StrStructure and composition of oriental beech stands in the middle stage of ecological succession in the hyrcanain region

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MSc. Student, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran

2 Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran

3 Associate Professor, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, I.R. Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, I.R. Iran

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the structural characteristics of beech forests in the middle stage of ecological succession. In order to this purpose undisturbed beech stands in Kheyroud forest had chosen and three one hectare sampling plot laid out. All of tree species measured with full callipering method and diameter and height of trees were recorded. Natural regeneration within one hectare plots was counted and recorded in three different height classes including: i) shorter than 30cm, ii) between 30and 130cm, and iii) taller than 130 cm. Vitality and stem form of seedlings and asplings were also recorded as unforked, forked and broom-shaped forms. According to the results, beech stands in this stage of succession are far from typical irregular structure and deficiency of tree number in diameter classes of 10cm and over55cm is obvious. Meanwhile stratification of trees in different stand stories within one, two and three hectare area calculated and results revealed 40, 48.5 and 57% of beech trees occupied middle or under story layers, respectively. In hornbeam as second dominant species these amount calculated 42, 54.5 and 42, respectively and for other species 52, 42 and 29% were observed. The ratio of seedlings and saplings number to adult tree species demonstrates that the proportion of hornbeam is relatively high in the middle and under storey and the successional pathway of the studied stands is toward the late stage, where the proportion of

Keywords

References

 
[1]. Ford-Robertson, F.C. (1971). Terminology of Forest Science, Technology, Practice, and Productions. Society of American Foresters, Washington, D. C. 349 p.
[2]. Gadow, V.K. (2005). Forsteinrichtung: Analyse und Entwurf der Waldentwicklung. Universitätsverlag Gottingen. 342 p.
[3]. Oliver, C.D., and Larson, B.C. (1996). Forest Stand Dynamics. John Wiley, New York, 520p.
[4]. Sefidi, K., Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., Etemad, V., and Copenheaver, C.A. (2011). Stand characteristics and distribution of a relict population of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica CA Meyer) in northern Iran. Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 206(5): 418-422.
[5]. Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Delfan Abazari, B., and Namiranian, M. (2003). Description of the decay stage in a natural oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in Iran, Preliminary results. In: Commarmot & Hamor (eds.) Natural Forests in the Temperate Zone of Europe – Values and Utilisation. Proceedings of IUFRO International Conference, Oct.13-17 Mukachevo, Ukraine. 130-134 pp.
[6]. Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Mataji, A., and Zahedi Amiri, Gh. (2003). Stand structure in pure and mixed oriental beech stands of Caspian forests. Internal report, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, 6p.
[7]. Oikonomakis, N., and Ganatsas, P. (2012). Land cover changes and forest succession trends in site of Natura 2000 network (Elatia forest), in northern Greece. Forest Ecology and Management, 285: 153-163.
[8]. Pickett, S.T.A., and Mcdonnell, M.J. (1989). Changing perspectives in community dynamics: a theory of succession forces. Trends Ecology Evolution, 4(8): 241-245.
[9]. Korpel, S. (1982). Degree of equilibrium and dynamic change of the forest and example of natural forest of Slovakia. Act Faculties Forestalis, Zvolen, Cezchoslovakia, 24: 9-30.
[10]. Marvi-Mohadjer, M.R. (2011). Silviculture. 3th ed. University of Tehran press, Tehran. 419p.
[11]. Moghadam, A.R. (2002). Ecology of Terrestrial Plants. 1th ed University of Tehran press, Tehran. 701p.
[12]. Mataji, A., Hojjati, S.M., and Namiranian, M. (2000). A study of tree distribution in diameter classes in natural Forest using probability distribution. Iranian Journal Natural Resources, 35(2): 165-172.
[13] Ammanzadeh, B., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Fadaei Khoshkebijari, B., Khanjani Shiraz, B., and Hemmati, A. (2011). Evaluation of different statistical distribution for estimation of diameter distribution within forest development stages in Shafaroud beech stands. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 19(2): 254-267.
[14]. Eslami, A.R., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., and Namiranian, M. (2007). Determining of equilibrium state in uneven – aged oriental beech forests of Northern- Iran. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(2): 92-104.
[15]. Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., and Schütz, J.Ph. (2002). The structure of natural oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) in the Caspian region of Iran and potential for the application of the group selection system. Oxford University Press. Forestry, 75(4): 465-472.
[16]. Delfan Abazeri. B., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., And Namiranian, M. (2004). Investigation of development stage of control part in beech forest (case study: reserve area-lenga). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 12(3): 307-326.
[17]. Sagheb-Talebi, Kh. Delfan Abazari, B., and Namiranian, M. (2003). Description of the decay stage in a natural oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in Iran, Preliminary results. In: Commarmot & Hamor (eds.) Natural Forests in the Temperate Zone of Europe – Values and Utilisation. Proceedings of IUFRO International Conference. Oct.13-17 Mukachevo, Ukraine. 130-134 pp.
[18]. Daneshvar, A., Rahmani, R., and Habashi, H. (2007). The heterogeneity of structure in mixed beech forest (case study Shastkalateh, Gorgan). Journal of Agriculture Science and Natural Resources, 14(4): 20-31.
[19]. Commarmot, B., Heinrich Bachofen, H., Bundziak, Y., Bürgi, A., Ramp, B., Shparyk, Y., Sukhariuk, D., Viter, R., and Zingg, A. (2005). Structures of virgin and managed beech forests in Uholka (Ukraine) and Sihlwald  (Switzerland): a comparative study. Forest Snow and Landscape Research, 79(1/2): 45-56.
[20]. Amini, M., Sagheb-talebi, Kh., Khorankeh, S., and Amini, R. (2010). Description of some silvicultural characteristics in a mixed Beech-Hornbeam forest (Case study: permanent plot, Neka- Zalem Roud forest project). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 18(1): 21-34.
[21]. Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., and Eslami, A. (2008). Nature-based silviculture - how can we achieve the equilibrium state in uneven-aged oriental beech stands? 8th International Symposium, IUFRO Research Group 1.01.07. 8-13 Sept, Hokkaido, Japan. 79-81 pp.
[22]. Razavi, S.M., Rahmani, R., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., and Salehi, A. (2012). Investigation of structural charecteristics of Fagetum orientalis; Nav, Asalem, Guilan province. InternationalJournal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences, 18: 1318-1328.
[23]. Youesfpoor, R., Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., and Sagheb-Talebi, Kh. (2001). A study of Oriental Beech succession in Fandoghlo Forest. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 57(4): 703-714.
[24]. Dix, R.L. (1957). Sugar maple in forest succession at Washington, D.C. Ecology, 38: 663-665.
[25]. Vrska, T., Libor, H., Adam, D., Kolar, T., and Janik, D. (2009). European beech (Fagus silvatica L.) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) rotation in the Carpathians developmental cycle or a linear trend induced by man. Journal of Forest Ecology and Management, 258(4): 347-356.
[26]. Dhar, A., Ruprecht, H., and Vacik, H. (2008). Population Viability Risk Management (PVRM) for in-situ management of endangered tree species, a case study on a Taxus baccata L. population. Forest Ecology and Management, 255(7): 2835-2845.
 

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics