Przestrzenna autokorelacja cech biometrycznych drzew w górskich drzewostanach świerkowych

The formation of the stand structure interacts with the processes of growth and competition. Previous observations mainly focused on the analysis of the type of tree distribution resulting from these processes. Development of spatial diversity of tree parameters is less known issue. The research was carried out in mountain Norway spruce stands with a large variety of taxation parameters located in the Beskid Żywiecki Mts. (southern Poland). The analysis of spatial autocorrelation of biometric features was carried out with the use of the mark correlation function, and the type of tree distribution was examined using the pair correlation function. In younger, less tended stands of high tree density, a stronger spatial autocorrelation of the tree biometric features was found. The strongest autocorrelation was observed for volume, weaker for the breast height diameter, while the weakest one was reported for height. The analysis indicated that density dependent competition affects the autocorrelation of biometric features more strongly than the type of tree distribution. The range of the tree perception zone determined on the basis of the autocorrelation analysis of features is greater or equal to the width of the inhibition zone determined on the basis of the point pattern type analysis.