Structure assessment of juniper and wild pistachio stands in the Irano-Touranin vegetation zone (Case study: Dostloo protected area, Ardabil Province)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ardabil, Iran.

2 Forest Research Department, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

3 Forest Science and Engineering, Department of Forest Science and Engineering, Ardabil, Iran.

10.22059/jfwp.2025.390576.1337

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the structural indices of juniper (Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb.) and pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) stands in the Dostloo protected area of Khalkhal. In each stand, a one-hectare permanent square plot was randomly selected. Quantitative variables were measured using the full calipering inventory method. The spatial pattern of the two stands was analyzed with the distance-azimuth method, and structural diversity was assessed in terms of species mingling, tree dimensions, and spatial position using the four nearest neighbors’ method. The results showed that the juniper and pistachio plots contained 235 and 144 trees per hectare, respectively. In the juniper plot, the average diameter and basal area at 0.5 m height, total height, crown area, and canopy density were 12.10 cm, 129.07 cm², 3.65 m, 8.87 m², and 20.93%, respectively. In the pistachio plot, the corresponding values were 8.89 cm, 91.56 cm², 5.24 m, and 55.7%, respectively. The average values of the uniform angle index and Clark-Evans index were 0.57 and 0.72 for juniper and 0.57 and 0.58 for pistachio. The mean mingling index values were 0.19 for juniper and 0.54 for pistachio. These results highlight the need to prioritize conservation programs to maintain the structure and spatial pattern of juniper and pistachio stands and to monitor changes in their structural characteristics over time.

Keywords

References

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Forest and Wood Products
Volume 78, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 105-115

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