This study examined the structural features of 40-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest stands created at varying planting densities in the mixed-coniferous-broadleaf forest zone of the Russian Plain. The relevance of this study is due to the lack of similar studies for artificial dendrocenoses. An analysis of the pine forest stand structure was conducted based on the results of ranking the stands according to Kraft classes. With increasing planting density, not only changes in the taxation indicators but also in the nature of differentiation in the qualitative redistribution of trees of different Kraft classes occur: the proportion of trees of higher classes (I and II) decreases, and the proportion of trees of lower classes (IV and V) increases. It was found that in 40-year-old pine stands, reduction numbers for both height and diameter, as well as relative heights, are strictly differentiated by Kraft classes. Reduction numbers are independent of planting density but tend to decrease from class I to V. With increasing planting density, trees of all Kraft classes tend to increase in relative height. This is most pronounced in pine stands growing in fresh pine forests. The rank structure of Kraft growth and development classes reflects the functional hierarchy in the structure of forest stands.
Merzlenko et al. (Fri,) studied this question.