Spatial dependence of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) damage on annual precipitation and nitrogen deposition

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a widespread unpretentious forest tree-species; however, its adaptability to environmental change differs among sites with various buffering capacity. In this study, we compared the effect of precipitation and nitrogen deposition (ND) on biomass density in natural and man-made pine stands of differing soil fertility using lag geographically weighted multiple regression (LGWMR). Soil fertility was defined using ecological series as zonal trophic (27.9%), acidic (48.2%) gleyed (15.2%) and as azonal exposed (2.5%), maple (2.4%), ash (0.8%), wet (2.1%) and peat (0.9%) of the Czech Republic in Central Europe (4290.5 km²; 130–1298 m a.s.l.). Annual precipitation and ND in every pine stand were estimated using zonal statistics from 1 × 1 km grid for years of severe non-specific forest damage spread. Biomass density was obtained from a MODIS 250 × 250 m raster using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for years 2000–2014, with a decrease in NDVI indicating non-specific damage. Environmental change was assessed by comparing predictor values at NDVI time t and t+λ. Non-specific damage was registered over 51.9% of total forest area. Less than 8.8% of damaged stands are natural and the rest (91.2%) of damaged stands are man-made. Pure pine stands are more damaged than mixed. ND stand damage is more significant than damage due to the precipitation lack since 2007. ND during 2000–2010 decreased NDVI the most significantly at 2012. Exposed natural pine sites are the most sensitive to environmental change (R² = 0.11–0.86). The most widespread man-made pine stands on acidic sites are damaged at more open significance interval (R² = 0.07–0.88). Mixed forest and sustainable management at natural sites provide effective remediation reducing damage by ND.