Natural localities of Serbian spruce in Serbia

Abstract

In the second half of the 20th century, the distribution area of Pančić’s spruce in Serbia was researched by many authors (Fukarek, 1950, 1967; Fukarek & Fukarek, 1989; Kolarović, 1951; Čolić, 1953, 1966, 1986), with the last discovered and described locality in the Mileševka gorge (Matović, 1983; Tošić, 1983). In numerous works with primarily different research objectives, the authors often refer to the aforementioned references when describing natural distribution of this species. Today, it can be stated that the last inventory was done more than 70 years ago, which do not accurately reflect the actual situation in the field.
The research was carried out in three phases: 1. the preparatory phase (spatial georeferencing all known sites on topographic maps); 2. field research (working at each locality by entering the most typified developed parts of the stands, recording the coordinates of sampled and boundary trees, measuring diameter and height, describing the community and conditions, and conducting drone overflights); and 3. the final phase (drawing boundaries of all populations, calculating areas, counting trees). For each locality, the authors present: a literature review and earlier descriptions, the name of the locality (based on topography, previous descriptions of the locality, and information gathered from local residents), a description of habitat conditions, the area and centroid of the population, and the position of each individual tree, the number of trees, and the state of regeneration. Each population is represented as a polygon on military topographic maps, each tree marked with an “x,” and all georeferenced data in electronic form as an appendix to this paper.
After study of literature data and field research carried out in last 5 years we can say that Serbian spruce has been recorded at 53 localities in Serbia. Today it forms populations at 26 localities covering an area of 89.56 hectares, with individual trees found at 8 localities, while no spruce trees were found at 19 localities. Based on these results, there are slightly over 8,800 adult Serbian spruce trees in populations in Serbia, at elevations ranging from 770 to 1,320 meters. Based on the number of trees and the actual condition, all described populations are divided into three groups:
The first group consists of the most stable and numerous stands, which are in favorable conservation status with more than 250 trees per population: Bilo; Ljuti breg; Kik; Crvene stene; Vrano osoje in Veliki kraj; Topli do, Čunčarsko točilo, and under Adžina bukva on Mt. Zvijezda; Karaula Štula in the canyon of Brusnički potok.The second group includes also stable stands with 60-250 spruce trees, forming more or less compact stands. This includes: Petina stena under Badanj in Veliki kraj, Zakopine above Obla glava on Mt. Zvijezda, Marjanovića vodenice in Brusnički potok, Povratič, Studenac, Vranjak, Zmajevački potok, and Trenice on Mt. Tara. The third group consists of populations with fewer than 50 living spruce trees, with a high proportion of dead trees. These include: under Čairi and Jelin do in Veliki kraj, Pejino točilo and Bilješke stene on Mt. Zvijezda, under Golo drvo, Kremići, Povratič on Crni vrh, under Pasja stena on Mt. Tara, and Sastavci in the Mileševka canyon. Due to successful regeneration in the populations in Povratič and the Mileševka canyon, they have a future, but it is advisable to establish further monitoring of their condition and regeneration dynamics. Currently, the most threatened stands are those on Bilješke stene, as well as at Čairi and in Pejino Točilo, where intense tree drying is present. The locality under Golo drvo and Kremići also lacks prospects, as the stands are closed and completely overgrown with competitive vegetation.Individual spruce trees outside compact areas in Serbia have been recorded at 8 separate localities, of which 5 were previously mentioned in the literature (Trešnjica under Omar, Brezak in Pluževine, Đurđevo brdo, under Kolo on Aluška Mountains, and Crveni potok), while three localities are mentioned for the first time (Njivice under Galinik, Milakova ravan, and under Mrka Kosa).
At the remaining 19 localities, where groups or individual spruce trees are mentioned in the literature, their presence has not been confirmed at 13: Gorica, Galinik, Klačnica, Kameno brdo, Janjač, Pasjača, Gorušički rid, Mala kosa in Osoje, Jabučica, Vis-Sklopovi-Srednji Kik, Lazići, and Pološnica. Due to insufficient precision in the references for six localities: Galinska reka, Predov krst, Burine and Brdo on Đurđevo brdo, Njivice, above Kamenjača, and under Omar on Aluške planine, a question mark has been left.
The obtained results represent an important foundation for further research on spruce, as well as for monitoring changes and dynamics in the coming period.