Growth depression of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in the Dinaric phytogeographic region between 1960-1995

Six research plots in Dinaric phytogeographic region were chosen to enable the analysis of the growth depression of the silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) from 1960-1995. Sampling was done in 400-600 m long transects. Altogether 365 trees of various health condition were analysed. It was established that growth depression started in year 1960 and reached its lowest point in 1986. Thereafter the increment slowly started to increas. Increment increase and positive reaction of silver fir strongly depend on individual silver fir vitality. The unaffected silver firs have positively reacted with increment incerease, while heavelly affected continue with increment decline showing no improvement at all. Intermediatelly affected silver firs have evidenced only moderate increment recovery. It was also observed that the research objects in the viccinity of urban centers (Ravnik, Javornik and Mokrec) exhibited higher increment decrease than the distant ones (Glažuta, Mašun and Škocjan)