will never grow tall and slender again.

The top of the spruce is always crowned with a "crown" of buds: one apical and several lateral. They sprout in the spring. And a whorl is formed. Just like the common pine. And the age of a young spruce is also easy to determine by counting the number of these whorls and adding 5 to 7 years. During the first years of life, whorls do not form on the tree.

Lateral branches also grow annually, but much less than the top. Moreover, on the lateral branch of spruce, lateral shoots grow every year - already relative to this branch itself. These are also whorls, only not complete - the branches do not extend in all directions, but close to one plane. A spruce branch is formed, which we usually call a spruce paw.


Spruce shoots, unlike pine, have only one type - elongated. Let me remind you that, in addition to annually growing elongated shoots, there are also shortened ones, only a couple of millimeters long. A pair of pine needles grows on them. Together with the needles, these shoots fall off after 2 - 3 years, or a little more.

Spruce needles grow directly on an elongated shoot. Needles, much shorter than pine needles, dot the entire shoot, arranged in a spiral. The needle sits on a leaf pad. When it falls, a leaf trace remains on the bark.

Spruce needles are flattened-tetrahedral, with a prickly top. The length of the needles is 1 - 2 cm. It stays on the tree longer. IN vivo the life of the needles is up to 10 - 12 years. True, in trees growing in conditions of increased air pollution, the needles change much earlier.

Norway spruce, like other representatives of this genus, tolerates shading well. Therefore, even in a dense spruce forest, the tree crown remains highly developed. Only the lowest branches dry up from lack of light. The crown of a spruce growing in an open area is usually pyramidal. Branches grow on the trunk almost to the ground.

A well-developed crown provides the tree with nutrients well. After all, the more leaves (needles) on a tree, the more sugars are produced during photosynthesis. But such a crown can cause serious problems for the tree.

We get a lot of snow in winter. Even birches devoid of leaves under its weight often bend or even break. Spruce ordinary heavy snowfalls do not cause much trouble. Thin but strong and flexible branches also bend under the weight of snow. And they drop it!

But strong winds with a large windage of the crown often turn the whole tree upside down. Contribute to this and features of the root system of spruce. Only up to fifteen years does a tree grow a taproot. And then the lateral roots, which lie in the upper soil layer, actively grow. hold a tall tree strong wind such roots cannot. And the forest giants collapse.

European spruce lives up to 250 - 300 years. But it is unlikely that such trees will be found in the forest. Is it somewhere in a nature reserve? Most fir trees are cut down before they reach the centenary.

Never chopped spruce forest leaves unforgettable impressions! I had to visit such a forest many years ago. This is in the north-west of the Vologda region, almost on the border with Karelia, in the upper reaches of the Andoma River. The associations are… fabulous. It seems that Baba Yaga is about to peek out from behind a nearby tree. Or Leshy.

Powerful columns of firs go up dozens of meters. Their diameter at the butt is more than a meter. The branches are hung with beards of lichen usnei. Quiet in such a forest and gloomy. The soil, deadwood, including whole trunks of huge fir trees that have fallen from old age or wind - everything is covered with a thick layer. Of the shrubs, only blueberries grow, and even then not everywhere.

Where it is lighter - near a forest stream, for example - some herbs also appear. The white stars of the European septenary sparkle. And in places where groundwater is close, green mosses are replaced by marsh ones.

On fresh stumps in the clearing under the logging road, which then reached these places, one can count the growth rings, which the botanists of our expedition did not fail to do. There were 250 - 300 rings.

As a result of the expedition in which I then worked, Verkhneandomsky state reserve. The array of indigenous spruce forests was taken under protection. What is there now - I can not say ...

Norway spruce is much more demanding on soil conditions than pine. It will not grow on dry sands or raised bogs. It also does not tolerate drought well. Therefore, already in the south of the forest zone it is less common.

Trees spend winter in a state of a kind of “hibernation”, when life processes slow down. Coniferous trees are no exception. The stomata on the needles are tightly closed - you need to save water. The roots cannot provide the tree with enough water, the roots practically do not absorb water in the cold soil.

However, at temperatures above -5 degrees, photosynthesis still begins in the needles. But such temperatures are not typical for our winters.

But then spring comes, and everything begins to change rapidly. Even at the turn of the seasons, during the time poetically named by M.M. Prishvin "", in dry sunny days spruce cones open, pouring out seeds carried by the wind. In May, with the advent of heat, they first swell, and then the buds open, giving rise to new vegetative shoots.

Consider spruce paws at this time. At the ends of the branches, large buds swelled, covered with pale yellow caps of soil scales. In some places, these scales have already parted, or even fallen off. From under them, a brush of light green needles is born. This is a young escape.

Young needles differ from old ones not only in color. They are soft and not scratchy at all. If the “brush” is torn off and chewed, a sour taste is felt. And no resinous aftertaste or aroma.

Young shoots grow rapidly. In May - early June, they still differ from the old ones in the color of their needles. But with the advent of this summer, the growth of shoots stops, the needles harden and acquire their usual properties.

Almost simultaneously with the vegetative buds, the generative buds also bloom. Modified spruce shoots appear from them - its female and male bumps. Spruce "blooms". This happens almost simultaneously with the flowering of bird cherry.

Of course, biologists correct - conifers do not bloom, they do not have a flower. But still, the similarity is great, especially when you consider that the cones at this time look very spectacular.

There is a separate article in more detail about the "flowering" of spruce.

It is usually quite difficult to examine young spruce cones, since they are located in the upper part of the crown. Unless you're lucky ... Small yellowish or reddish male cones (or male spikelets) appeared on the tops of last year's shoots. Ripens in sacs under the scales great amount pollen.

Pollen grains of common spruce, like pine, have air sacs, due to which they specific gravity small Pollen is carried away by the wind, covers the leaves of trees, grass. If it will rain, yellow pollen is clearly visible in puddles.

If you are still not subscribed to blog news " forest pantry”, I recommend doing it right now. There are many more interesting and useful things ahead!

Introduction. The study of natural regeneration is of particular importance in afforestation. Such studies make it possible to determine the quantity and quality of the young generation replacing the parent stand. Of great interest is the establishment of the stability of plantations with a predominance of Scots pine.

The current growth of young trees is an objective indicator for assessing the state of undergrowth, since the forest stand can have both a negative and a positive impact on it.

It is known that the quantity and quality of undergrowth under the forest canopy largely depends on the species that makes up the forest stand. The advantage of natural renewal from the point of view of biology and economics was emphasized by G.F. Morozov.

Weiss A.A. found that in the process of growth in the plantation, the influence of trees on each other increases.

Iteshina N.M., Danilova L.N., Petrov L.V. determined that natural pine stands have lower growth rates compared to artificial plantations.

The main sources that reveal the issues of morphological relationships that affect both growth and the state of plantations were the works of Weiss A.A. .

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the growth of young animals in height under the canopy and in the open.

Objects and methods of research. The objects of research were located on the territory of the Usinsky forestry. For research, forest areas with a density of 0.4, 0.7 and an open area were selected.

The work was carried out at the end of the growing season - in September. A total of 3 trial plots were established. On each trial plot, 30 experimental plots 1 * 1 m were placed, where a selective enumeration of pine undergrowth was carried out (seedlings were not taken into account) with the measurement of linear indicators. On the selected test plots, measurements of increments, age by whorls were carried out, height measurements, crown diameter and trunk diameter of the undergrowth of Scotch pine in different conditions illumination (different-density forest stands).
Annual height increments of 131 pine undergrowth were measured on 3 trial plots.

Experimental studies. The growth of trees in pine forests is the most important taxation indicator of both a single tree and the entire stand. With the help of growth, it is possible to assess the potential productivity of a forest stand, the quality factor of growing conditions, and the competitive relationships between planting components.

The current growth of young Scots pine trees is an objective indicator that characterizes their growth and condition, and also synthesizes the results of the vital activity of the plant organism.

To identify the growth of young trees in height in order to separate the undergrowth formed under the influence of environmental factors, graphs of the dependence of growth by years and growth taking into account age were plotted. These charts are shown below.

Figure 1. Dependence of the growth of young trees over the years

Analyzing the graph of dependence of growth over the years, we can say that in the open area, the minimum growth of undergrowth was observed in 2008, and the maximum growth was recorded in 2011. It can also be said that the average increment varies within 7 cm. The growth of pine undergrowth in height over the years in absolute terms showed its dynamism. The change in growth within the trial area may differ in all years, or be similar in some years (Fig. 1).
These changes in the growth of Scots pine can be explained by the fact that in different years Climatic factors influenced the growth of Scots pine undergrowth in different ways.

Figure 2. Dependence of growth of undergrowth on age

It can be seen from the graph of the dependence of growth taking into account age that in an open place, with increasing age, growth increases (direct relationship). The minimum growth of undergrowth was observed at the age of 4 years, the maximum at 10 years. In an open area, the growth intensity is greater, the larger the undergrowth. Under the forest canopy, the minimum increase was observed at the age of 8 years and increased sharply at the age of 9 years. Under the canopy there is no strict regularity as in the open, since growth under the canopy big influence have limiting factors (light, nutrients, flow and pressure of the environment, soil, fires, microenvironment, etc.).

In the state of self-sowing, young trees have an underdeveloped root system and a small leaf surface. As the roots and leaves grow, the assimilating capacity of the crowns increases, and the growth of wood increases. The poor growth of pine undergrowth, under the canopy of mature stands, is due not only to a lack of light, but also to the fact that the trees of the mother stand with their powerful and well-developed roots intercept nutrients and moisture from the soil. The vital activity of the roots is significantly affected by the water located on the illuvial horizon, which most often occurs in the spring after the snow melts. With its high standing, the vital activity of the roots is delayed, the duration of the growing season is reduced and, as a result, growth is reduced. Pine is a photophilous breed and grows well only without shading. Consequently, in an open area, the intensity of growth is much higher than under a canopy.

Conclusion. Having studied the distribution of young animals by age and by year in the open and under the canopy, the following conclusions can be drawn:

In the open area, the minimum growth of undergrowth was observed in 2008, and the maximum growth was detected in 2011;

Under the canopy of the forest stand, the minimum increase in undergrowth was observed in 2000 and 2003, the maximum increase in 2005;

The growth rate within the trial area may vary in all years, or be similar in some years;

In an open area, the intensity of growth is greater, the larger the undergrowth;

Under the canopy, there is no definite regularity as in an open place, since the growth under the canopy is greatly influenced by limiting factors (light, nutrients, flow and pressure of the environment, soil, fires, microenvironment, etc.);

In an open area, the growth rate is much higher than under a canopy.


Bibliographic list

  1. Anhalt E.M., Zhamurina N.A. Analysis of the growth of pine undergrowth and young growth in pine-ash crops [Text] // News of the Orenburg State Agrarian University. 2013. No. 6 (44). P 31-34.
  2. Morozov G. F. Selected works / Moscow: timber industry, 1971. 536 p.
  3. Weiss A.A. Dynamics of competitive relationships: in v- between tree species in a pine cenosis [Text] // Bulletin of KrasGAU. 2011. No. 5. S. 84-87
  4. Iteshina N.M., Danilova L.N., Petrov L.V. Growth and structure of pine stands in different forest conditions [Text] // Innovative development Agro-industrial complex and agricultural education - scientific support: Materials of the All-Russian scientific and practical conference. 2011. Vol.1. pp. 265-267
  5. Weiss A.A. Dynamics of competitive relationships between tree species in the pine cenosis [Text] // Bulletin of the Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. 2011. No. 5. S.84-87.
  6. Weiss A.A. Relationship between the diameters of the lower part of the trunks of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) under conditions Central Siberia[Text] // Forest inventory and forest management. 2011. No. 1-2. S.29-32.
  7. Weiss A.A. Relationship patterns between the diameters of Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) trees at breast height and diameters at stump height under medium and southern siberia[Text] // Bulletin of the Adyghe State University. Series 4: Natural-mathematical and technical sciences. 2011. No. 1. S. 53-60.
  8. Machyk M.Sh., Weiss A.A. Estimation of the course of growth of the morphological parameters of young pine forests, taking into account their age structure in the conditions of the East-Tuva-South-Zabaikalsky mountainous forest-vegetation region [Text] // Modern Scientific research and innovation. 2016. No. 1 (57). C 268-276.
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POGROST

Undergrowth is called young trees that have appeared naturally in the forest. They grew from seeds that fell on the surface of the soil. However, not every tree is referred to undergrowth, but only a relatively large one - from one to several meters in height. Smaller trees are called seedlings or self-seeding.

Undergrowth, as we know, does not form a separate layer in the forest. However, it is located mostly at the level of the undergrowth, although sometimes higher. Individual specimens of undergrowth can vary greatly in height - from undersized to relatively large.

There is almost always some amount of undergrowth in the forest. Sometimes it's a lot, sometimes it's not enough. And it is often located in small clusters, curtains. This happens especially often in the old spruce forest. When you meet such a curtain in the forest, you notice that it develops in a small clearing, where there are no trees. The abundance of undergrowth is explained by the fact that there is a lot of light in the glade. And this favors the emergence and development of young trees. Outside the clearing (where there is little light), young trees are much less common.

Small clusters are also formed by oak undergrowth. But this is noticeable when mature oaks are found in the forest one by one among the general mass of other trees, such as birches, firs. The arrangement of young oak trees in groups is due to the fact that acorns do not spread to the sides, but fall directly under the mother tree. Sometimes young oaks can be found in the forest very far from the mother trees. But they do not grow in groups, but one at a time, as they grew from acorns brought by a jay. The bird makes stocks of acorns, hiding them in moss or bedding, but then many of them are not found. These acorns give rise to young trees that are very far from adult fruit-bearing oaks.

In order for the undergrowth of a particular tree species to appear in the forest, a number of conditions are necessary. First of all, it is important that seeds get on the soil and, moreover, benign, able to germinate. There must be, of course, favorable conditions for their germination. And then certain conditions are required for the survival of seedlings and their subsequent growth. normal growth. If some link is missing in this chain of conditions, then undergrowth does not appear. This happens, for example, when conditions for seed germination are unfavorable. Imagine that some small seeds fell on a thick layer of bedding. They will first germinate, but then they will die. Weak seedling roots will not be able to break through the litter and penetrate into the mineral layers of the soil, from where the plants take water and nutrients. Or another example. In some part of the forest, there is too little light for the normal development of undergrowth. Shoots appear, but then die from shading. They do not survive to the stage of undergrowth.

In the forest, only a very small proportion of seeds that have fallen to the ground give rise to seedlings. The vast majority of seeds die. The reasons for this are different (destruction by animals, decay, etc.). But even if seedlings have appeared, not all of them subsequently turn into undergrowth. A lot of things can get in the way. It is not surprising that our trees produce a huge amount of seeds (for example, birch many millions per hectare). After all, only with such a strange, at first glance, extravagance is it possible to leave offspring.

In the forest, it often happens that one species dominates in the tree layer, and completely different in the undergrowth. Pay attention to many of our pine forests of rather old age. There is absolutely no pine undergrowth here, but spruce undergrowth is very plentiful. Often, young Christmas trees form dense thickets in a pine forest. large area. Pine young growth is absent here for the reason that it is very photophilous and does not withstand the shading that is created in the forest. In nature, pine undergrowth in mass usually appears only in open places, for example, in conflagrations, abandoned arable lands, etc.

The same discrepancy between mature trees and undergrowth can be observed in many birch forests located in the taiga zone. A birch grows in the upper tier of the forest, and under it there is a dense, abundant undergrowth of spruce.

Under favorable conditions, the undergrowth eventually turns into mature trees. And these trees of natural origin are more valuable from a biological point of view than those grown artificially (by sowing seeds or planting seedlings). Trees grown from undergrowth are best adapted to local natural conditions, most resistant to a variety of adverse effects environment. In addition, these are the strongest specimens, surviving the severe competition that is always observed between trees in the forest, especially at a younger age.

So, undergrowth is one of the important components of the forest plant community. Young trees, under favorable conditions, can replace the old ones, dead trees. This is exactly what happened in nature for many centuries and millennia, when the forest was little exposed to human influence. But even now, in some cases, it is possible to use undergrowth for the natural restoration of a cut down forest or individual large trees. Of course, only when the young trees are sufficiently numerous and well developed.

Our forest story plant communities came to an end. You could be convinced that all tiers of the forest, all groups of plants and, finally, individual plants in the forest are closely related to each other, in one way or another they influence each other. Each plant takes certain place in the forest and plays a particular role in the life of the forest.

There are many remarkable features in the structure and life of forest plants. It is about them that will be discussed further. But in order to make the story more consistent and clear, we divided the material into separate chapters. In each chapter, plants are considered from one point of view. One chapter talks about interesting features buildings, in the other - reproduction, in the third - development, etc. So, let's get acquainted with some little secrets of plants that live in the forest.

But first, a few more words. The book is made up of individual short stories, original biological sketches. In these stories we will talk about the most diverse inhabitants of the forest - trees and shrubs, grasses and shrubs, mosses and lichens. Some mushrooms will also be mentioned. According to the latest ideas, mushrooms are not classified as flora, and isolated in a special kingdom of nature. But the most great attention will, of course, be given to trees - the most important, dominant plants in the forest.

It should also be noted that our story will concern not only plants as a whole, but also their individual organs - both aboveground and underground. We will get acquainted with interesting biological secrets of flowers and fruits, leaves and seeds, stems and rhizomes, bark and wood. In this case, attention will be paid mainly to large external signs that are clearly visible. with a simple eye. Only in some places you have to touch the inner a little, anatomical structure plants. But here, too, we will try to show how different microscopic features are reflected in external signs- on what is visible to the naked eye.

And the last. The division adopted in the book into separate chapters devoted to certain features of forest plants (structure, development, reproduction), of course, is conditional. This was done only for the convenience of presentation, for some ordering of the material presented. There is no sharp distinction between these chapters. It is difficult to draw, for example, a clear boundary between structural features and reproduction. One and the same material can be placed almost with the same right either in one or another chapter. For example, the story about the special structure of pine and spruce seeds, which allows them to rotate very quickly in the air when falling from a tree, concerns both structure and reproduction. In the book, this material is placed in the chapter on the structure of plants. But this is just an arbitrary decision of the author, which, I hope, the reader will forgive him, just like some other similar decisions.

This word is "puppeteer", which is explained quite simply. Everything that is connected with the word "doll" is associated with something small, connected with the younger generation, so the word was chosen for "children".

A little information about the "undergrowth":

By itself, the word "undergrowth" means a generation young trees that have grown either in the forest itself under the canopy of older trees, or in an empty place - these can be cut down or burnt areas.

By age, trees from undergrowth are young trees.

The practical significance of "undergrowth" is quite significant: it is areas with young trees that can become the basis of a new forest area.

People have long understood the importance of such "undergrowth" for the conservation of forests. Therefore, in addition to natural areas with young trees, one can also find artificial ones, that is, specially planted ones, more often combined ones. Experts evaluate the quality indicators, species, density of existing natural undergrowth in terms of the number of trees per unit area and plant new specimens, bringing the planting density to the established optimal norm, and thereby laying the foundation for new forest layers.

In addition to the control of undergrowth, forestry specialists apply a number of practical measures that contribute to proper formation woodland, for example different kinds cuttings that have their own purpose and specifics.


Assessment of the state and prospects of growing spruce undergrowth in different types forests The work was completed by: Shilova Alina, a student of the 10th grade of gymnasium 363 and Eremina Anastasia, a student of the 8th grade of school 310 Head: Alexandrova Natalia Nikolaevna, teacher additional education St. Petersburg 2015 Palace of Children's (Youth) Creativity of the Frunzensky District Department of Natural Science


Purpose and objectives Purpose: To find the most favorable places for the growth of spruce undergrowth. Tasks: 1. Determine the growth rate of spruce undergrowth in different biotopes. 2. Select the most favorable biotope for the development of spruce undergrowth. 3. Find places where you can massively grow spruce seedlings to restore spruce plantations.






Window dynamics is associated with the death of individual old trees and the formation of gaps in their place in the tree layer (“windows”), which provide light access under the canopy of the forest stand and enable young trees to develop and take their place in the upper layer of the forest stand.














Conclusions The growth rate of spruce undergrowth in different biotopes is determined primarily by the light regime, as well as climatic conditions. The most favorable conditions for spruce turned out to be clay soils, with elements of waterlogging and with a cover of mosses and blueberries. As well as a more open space in the place of a fallen spruce forest, where there is little tall trees and better sunlight.




List of used literature and Internet resources 1. Korobkin VI, Ecology. Textbook for universities / V.I. Korobkin, L.V. Predelsky, 2006 2. Potapov A.D., Ecology / A.D. Potapov, 2000 3. Shamileva I.A., Ecology: Tutorial for students of pedagogical universities / I.A. Shamileva, 2004 4. Renewable resources [Electronic resource] - 5. spruce forest and its undergrowth [Electronic resource] - aspx 6. European or common spruce [Electronic resource] -


7. Norway spruce [Electronic resource] - %EE%E2%E5%ED%ED%E0%FF 8. Forests of Russia [Electronic resource] - html 9. Window dynamics of taiga forests [Electronic resource] - Assessment of the vital state of pine undergrowth [ Electronic resource] - ref.ru/04bot/podrost.htm 11. Recommendations for reforestation and care of young stands in the North-West of Russia [Electronic resource] - _id= coniferous forests[Electronic resource] -