Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of deadwood in the different development stages in mixed oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands (Case study: Gorazbon district, Kheiroud forest of Nowshahr)

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Forestry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University

2 Assistant Prof., Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

3 M.Sc. Forestry, Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

4 Associate Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)

Abstract

Deadwood is commonly known as an essential structural and functional element in forest communities. Thus it is important to understand its role and natural dynamics to improve the forest management strategies in both managed and unmanaged forests. This study analyzed both qualitative and quantitative characteristics of deadwoods asindicatorsof stand developmental stages in the unmanaged forests of Kheiroud in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. Three sample plots were established in the initial, optimal and decay stages, in which attributes such as diameter at breast height, height of all standing and dead trees as well as the decomposition stage of dead trees were recorded. Results showed differencesin the amount of deadwood per ha as well as in volume, type andsizeofthe coarse woody debris (CWD) in all the three stages. The frequency of snags was higher than logs in initial and decay stages, whereasthe proportion of logs was greater than snags in the optimal stage. Moreover, maximum and minimum volume ofthe CWD was observed in the initial and optimal stages. Amongst the species, beech returned the highest number and volume of deadwood in all three stages. In addition, the entire deadwood showed diameter

Keywords

References

- Akhavan, R., Sagheb-Talebi, K., Zenner, E.K. and Safavimanesh, F., 2012. Spatial patterns in different forest development stages of an intact old-growth Oriental beech forest in the Caspian region of Iran. European Journal of Forest Research, 131(5): 1355-1366.‏
- Alidadi, F., Marvi-Mohadjer, M.R., Etemad, V. and Sefidi. K., 2014. Decay dynamic of beech and hornbeam trees in mixed beech (Fagus orientalis lipsky) stands. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 22(4): 624-635 (In Persian).
- Anonymous, 2003. Forest management plan of Kheyroud forest, district three (Gorazbon), 375p (In Persian).
- Delfan-Abazari, 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 (In Persian).
- Edmonds, R. L., Vogt, D.J., Sandberg, D.H. and Driver, C.H., 1986. Decomposition of Douglas-fir and red alder wood in clear-cuttings. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 16: 822-831.
- Ekbom, B., Schroeder, L. M. and Larsson, S., 2006. Stand specific occurrence of coarse woody debris in a managed boreal forest landscape in central Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management, 221(1): 2-12.
- Erickson, H.E., Edmonds, R.L. and Peterson, C.E., 1985. Decomposition of logging residue in Douglas-fir, western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and ponderosa pine ecosystems. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 15: 914-921.
- 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 (In Persian).
- Fallah, A., Zobeyri, M., Jazirei, M.H. and Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., 2000. An investigation of the structure of natural Caspian beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands in Gorazbon-Kheiroudkenar district. Iranian Journal of Natural Recourses, 53(3): 251-260 (In Persian).
- Ford-Robertson, F.C., 1971. Terminology of Forest Science, Technology, Practice, and Productions. Society of American Foresters, Washington, D.C., 349p.
- Frankland, J.C., Hedger, J.N. and Swift, M.J., 1982.  Decomposer Basidiomycetes-Their Biology and Ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 355p.
- Franklin, J.F., Kermit C.Jr., William, D., Arthur, M., Chris, M., James, S., Fred, S. and Glen, J., 1981. Ecological characteristics of old-growth Douglas fir forests. General Technical Report, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station: Portland, 48p.
- Franklin, J.F., Shugart, H.H. and Harmon, M.E., 1987. Tree death as an ecological process. BioScience, 37(8): 550-556.‏
- Fridman, J. and Walheim, M., 2000. Amount, structure, and dynamics of dead wood on managed forestland in Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management, 131(1): 23-36.
- Gadow, K.V., Zhang, C.Y., Wehenkel, C., Pommerening, A., Corral-Rivas, J., Korol, M., Myklush, S., Hui, G.Y., Kiviste, A. and Zhao, X.H., 2012. Forest structure and diversity, 29-83. In: Pukkala, T. and Gadow, K.V. (Eds.). Continuous Cover Forestry. 2nd edition, Managing Forest Ecosystem 23. Springer, Dordrecht, 296p.
- Green, P. and Peterken, G.F., 1997. Variation in the amount of dead woodlands in the woodlands of the Lower Wye Valley, UK in relation to the intensity of management. Forest Ecology and Management, 98(3): 229-238.
- Harmon, M.E., Franklin, J.F., Swanson, F.J., Sollins, P., Gregory, S.V., Lattin, J.D., Anderson, N.H., Cline, S.P., Aumen, N.G., Sedell, J.R., Lienkaemper, G.W., Cromack, K. and Cummins, K.W., 1986. Ecology of Coarse Woody Debris in Temperate Ecosystems: Advances in Ecological Research, 302p.
- Harmon, M.E. and Sexton, J., 1996. Guidelines for measurements of woody detritus in forest ecosystems. US LTER Publication No. 20, University of Washington, College of Forest Resources, Seattle, 73p.
- Hassani, M. and Amani, M., 2009. Investigation on some qualitative and quantitative characteristics of oriental beech in the optimal phase (Case study: Sangdeh, Caspian forests of Iran). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 17(1): 134-148 (In Persian).
- Korpel, S., 1982. Degree of equilibrium and dynamic change of the forest an example of natural forest of Slovakia. Act Faculties, Forestails, Zvolen, Cezchoslovakia, 24: 9-30.
- Korpel, S., 1995. Die Urwälder der Westkarpaten. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 310p.
- Larsson , S. and Danell, K., 2001. Science and the management of boreal forest biodiversity. Scandinavian Journal Forest Research, 16(3): 5-9.
- Lombardi, F., Lasserre, B., Tognetti, R. and Marchetti, M., 2008. Deadwood in relation to stand management and forest type in Central Apennines (Molise, Italy). Ecosystems, 11(6): 882-894.
- Mackensen, J., Bauhus, J. and Webber, E. 2003. Decomposition rates of coarse woody debris- a review with particular emphasis on Australian tree species. Australian Journal of Botany, 51(1): 27-37.
- Mattaji, A. and Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., 2007. Development stages and dynamic of two oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) communities at natural forests of Kheiroudkenar- Nowshahr. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(4): 398-415 (In Persian).
- McFee, W.W. and Stone, E.L., 1966. The persistence of decaying wood in the humus layers of northern forests. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 30: 513-516.
- Moridi, M., Etemad, V., Sefidi, K., Namiranian, M. and Sadeghi, S.M.M., 2015. Mortality of trees in the stem exclusion phase over the beech stand development. Journal of Forest and Wood Product, (In Persian).
- 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.
- Parhizkar, P., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Mattaji, A., Namiranian, M., Hasani, M. and Mortazavi, M., 2011. Tree and regeneration conditions within development stages in Kelardasht beech forest (Case study: Reserve area-Langa). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(3): 234-240 (In Persian).
- Ranius, T., Ekvall, H., Jonsson, M. and Bostedt, G., 2005. Cost-efficiency of measures to increase the amount of coarse woody debris in managed Norway spruce forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 206(1): 119-133.
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., 2014. Appropriate characteristics of beech stands for application of close to nature Silviculture (selection system). Final Report of Research Project, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, 123p (In Persian).
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Delfan-Abazari, B. and Namiranian, M., 2005. Regeneration process in natural uneven-aged Caspian beech forests of Iran. Swiss Forestry Journal, 156(12): 477-480.
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Mattaji, A. and Zahedi-Amiri, Gh., 2004. Stand structure and development stages in two different forest communities of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) in northern Iran. In: Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Madsen, P. and Terazawa (Eds.) Improvement and Silviculture of Beech. Proceedings from the 7th International Symposium, IUFRO Research Group 1.10.00. Tehran, Iran, May 10-20. 2007: 101-104.
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Mirkazemi, Z., Akhavan, R., Karimidoost, A., Maghsoudloo, M.K. and Moghadasi, D., 2012. Some structural characteristics in the far east border of the distribution of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) Stands. The 9th IUFRO International Beech Symposium, IUFRO Working Party Ecology and Silviculture of Beech, Germany, 12-17 Sep. 2012: 61-63.
- Sagheb‐Talebi, Kh. and Schütz, J.P., 2002. The structure of natural oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests in the Caspian region of Iran and potential for the application of the group selection system. Journal of Forestry Research, 75(4): 465-472.
- Sefidi, K. and Marvie-Mohadjer, M.R., 2009. Amount and quality of dead trees (snag and logs) in a mixed beech forest with different management histories. Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 62(2): 191-202 (In Persian).
- Sefidi, K. and Marvie-Mohadjer, M.R., 2010a. Characteristics of coarse woody debris in successional stages of natural beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests of Northern Iran. Journal of Forest Science, 56(1): 7-17.
- Sefidi, K. and Marvie-Mohadjer, M.R., 2010b. Snag dynamic in a mixed beech forest. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 18(4): 517-526 (In Persian).
- Siitonen, J., 2001. Forest management, coarse woody debris and saproxylic organisms: Fennoscandian boreal forests as an example. Ecological Bulletins, 49: 11-41.
- Swanson, F.J. and Lienkaemper, G.W., 1978. Physical consequences of large organic debris in Pacific Northwest streams. General Technical Report PNW-69, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station: Portland, 12p.
- Tinker, D.B. and Knight, D.H., 2001. Temporal and spatial dynamics of coarse woody debris in harvested and unharvested lodgepole pine forests. Ecological Modeling, 141(1): 125-149.
- Triska, F.J. and Cromack, K., 1980. The role of woody debris in forests and streams. Proceedings of the 40th Biology Colloquium. Oregon, USA, 15-22 Jun. 1979: 171-190.
- Yan, E.R, Wang, X.H., Huang, J.J., Zeng, F.R. and Gong, L., 2007. Long - lasting legacy of forest succession and forest management: Characteristics of coarse woody debris in an evergreen broad-leaved forest of Eastern China. Forest Ecology and Management, 252(1-3): 98-107.
- Zolfeghari, E., Marvie-Mohajer, M.R. and Namiranian, M., 2007. Impact of dead trees on natural regeneration in forest stands (Chelir district, Kheiroudkenar, Nowshahr). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(3): 234-240 (In Persian).
Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research
Volume 23, Issue 4
January 2016
Pages 647-659

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics