Response of Gall oak (Quercus infectoria Oliv.) to pollarding in northern Zagros

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

2 Assistant Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

3 Assistant Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the response of Gall oak (Quercus infectoria Oliv.) to pollarding. Therefore, a less-disturbed stand (1.4 ha) and a pollarded stand (1.7 ha) were selected. Five rectangular plots (20×30 m) were established in each selected stand by random sampling. In each plot, tree species, diameter at breast height (DBH), total height, trunk height and crown diameter for all trees (DBH ≥ 5 cm) were recorded. In addition, 18 tree samples were taken in each studied stands to assess the diameter increment of Gall oak. A pair of increment cores per sample tree was taken 50 cm above ground level, in which annual radial increment was measured and further multiplied by 2 to derive the annual diameter increment. Then, the diameter increment distribution of Gall oak trees in identical diameter classes was determined for the period of 1984-2010. The mean radial increment of two cores extracted from each sample tree was used in the calculations. The results showed that the average diameters, total height, trunk height, crown height and crown area were significantly lower (p < 0.01) in pollarded stands. Moreover, the averagee diameter increment in less disturbed and pollarded stands was estimated 1.32 and 2.08 mm per year, respectively. The results indicated that average diameter increment of Gall oak trees across he identical diameter classes during the studied period was significantly different between the examined stands.
 

Keywords


- Abbasi, L., Shakeri Z., Shabanian N. and Bahari M., 2015. Pollarding effects on Lebanon oak (Quercus libani Oliv.) leaf properties in Baneh forests. Iranian Journal of Forest, 1(7):87-97 (In Persian).
- Abdollahpour, J., 2005. Investigation and comparison of diameter growth of natural and harvested forest stands in Nejo, Baneh. M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, 96p (In Persian).
- Abedini, R., Pourtahmasi, K., Ghazanfari, H. and Karimi, A.N., 2010. Effect of sever lopping on radial growth of Lebanon oak (Quercus libani Oliv.) trees in Baneh adjacent forests. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 18(4): 556-568 (In Persian).
- Anonymous, 2005. Multipurpose forest management plan: emphasis on organizing and management of pollarding in Armardeh, West of Iran. Published by Center of Research and Development on Forest Management in Northern Zagros, University of Kurdistan, Baneh, 70p (In Persian).
- Barnes, B.V., Zak, D.R., Denton, S.R. and Spurr, S.H., 1997. Forest Ecology. John Wiley & Sons Inc, USA, 774p.
- Ferrini, F., 2006. Pollarding and its effects on tree physiology: A look to mature and senescent tree management in Italy. Colloque Européen Sur Les Trognes, 26:1-8.
- Ghalavand, E., 2014. Study and comparison of biometrical indices of Lebanon oak (Quercus libani Oliv.) in traditionally managed (pollarded) and less-disturbed stands. M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 70p (In Persian).
- Ghazanfari, H., Namiranian, M., Sobhani, H., Marvi Mohajer, M.R. and Pourtahmasi, K., 2003. An estimation of tree diameter growth of Lebanon oak (Quercus libani) in northern Zagros forests (Case study: Havareh Khol). Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 57(4): 649- 662 (In Persian).
- Gill, D.S., Amthor, J.S. and Bormann, F.H., 1998. Leaf phenology, photosynthesis, and the persistence of saplings and shrubs in a mature northern hardwood forest. Tree Physiology, 18:281-289.
- Glatzel, G. and Geils, B.W., 2008. Mistletoe ecophysiology: Host-parasite interactions. Botany, 87:10-15.
- Grissino-Mayer, H.D., 2003. A manual and tutorial for the proper use of an increment borer. Tree-Ring Research, 59:63-79.
- Heidari, B., 2005. Study of forest structure in natural and degraded stands in Baneh.M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Mazandaran, Sari, 75p (In Persian).
- Hodgkinson, K.C., 1974. Influence of partial defoliation on photosynthesis, photorespiration and transpiration by lucerne leaves of different ages. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 1: 561-578.
- Jazirehi, M.H. and Ebrahimi Rostaghi, M., 2003. Silviculture in Zagros. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 560p (In Persian).
-Khosravi, S., Namiranian, M., Ghazanfari H. and Shirvani, A., 2012. Estimation of leaf area index and assessment of its allometric equations in oak forests: Northern Zagros, Iran. Journal of Forest Science, 58 (3): 116-122.
-Pinkard, E.A., Battaglia, M., Beadle, C.L. and Sands, P.J., 1999. Modeling the effect of physiological responses to green pruning on net biomass production of Eucalyptus nitens. Tree Physiology, 19: 1-12.
-Pinkard, E.A. and Beadle, C.L., 1998. Above-ground biomass partitioning and crown architecture of Eucalyptus nitens following green pruning. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 28: 1419-1428.
-Plauborg, K.U., 2004. Analysis of radial growth responses to changes in stand density for four tree species. Forest Ecology and Management, 188: 65-75.
-Ranjbar, A., Ghahramany, L. and Pourhashemi, M., 2012. Impact assessment of pollarding on biometrical indices of Lebanon oak (QuercuslibaniOliv.) in Belake forests, Baneh. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 20(4): 578-594 (In Persian).
- Salehian, M., 2009. Comparison of forest structure utilized by traditional method with less-disturbed forest stands in northern Zagros (Case study: Baneh, western Iran). M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 84p (In Persian).
- Schulze, E.D., Turner, N.C. and Glatzel, G., 1984. Carbon, water and nutrient relations of two mistletoes and their hosts: A hypothesis. Plant, Cell & Environment, 7:293-299.
- Shakeri, Z., 2006. Ecological and silvicultural effects of pollarding on oak forests of Baneh. M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 62p (In Persian).
-Uzoh, F. C.C.; Dolph, K. L.; Anstead, J. R. 1998. Periodic annual diameter increment after overstory removal in mixed conifer stands. Res. Paper PSW-RP-238. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, USDA, 22p.
- Valipour, A., 2013. Development of a management model for improving oak forest structure (The case of Armardeh, northern Zagros of Iran). Ph.D. thesis, University of Tehran, Karaj, 130p (In Persian).
-Valipour, A., Plieninger, T., Shakeri, Z., Ghazanfari, H., Namiranian, M. and Lexer, M.J., 2014. Traditional silvopastoral management and its effects on forest stand structure in northern Zagros, Iran. Forest Ecology and Management, 327: 221-237.
-Verbyla, D.L. and Fisher, R.F., 1989. Effect of aspect on ponderosa pine height and diameter growth. Forest Ecology and Management, 27: 93-98.
-Vidal Ruiz, E., 1986. An algorithm for finding nearest neighbours in (Approximately) constant average time. Pattern Recognition Letters, 4:145-157.