The
site types of densely forested patches were distributed as follows.
Barren
sites 0
Dry
sites <1
Dryish
sites 32
Moist
sites 59
Rich
sites 2
Very
rich sites <1
Spruce
swamps 7
The
forest structure types of densely forested patches were distributed
as follows.
Pine
forests 33
Evenly-structured
11
Unevenly-structured
22
Non-pyrogenous
-
Spruce
forests 66
Mature
and old spruce forests 54
Fire
refugia 12
Broad-leaved
forests 1
Mixed
even-aged forests <1
The
forests were typically quite rich in nutrients, with moist forest
sites dominating. Herb-rich forests were seen on one hillside, immediately
to the north of the River Tava and rich forest sites were abundant
on the hillsides. The amount of these sites might have been slightly
underestimated in the table above because of their small size. Dry
sites were present only to the south of the River Tava.
Most
of the forests in the subarea were intact spruce forests or pine forests
in a transiton state towards spruce forest. In these forests, birch
was represented by at least 5%, typically by 10 % and in many places
by even more. A pure birch forest of one hectare was found in one
old forest fire area. A small number of aspen were present at most
of the sites. On the nutrient-rich sites, aspen was typically abundant
and on some small-sized sites it was the dominant tree species. The
aspens were typically quite large, DBH varying from 35 cm to 55 cm.
Especially on the sites richest in nutrients, there were also willows
of considerable size, which were mostly single, but in some places
abundant.
Spruce
swamps were especially frequenton the hillsides and along the brooks.
The most typical type was Equisetum sylvaticum spruce swamp, but herb-rich
hardwood-spruce swamps, Rubus chamaemorus spruce swamps and Carex
globularis spruce swamps were also quite common, these last ones being
associated with treeless fens and pine bogs. Some patches of eutrophic,
paludified hardwood-spruce forest characterized e.g. by Cicerbita
alpina were also found.
On
the southern side of the River Tava, intact pine forests were found,
and large aihkis and kelos were abundant in the area. The frequency
and intensity of forest fires had varied, resulting in a variety of
evenly-structured and unevenly-structured pine forests.
Some
of the forestlands were located in higher areas (over 300 meter),
showing a more sparse structure than those in the valleys. On the
top of Kargantsi hill, mountain birch was dominant.
A
small survey was also made south from the River Paros. Near the riverside,
the forest was young and stumps were abundant. On the eastern side
of the road, there was a deep esker formation. The hill on the western
side of the road was spruce dominated forest in a nearly natural state
though a few very old, large and rotten stumps could still be seen
as a result of selective cuttings. In spite of the old loggings, dead
wood was very abundant.
Regarding
the old-growth forest indicator species, Lobaria pulmonaria, Phellinus
nigrolimitatus, Haploporus odorus, Phellinus ferrugineofuscus, Fomitopsis
rosea, Amylocystis lapponica, Phellinus chrysoloma, Phellinus lundellii,
Phellinus populicola and Phlebia centrifuga were observed.
The
peatlands (excluding spruce swamps), which covered only 6% of the
total area, were distributed as follows.
Pine
bogs 51
Treeless
fens 49
Pine
bogs and treeless fens were typically seen on the tops of the larger
hills (mainly on the western side of the road) and on the shores of
small lakes. While larger peatlands were not seen during the survey,
there was a rich variety of mire-forest mosaic. Pine bogs were typically
dwarf-shrub pine bogs, and only a few Sphagnum fuscum pine bogs were
seen. Tall-sedge and low-sedge fens were the main fen types recorded.
Characteristic
both to pine bogs and treeless fens was the small-scale variation
of richness in nutrients, indicated e.g. by Selaginella selaginoides,
Tofieldia pusilla, Sphagnum warnstorfii, Paludella squarrosa and Molinia
caerulea.