2.1.2. Case study 2: effects of soil amelioration on
the regeneration of European beech (F. sylvatica)
Selection effects among seedlings of European
beech (F. sylvatica L.) under non-manipulated and meliorated site conditions have been examined with
experiments in the Solling Hills in Northern Germany
(Starke et al., 1996). As initial seed material, one
sample originating from a single local stand and
alternatively a mixture descending from five stands
of different regions in Germany (mixed sample) were
applied.Within small plots, pre-germinated seed from
these two samples was exposed to four different
environmental conditions at a former spruce site exhibiting
substantial soil acidification: (1) without any
melioration measure, or meliorated by either; (2)
surface fertilization and liming; or (3) deep ploughing;
or (4) deep ploughing as well as simultaneously
fertilization and liming. Non-manipulated plots in
an adult beech stand at a distance of 1 km from the
melioration experiment served as an additional reference.
Thirteen enzyme coding gene loci were investigated
and genotypic structures were estimated for
pre-germinated seed nuts and determined for surviving
juvenile plants at the age of 2 years. Comparisons
of these structures allowed for suggestions about
selection processes.