Composition and structure of a Fagus orientalis-dominated forest managed with shelterwood aim (A Case study in the Caspian forests, northern Iran)

Author

Dept. of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Mazandaran, Noor, Iran

Abstract

Composition and structure of a three-storied Fagus orientalis-dominated forest was investigated in the Caspian forests, north of Iran. Circular sampling plots of 1000 m2 occupied by advance growth and natural regeneration were randomly chosen where the initial cuttings (with shelterwood aim) were performed. Abundance of species at different growth stages and quality of seedlings and saplings were registered and basal area and standing volume determined. The measurements were carried out before the first shelterwood cutting (in 1974) and after the last shelterwood cutting (2004). The results after 30 years (in 2004) revealed that frequency, basal area and standing volume significantly enhanced for beech and reduced for hornbeam but did not statistically differ for alder, maple and other species. Sapling and thicket groups were observed in parts of the investigated site and where the mature trees were not felled. Generally, the research area was converted into an irregular uneven-aged 2-4-storied forest, owing to recruits, advance regeneration, aged trees and small and large pole groups maintained through the forest.
 
REFERENCES
 Amani, M. and Hassani, M., (1998). An investigation typology of the stands of Fagus orientalis at the two research projects. Trials of uneven-aged and even-aged methods at Sangdeh (northern Iran), J. Pajouhesh & Sazandegi, 37, 4-27.
Biglar-Beygi, B., (1985). Evaluation of silvicultural methods in the Caspian forests. Symposium of Forest Policy, Publication of Forestry Technical Bureau.
Dorostkar, H., (1984). Complementary Silviculture. In press, University of Gorgan, Iran, pp. 115.
Emberger, L. 1932 Sur une formule clima-tique et ses applications en botanique. La Meteorologie, No. 92-93, Paris, France.
Espahbodi, K. and Mohammad-Nejad, Sh., (2001). Evaluation one of main silvicu-ltural methods in north forest of Iran, pp. 271-290.
Linhart, Y.B. and Whelan, R.J., (1980). Woodland regeneration in relation to grazing and fencing in Coed Gorswen, North Wales. J. Appl. Ecol., 17, 827-840.
 Marvi-Mohadjer, M.R., (2001). Suitable method of silviculture in north forests of Iran In: Nation symposium on north forests and sustainable development, Forest and Range Organization Publis-hers, pp. 214-218.
Marvi-Mohadjer, M. R., (2006). Silviculture. Tehran University Press. Mosandl, R., (1984). Löcherhiebe im Bergmischwald. Forstliche Forschungsberic-hte München. No 61, 298 p.
Mosandle, R. and Kateb. H.El., (1988). Die Verjüngung gemishter Bergwälder - Praktische Konsequenzen aus 10 jahriger Untersuchungsarbeit. Fortw. Cbl., 107, 2-13.
Mossadegh, A., 1996. Silviculture. University of Tehran, College of Natural Reso-urces, Karadj, Iran, 481 p.
Resaneh, Y., Moshtagh, M.H. and Salehi, P., (2001). Quantitative and qualitative study of 40 Composition and structure of Fagus orientalis in shelterwood method north forests. In: Nation Sem-inar of Management and Sustainable Development of North Forests, Ramsar, Iran, August 2000, Forest and Range Organization Press. Vol. 1, 55- 79.
Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Sajedi, T. and Yazdian, F., (2003). Forests of Iran. Research Inst-itute of Forests and Rangelands. Technical Publication No. 33, 28 p.
Sagheb-Talebi, Kh. and Schütz, J.Ph., (2002). The structure of natural oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) forests in the Caspian region of Iran and the potential for the application of the group selection system. Forestry, 75: 465- 472.
Svoboda, P., (1953). Len sí dřeviny a jejich prosity I.SZN. Praha, 110 p.
Tabari, M., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Mousavi, S.R., Poormajidian, M. R. and Akbarinia, M., (2004). Determining gap size to favor natural regeneration in a dominant orie-ntal beech forest, In: Proceeding of Improvement and Silviculture of Beech, IUFRO 7th Beech Symposium, Tehran, Iran, May 11-16, 2004, p. 74.
Tabari, M., Fayaz, P., Espahbodi, K., Staelens, J. and Nachtergale, L., (2005). Response of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) seedlings to canopy gap size. Forestry, 78, 443-450.
Taheri-Abkenar, K., (1993). Assessment of results of shelterwood system in Kileh-Sara, M.Sc. Dissertation, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, 154 p.

Keywords