The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites

The use of non-wood forest products plays a significant role in sustainable development, especially in the context of regional development. One of the most important and promising raw materials is birch sap, which in European conditions is obtained mainly from silver birch (<i>Betula pendula&l...

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Main Authors: Szczepan Kopeć, Paweł Staniszewski, Robert Tomusiak, Maciej Bilek, Dariusz Zastocki, Tadeusz Moskalik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5024
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author Szczepan Kopeć
Paweł Staniszewski
Robert Tomusiak
Maciej Bilek
Dariusz Zastocki
Tadeusz Moskalik
author_facet Szczepan Kopeć
Paweł Staniszewski
Robert Tomusiak
Maciej Bilek
Dariusz Zastocki
Tadeusz Moskalik
author_sort Szczepan Kopeć
collection DOAJ
description The use of non-wood forest products plays a significant role in sustainable development, especially in the context of regional development. One of the most important and promising raw materials is birch sap, which in European conditions is obtained mainly from silver birch (<i>Betula pendula</i> Roth). Research on the utility value of birch sap and the influence of a number of factors on its efficiency and quality has been carried out in many research centers, but so far, there are not many studies on the variability of such parameters as a function of time, taking into account the entire period of sap leakage. This research was carried out in birch stands of approximately 80 years in three forest site types: mixed coniferous forest, mixed broadleaved forest, and broadleaved forest. In each site, nine sample trees were selected using Hartig’s method. The daily and all-season sap yield obtained from individual trees was statistically characterized. The relationship between birch sap yield and select quantitative (tree height, absolute and relative crown length, and slenderness) and qualitative (forest site type, tree thickness class, and sap harvesting period) variables was examined. For the first time in the literature on the subject, there is a proposal to distinguish the phases of obtaining birch sap, which may bring new knowledge, both in relation to daily productivity and the quality of the sap. As a result, the smallest amount of sap was found in the initial leak phase, a slightly higher amount was found in the final phase, and the largest amount was found in the main phase. Regarding the forest site type and the interaction between the collection phase and forest site type, no statistically significant relationship with the average amount of obtained sap was found.
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spelling doaj-art-6c9b3038db744df8b3bb1ab58303bf6f2025-08-20T03:52:57ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-04-01159502410.3390/app15095024The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest SitesSzczepan Kopeć0Paweł Staniszewski1Robert Tomusiak2Maciej Bilek3Dariusz Zastocki4Tadeusz Moskalik5Department of Forest Utilization, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Forest Utilization, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Forest Management Planning, Dendrometry and Forest Economics, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Agroecology and Forest Utilisation, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Land Management and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszów, 35-310 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Forest Utilization, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Forest Utilization, Institute of Forest Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandThe use of non-wood forest products plays a significant role in sustainable development, especially in the context of regional development. One of the most important and promising raw materials is birch sap, which in European conditions is obtained mainly from silver birch (<i>Betula pendula</i> Roth). Research on the utility value of birch sap and the influence of a number of factors on its efficiency and quality has been carried out in many research centers, but so far, there are not many studies on the variability of such parameters as a function of time, taking into account the entire period of sap leakage. This research was carried out in birch stands of approximately 80 years in three forest site types: mixed coniferous forest, mixed broadleaved forest, and broadleaved forest. In each site, nine sample trees were selected using Hartig’s method. The daily and all-season sap yield obtained from individual trees was statistically characterized. The relationship between birch sap yield and select quantitative (tree height, absolute and relative crown length, and slenderness) and qualitative (forest site type, tree thickness class, and sap harvesting period) variables was examined. For the first time in the literature on the subject, there is a proposal to distinguish the phases of obtaining birch sap, which may bring new knowledge, both in relation to daily productivity and the quality of the sap. As a result, the smallest amount of sap was found in the initial leak phase, a slightly higher amount was found in the final phase, and the largest amount was found in the main phase. Regarding the forest site type and the interaction between the collection phase and forest site type, no statistically significant relationship with the average amount of obtained sap was found.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5024non-wood forest productsforest utilizationtree secretionstree sap collection
spellingShingle Szczepan Kopeć
Paweł Staniszewski
Robert Tomusiak
Maciej Bilek
Dariusz Zastocki
Tadeusz Moskalik
The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
Applied Sciences
non-wood forest products
forest utilization
tree secretions
tree sap collection
title The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
title_full The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
title_fullStr The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
title_full_unstemmed The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
title_short The Relationship Between Biometric Features of Trees and the Intensity of Birch Sap Leakage in Various Forest Sites
title_sort relationship between biometric features of trees and the intensity of birch sap leakage in various forest sites
topic non-wood forest products
forest utilization
tree secretions
tree sap collection
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5024
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