home
team
research
publications
galleries
links
contacts
 
 
 


Team

 

!!!!!! ********** !!!!!!

Please, have in mind that we moved the site to another web-server.

Please, follow the link to dendrochronologybg.net

and locate your page from the menu to the left!

Thanks!

!!!!!! ********** !!!!!!

 

 

 

Scientific team - members

Dr. Momchil Panayotov Panayotov
University of Forestry
Forestry Faculty
Dendrology Department

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born in 1976 in Sofia.

EDUCATION:
2003-2006: PhD Student, Dendrology Department, University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria
Ph.D. thesis: “STUDY OF ECOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCE ON THE GROWTH OF THE TREE SPECIES FROM PINACEAE FAMILY AT THE TREELINE ZONE”
Advisor: Dr. S.Yurukov

2000: I graduated the University of Forestry and obtained a diploma of Master of Science in Forestry.
Master thesis: “Research of the Avalanche Activity on the North-Western Slope of Todorka Peak, Pirin Mountains”
Advisor: Dr. D. Zakov
Average GPA: 5.61 (out of 6.00)

1995: I graduated The “First English Language School” in Sofia, Bulgaria.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

  • Natural disturbances at the treeline in the highest Bulgarian Mountains. Among these I am most interested in:
    • Influence of strong winds on the growth of natural treeline forests and afforestations.
    • Influence of snow accumulation due to wind transport on the growth of natural treeline forests and afforestations.
    • Avalanche influence on treeline forests.
  • Dendroecological analysis of old forests:
    • Luckily for me and my colleagues we have the possibility to study some very old and preserved forests at the treeline. They are composed of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and the very interesting (and often old) Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce Griseb.) and Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ.) Above the treeline there are dense communities of the dwarf form of Mountain pine (Pinus mugo Turra ssp. Mugo).
  • Natural dynamics and Disturbances in Norway spruce forests - I have started studies in "Bistrishko braniste" nature reserve (Vitosha mountain) - a site affected by windthrow (60 ha) in 2001 and bark beetle outbreak (after 2003, up to the moment 600 ha). By now I have presented first results in the "Natural Hazards and Natural Disturbances in Mountain Forests" Conference in Trento, 2007;
    At the moment I am doing a PostDoc research in the WSL-SLF in Davos (SWITZERLAND), Forest and Treeline Ecotone Group, during which I which I am focusing on Norway spruce forests in "Parangalitca" Nature Reserve in Rila Mountains. The main tasks are to acquire more knowledge about the disturbances and self-thinning processes in the site.


RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

  • Research of natural disturbances and self-thinning processes in "Parangalitca" forest reserve, Bulgaria

Short information: The aim of the study is gain knowledge about the disturbance history of the reserve and to study the mortality processes in uniform Norway spruce forest patches. The ecosystem is one of the few examples of natural Picea abies forests in EUROPE and gives the chance to study the dinamics of not-influenced by man forests. Main methods that are used are dendrochronological and GIS analysis.

  • Research of limiting factors at treeline afforestations on Vitosha Mountain

Short information: The aim of the study is to determine the influence of strong winds and snow accumulations on the growth of Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce Griseb.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst) plantations at the treeline, Vitosha Mountain. It was a part of my PhD research Please follow the link to learn more about this study

  • Research of avalanches along the Northwestern slope of Todorka Peak, Pirin mountains

Short information: The aim of the study is to date the falling of big avalanches along the Northwestern slope of Todorka peak, Pirin mountains and to determine their influence on natural treeline forests of Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce Griseb.) Please follow the link to learn more about this study


Momchil Panayotov in front of Pinus heldreichii tree in Pirin mountains

  • Study of the limiting factors at natural treeline Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) forests and groups in "Bistrishko braniste" reserve, Vitosha mountain

Short information: The aim of the study is to find more information about natural Norway spruce groups above the treeline in "Bistrishko braniste" reserve and to date and determine the influence of natural disturbances on the treeline forests.

  • Research of old Bosnian pine (Pinus helreichii Christ.) forests

    Short information: The aim of the study is acquire more information about natural Pinus heldreichii forests, their development in the past and possibly to restore climate conditions in previous centuries. First chronologies are ready and under analysis. They are composed of trees of 200 to 500 years of age (max 800). There is potential of finding older trees. Initial work shows good correlation between samples and indication of drought conditions.

PUBLICATIONS:

Panayotov, M.P. and Yurukov, S. (2007) Tree ring chronology from Pinus peuce in Pirin Mts and the possibilities to use it for climate analysis. Phytologia Balcanica, 13(3): 313-320

Panayotov, M.P. (2007) Determination of avalanche events by analysis of tree rings of Pinus peuce. Econological Engineering and Environmental Protection, No.1: 75-82; in Bulgarian, English abstract; PDF file

Panayotov, M. (2006) STUDY OF ECOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCE ON THE GROWTH OF THE TREE SPECIES FROM PINACEAE FAMILY AT THE TREELINE ZONE - PhD thesis - Extended Abstract (in Bulgarian, English resume, PDF- 3 MB) and Full text (in Bulgarian, PDF, 11 MB)

Panayotov, M.P. (2005) Dendroecological analysis of the influence of extreme climate events. Forestry Ideas, 2005, in Bulgarian, English abstract - PDF file, 0.6 MB

Panayotov M., S. Yurukov (2005): Dendroecological analysis of the influence of strong winds and snow accumulation on the growth of trees at the treeline in Vitosha Mountain, Bulgaria. Tree Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology (TRACE 2005) Proceedings, April 21st-23d 2005, Fribourg, Switzerland: 164-173 - abstract and full text (PDF file) available.

Panayotov M (2005): Influence of strong winds and snow accumulation on the growth and development of Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce Griseb.) plantations in the treeline zone of Vitosha Mountain. "Young Scientists" Conference Proceedings, May 17-19th 2005, Sofia, Bulgaria. ( PDF file, Bulgarian language, abstract in English. 1,5MB)

Yurukov S.,Panayotov M., E.Tsavkov and P. Zhelev. (2005). Dendrological characteristic of Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ) on karst terrains in “Pirin” National Park. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Protected Karst Territories – Conditions, Problems, Perspectives", 18-21. Oct. 2005, Shumen, Bulgaria.(PDF file, Bulgarian language, abstract in English. 0,5MB)

OTHER INTERESTS:
Interests in outdoor activities and sports like skiing, mountain biking, mountaineering, hiking, windsurfing.

As one of the keenest fans of freeride skiing in Bulgaria, I am among the founders of the Bulgarian Extreme and FreeSkiing Association (BEFSA). I have a lot of activities in this organization like:

  • Leader of the “Education Program for Safe Practicing of Winter Sports”, which translated to normal language means that I am very interested in avalanche awareness education and have taken the responsibility of BEFSA's attempts to bring more knowledge to the young freeriders and make their contact with fresh snow safer. As such, I have been lecturer on avalanche awareness courses (2003 - 2007) and author of the book “Avalanche safety - handbook for skiers and snowboarders” published in 2004 by BEFSA.
  • Participant in the organization committees of the International Big Mountain competitions held in Bansko ski resort in 2002 and 2003.
  • Director of organization of “The Mad Goat Ride” international freeride competition held in February 2004 in Bansko ski resort.
  • Webmaster of the website of the Bulgarian Extreme and FreeSkiing Association - http://befsa.com.

Contacts:

Dr. Momchil Panayotov Panayotov
University of Forestry
Forestry Faculty
Dendrology Department
Kl.Ohridski 10 Blvd.
1756 Sofia, Bulgaria


e-mail: mp2@ abv.bg; panayotov@ slf.ch