COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

established aimed at seed production, and at present they are considered to be important for the
conservation of the autochthonous gene pool. Special activities were carried out in declaring protected
beech forests, usually located in protected areas around water sources. In this way several stands in
Bosnia and Herzegovina were declared to be protected. However, in relation to the protection of the
gene pool, prime forests are of special interest, since beech plays a special role in their structure and
because all prime forests belong to forest communities of beech-fir forests (Abieti fagetum) which are
under permanent protection.
ForesT research
In the past, research on beech was not a matter of high importance because beech had been considered
a weed species until twenty years ago. Lately, but still with rather late when compared to developments
in Europe, efforts were made in establishing research on the genetic structure of this valuable species.
An experiment with twenty two European provenances was launched within the COST Action E52.
The experiment was located on a typically degraded beech stand near Kakanj in Central Bosnia.
Current research is directed towards the molecular-genetic research on beech, in cooperation with
foreign laboratories. At present the results are partially complete; there are ongoing isoenzymatic
analyses that will provide us with new information on the genetic structure of beech originated from
the Central Dinarides, and there are plans for conducting comprehensive morphological research.
Fig. 3: Beech forest on the Mt. Šator (Fagetum subalpinum s.l.)
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