The study examined seed production and seedling survival in three virgin forest reserves - Šumik, Pečka and Rajhenavski Rog. In each of the primeval forests 20 objects were placed, each object consisting of a seed trap, a deer exclosure plot, and a control plot. In Šumik, we found that 10% more individuals survived in the cages than in control plots, and there was 30% higher survival of fir in the cages than in the control plots. In Pečka, we found the highest density of beech one year old seedlings. In the deer exclosure plots, 13% of all monitored seedlings survived until the end of the study, which is 4% less than in the control plots. Survival of fir trees was also 5% lower in the cages than in the control plots, where 40% of all monitored fir trees survived. In Rajhenavski Rog, we counted the most maple and fir seeds. In the deer exclosures, 16% of all one year old seedlings survived, which was 6% more than in the control plot. The percentage of fir survivors was 8% higher in the cages. Over all reserves, there was higher survival in the exclosures compared to control plots, except Pečka. We found that mortality agents, such as snails and drought, had a strong negative effect on regeneration survival.
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