Tree and stand growth differ among soil classes in semi-natural forests in central Europe

We determined the size of differences in stand and tree growth semi-natural forests with respect to 16 reference soil groups. The forest area Slovenia (11.8 thousand km2) was used as study area, units were derived from national map at a 1:25,000 scale consisting 10,781 polygons an average 117.95 ha. Stand defined periodic basal increment, while Norway spruce, silver fir, Scots pine, European beech sessile oak trees estimated by diameter increment 238,349 dominant on 67,061 permanent sampling plots. A linear fixed-effects model mixed-effect models for studying different site, conditions. unit dummy variable Dystric Cambisols set category. Soil contributed 4.3 % explained variability 4–27 five species. stronger driver than climate or topography. species production rate interval −28 +5 −47 +14 that unit, respectively. highest Eutric Gleysols lowest Histosols, generally exhibited rates units. suggest should be considered studied interrelatedly climatic, site variables.