The winter browse supply for moose in different forest site-types in the Biebrza Valley, Poland

The winter biomass of browse for moose was estimated in the fresh pine forest, the moist coniferous forest and the alder wood in the Biebrza Valley (NE Poland). Fifteen species of trees and shrubs were available to moose in the forest site-types examined. Ten of them were identified to be important: six in each forest association. On the basis of their biomass, Betula pubescens, B. pendula and Frangula alnus were the most important food plants in coniferous forests and Sorbus aucuparia in the alder wood. The highest supply of browse was found in the timber stand of the moist coniferous forest (27.42 kg dry wt/ha) and the alder wood (25.97 kg dry wt/ha). The lowest supply of 5.43 kg dry wt/ha was available in the fresh pine forest. Browse was least abundant in the pole-sized stands of both fresh pine (0.78 kg dry wt/ha) and the moist coniferous forest 0.87 kg dry wt/ha).