Assessment of the protective function of forests against debris flows in a gorge of the Slovenian Alps

doi:10.3832/ifor0994-007

Assessment of the protective function of forests against debris flows in a gorge of the Slovenian Alps

Gal Fidej⁽¹⁾ , Matjaž Mikoš⁽²⁾, Tihomir Rugani⁽¹⁾, Jernej Jež⁽³⁾, Špela Kumelj⁽³⁾, Jurij Diaci⁽¹⁾

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 73-81 (2015)
doi: https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor0994-007
Published: Jun 17, 2014 - Copyright © 2015 SISEF

Research Articles

PDF Version

Full Text

Citation

Geo-mapping

Protection forests play an important role in mitigating the influence of natural hazards. Despite the growing need for protective functions due to aging forests and increased risk of natural disturbances, active forest management has become increasingly uncommon across the Alps. Active management of protection forests can be facilitated by state subsidies. This requires an objective delineation of forests with a direct protection function and the development of silvicultural techniques that mitigate natural hazards. A study of protection efficiency of beech-dominated forests in the Soteska gorge in NW Slovenia, where a main state road and railway are at risk from debris flows and rockfall, was performed. We assessed the starting points of debris-flow hazard based on a small-scale geological survey of the terrain characteristics and a local debris flow susceptibility map. We applied the TopRunDF model for determination of the run-out zones. Forest structure data were obtained from 26 sample plots. A detailed description and delineation of forest stands was performed. The results showed that these forests play an important role in the protection of infrastructure. Forest protection efficiency can be improved by stand thinning for stability and careful planning of regeneration patches over time and space. In areas where silvicultural measures cannot provide sufficient protection, technical measures are needed. Since these forests have not been managed for several decades, natural disturbances (windthrow) are frequent. Research findings suggest that regular assessment and management of these beech-dominated protection forests are necessary, contrary to the current practice of non-management in protection forests in Slovenia.

Keywords

Protection Forest, Protection Function, Debris Flow, TopRunDF, Beech Forest

Authors’ address

(1)

Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(2)

Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(3)

Geological Survey of Slovenia, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Corresponding author

Gal Fidej
gal.fidej@bf.uni-lj.si

Citation

Fidej G, Mikoš M, Rugani T, Jež J, Kumelj Š, Diaci J (2015). Assessment of the protective function of forests against debris flows in a gorge of the Slovenian Alps. iForest 8: 73-81. - doi: 10.3832/ifor0994-007

Academic Editor

Raffaele Lafortezza

Paper history

Received: Mar 21, 2013
Accepted: Feb 24, 2014

First online: Jun 17, 2014
Publication Date: Feb 02, 2015
Publication Time: 3.77 months

Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Breakdown by View Type

(Waiting for server response...)

Article Usage

Total Article Views: 51055
(from publication date up to now)

Breakdown by View Type
HTML Page Views: 42316
Abstract Page Views: 2563
PDF Downloads: 4899
Citation/Reference Downloads: 50
XML Downloads: 1227

Web Metrics
Days since publication: 3810
Overall contacts: 51055
Avg. contacts per week: 93.80

Article Citations

Article citations are based on data periodically collected from the Clarivate Web of Science web site
(last update: Feb 2023)

Total number of cites (since 2015): 14
Average cites per year: 1.56

(no Plumx Metrics available for this paper)

Publication Metrics

by Dimensions ^©

Articles citing this article

List of the papers citing this article based on CrossRef Cited-by.

(1)

ARSO (2006)
Podnebne razmere v Sloveniji (obdobje 1971-2000) [Climatic conditions in Slovenia (1971-2000)]. Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje, Ljubljana, Slovenia. [in Slovenian]
Online | Gscholar

(2)

Bavec M, Budkovič T, and Komac M. (2005)
Geohazard - geološko pogojena nevarnost zaradi procesov pobočnega premikanja. Primer občine Bovec [Geohazard - geology of the slope movement process. Example from the municipality of Bovec]. Geologija 48/2: 303-310. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(3)

Berger F, Rey F (2004)
Mountain protection forests against natural hazards and risks: new French developments by integrating forests in risk zoning. Natural Hazards 33: 395-404.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(4)

Bischetti GB, Chiaradia EA, Simonato T, Speziali B, Vitali B, Vullo P, Zocco A (2005)
Root strength and root area ratio of forest species in Lombardy (Northern Italy). Plant and soil 278: 11-22.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(5)

Bischetti GB, Chiaradia EA, Epis T, Morlotti E (2009)
Root cohesion of forest species in the Italian Alps. Plant Soil 324: 71-89.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(6)

Brang P, Schönenberger W, Frehner M, Schwitter R, Thormann JJ, Wasser B (2006)
Management of protection forests in the European Alps: an overview. Forest Snow and Landscape Research 80: 23-24.
Gscholar

(7)

Cetina M, Rajar R, Hojnik T, Zakrajšek M, Krzyk M, Mikoš M (2006)
Case study: numerical simulations of debris flow below Stože, Slovenia. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering 132 (2): 121-130.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(8)

Diaci J, Firm D (2011)
Long-term dynamics of a mixed conifer stand in Slovenia managed with a farmer selection system. Forest Ecology and Management 262: 931-939.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(9)

Dorren LKA, Berger F (2006)
Panarchy and sustainable risk prevention by managing protection forests in mountain areas. In: “RISK 21 - Coping with risks due to Natural Hazards in 21st century” (Amman WJ, Dannenmann S, Vulliet L ed). Monte Verita, Ascona, Switzerland, pp. 203-214.
Gscholar

(10)

Duc VP (1991)
Untersuchungen zur dynamik des nachwuchses im plenterwald [Studies of the offspring dynamics in selection forests]. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen 142: 299-319. [in German]
Gscholar

(11)

Ellenberg H, Klötzli F (1972)
Waldgesellschaften und Waldstandorte der Schweiz [Forest communities and forest sites in Switzerland]. Mitteilungen der schweizerische Anstalt für das forstliche Versuchswesen, vol. 48, pp. 930. [in German]
Gscholar

(12)

Ellenberg H (1996)
Vegetation Mitteleuropas mit den Alpen. Ökologischer, Dynamischer und Historischer Sicht [Vegetation ecology of central Europe] (5th edn). Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, pp. 1095. [in German]
Gscholar

(13)

FMP (2003)
Forestry Management Plan for FMU Jelovica 2002-2011. Slovenia Forestry Service, Forestry unit, Bled, Slovenia.
Gscholar

(14)

Forest Europe (2010)
Expert Level Meeting Geneva. Geneva, Switzerland.
Online | Gscholar

(15)

Frehner M, Wasser B, Schwitter R (2005)
Nachhaltigkeit und Erfolgskontrolle im schutzwald [Sustainability and control method in protection forests]. Wegleitung für Pflegemassnahmen in Wäldern mit Schutzfunktion, Vollzug Umwelt. Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft, Bern, Switzerland, pp. 564.
Gscholar

(16)

Frei C (1995)
An Alpine precipitation climatology based on high-resolution rain-gauge observations. MAP Newsletter 3: 46-47.
Gscholar

(17)

Giamboni M, Wehrli A (2008)
Improving the management of protection forests in Switzerland - The project SilvaProtect - CH. In: Proceedings of the “11th Interpraevent Congress” (Mikoš M, Huebl J, Koboltschnig G eds). Dornbirn (Vorarlberg, Austria), 26-30 May 2008, vol. 2, pp. 469-480.
Gscholar

(18)

Guthrie RH, Hockin A, Colquhoun L, Nagy T, Evans SG, Ayles C (2010)
An examination of controls on debris flow mobility: Evidence from coastal British Colombia. Geomorphology 114: 601-613.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(19)

Janowiak MK, Nagel LM, Webster CR (2008)
Spatial scale and stand structure in northern hardwood forests: implications for quantifying diameter distributions. Forest Science 54: 497-506.
Online | Gscholar

(20)

Kajfež-Bogataj L (1996)
Nalivi v Sloveniji [Storms in Slovenia]. Sodobno kmetijstvo 29: 422-424. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(21)

Komac M (2005)
Verjetnostni model napovedi nevarnih območij glede na premike pobočnih mas - primer občine Bovec [Probabilistic model of slope mass movement susceptibility - a case study of Bovec municipality, Slovenia]. Geologija 48/2: 311-340. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(22)

Korpel S (1995)
Die Urwälder der Westkarpaten [Virgin forests of west Carpathian region]. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New York, pp. 310. [in German]
Gscholar

(23)

Leibundgut H (1982)
Europäische Urwälder der Bergstufe [European mountain virgin forests]. Haupt P, Berlin, pp. 308. [in German]
Gscholar

(24)

Lopez Saez J, Corona C, Stoffel M, Gotteland A, Berger F, Liébault F (2011)
Debris-flow activity in abandoned channels of the Manival torrent reconstructed with LiDAR and tree-ring data. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 11: 1247-1257.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(25)

Marinček L, Carni A (2002)
Komentar k vegetacijski karti gozdnih združb Slovenije v merilu 1:400.000 [Comment on vegetation map of forest associations of Slovenia in 1:400.000 scale]. Založba ZRC, Biološki inštitut Jovana Hadžija ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, Slovenia, pp. 60. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(26)

Mayer H, Ott E (1991)
Gebirgswaldbau, Schutzwaldpflege. Ein waldbaulicher Beitrag zur Landschaftsökologie und zum Umweltschutz [Mountain forests, protection forests tending. A silvicultural contribution to landscape ecology and nature conservation]. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, pp. 435. [in German]
Gscholar

(27)

Mazzorana B, Zischg A, Largiader A, Hübl J (2009)
Hazard index maps for woody material recruitment and transport in alpine catchments. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 9: 197-209.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(28)

Meyer P, Tabaku V, von Lüpke B (2003)
Structural characteristics of Albanian beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) virgin forests - Deductions for semi-natural forestry. Forstwiss Centralblatt 122: 47-58.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(29)

Mikoš M, Cetina M, Brilly M (2004)
Hydrologic conditions responsible for triggering the Stože landslide, Slovenia. Engineering Geology 73 (3/4): 193-213.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(30)

Mikoš M, Fazarinc R, Majes B, Rajar R, Zagar D, Krzyk M, Hojnik T, Cetina M (2006)
Numerical simulation of debris flows triggered from the Strug rock fall source area, W Slovenia. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 6: 261-279.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(31)

Mizunaga H, Nagaike T, Yoshida T, Valkonen S (2010)
Feasibility of silviculture for complex stand structures: designing stand structures for sustainability and multiple objectives. Journal of Forest Research 15: 1-2.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(32)

Motta R, Haudemand JC (2000)
Protective forests and silvicultural stability. An example of planning in the Aosta valley. Mountain Research and Development 20: 74-81.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(33)

Official Gazette (1993)
Act on forests. Official Gazette RS, No. 30/93, Republic of Slovenia. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(34)

Official Gazette (2007)
Rules on methodology to define flood risk areas and erosion areas connected to floods and classification of plots into risk classes. Official Gazette RS, No. 60/07, Republic of Slovenia. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(35)

Ott E, Frehner M, Frey HU, Lüscher P (1997)
Gebirgsnadelwälder: praxisorientierter Leitfaden für eine standortgerechte Waldbehandlung [Mountain coniferous forests: a practical guide for site-specific forest treatment]. Verlag Paul Haupt, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien, pp. 287. [in German]
Gscholar

(36)

Otto HJ (1994)
Waldökologie [Forest ecology]. Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, pp. 391. [in German]
Gscholar

(37)

O’Brien JS (2006)
FLO-2D: user’s manual (v. 2006.01). FLO-2D Software, Inc., Nutrioso, AZ, USA.
Online | Gscholar

(38)

O’Hara KL (2006)
Multiaged forest stands for protection forests: concepts and applications. Forest, Snow and Landscape Research 80: 45-55
Online | Gscholar

(39)

Picket STA, White PS (1985)
The ecology of natural disturbance and patch dynamics. Academic Press, New York, USA, pp. 472.
Gscholar

(40)

Santopuoli G, Requardt A, Marchetti M (2012)
Application of indicators network analysis to support local forest management plan development: a case study in Molise, Italy. iForest 5: 31-37.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(41)

Scheidl C, Rickenmann D (2009)
Empirical prediction of debris-flow mobility and deposition on fans. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 35: 157-171.
Gscholar

(42)

Scheidl C (2009a)
Prediction of debris-flow mobility and deposition on torrential fans. PhD thesis, University of Natural resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, pp. 198.
Gscholar

(43)

Scheidl C (2009b)
English manual for using TopRunDF (v. 1.0). Web site, pp. 9.
Online | Gscholar

(44)

Schima J, Singer F (2008)
Waldentwicklungsplan - Richtlinie über Inhalt und Ausgestaltung-Fassung 2006 [Forest development plan - Directive on the content and design - Version 2006]. BMLFUW Lebensministerium, pp. 92. [in German]
Gscholar

(45)

Schütz JP (1996)
Bedeutung und Möglichkeiten der biologischen Rationalisierung im Forstbetrieb [Importance and possibilities for biological rationalization of forest utilization]. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen 147: 315-349. [in German]
Gscholar

(46)

Schütz JP (2001a)
Der Plenterwald und weitere Formen strukturierter und gemischter Wälder [The selection forest and other forms of structured and mixed forests]. Parey, Berlin, pp. 240. [in German]
Gscholar

(47)

Schütz JP (2001b)
Opportunities and strategies of transforming regular forests to Irregular. Forest Ecology and Management 151: 87-94.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(48)

Seidl R, Rammer W, Lexer MJ (2011)
Adaptation options to reduce climate change vulnerability of sustainable forest management in the Austrian Alps. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 41: 694-706.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(49)

Sodnik J, Mikoš M (2006)
Ocena magnitud drobirskih tokov v izbranih hudourniških območjih v Sloveniji [Estimation of magnitudes of debris flows in selected torrential watersheds in Slovenia]. Acta geographica Slovenica 46/1: 93-123. [in Slovenian]
Gscholar

(50)

Splechtna BE, Gratzer G, Black BA (2005)
Disturbance history of a European old-growth mixed-species forest - A spatial dendro-ecological analysis. Journal of Vegetation Science 16: 511-522.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(51)

Stokes A, Salin F, Kokutse AD, Berthier S, Jeannin H, Mochan S, Dorren L, Kokutse N, Abd Ghani M, Fourcaud T (2005)
Mechanical resistance of different tree species to Rockfall in the French Alps. Plant and Soil 278: 107-117.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(52)

Vergani C, Chiaradia EA, Bischetti GB (2012)
Variability in the tensile resistance of roots in Alpine forest tree species. Ecological Engineering 46: 43-56.
CrossRef | Gscholar

(53)

Wieczorek GF, Glade T (2005)
Climatic factors influencing occurrence of debris flows. In: “Debris-flow Hazards and Related Phenomena” (Jakob M, Hungr O ed). Springer, Berlin, Germany, pp. 325-362.
Gscholar

(54)

Ziegner KDI (2002)
Einzugsgebiete in Alpinen Regionen Neue Planungsinstrumente für das Naturraum Management (EGAR) [Catchment areas in the Alpine regions. New planning tools for the management of natural areas (EGAR)]. Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung, Innsbruck, Austria, pp. 29. [in German]
Gscholar

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry

Contents

Search

Journal Info

Journal Subjects and Fields

For Authors

For Reviewers

For Readers

SISEF Publishing

Search iForest Contents