Analysis of snow accumulation and snow melting in a young mountain spruce and beech stand in the Orlické hory Mts., Czech Republic

The paper evaluates snow accumulation and the intensity of snow melting in a young spruce and beech stand. The study was carried out at the Deštné field research station in the Orlické hory Mts. (altitude 900 m, WSW aspect) in winter seasons 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. The process of snow accumulation and melting was markedly affected or disturbed by the nearly total damage to the spruce stand by top breakage due to the extreme load of wet snow. Winter 2005/2006 was characterized by extreme parameters of snowpack (maximum depth of snow in spruce 157 cm, in beech 164 cm, maximum snow water equivalent in spruce 819 mm, in beech 833 mm). From the aspect of the snow cover duration, winter 2006/2007 was below the average, winter 2007/2008 was average. With respect to the significant reduction of the spruce crown biomass after snow breakage in winter 2005/2006, no significant differences were noted either in snow depth or in snow water equivalent in the spruce and beech stands. The rate of snow melting in the spruce and beech stands was never higher than 50 mm per day. If the spring final stage of snow melting is not accompanied by intensive rainstorms, mountain coniferous and broadleaved forest ecosystems reduce the danger of stormflows and floods within the required degree.