Analyzing the effect of clustered spatial distribution of mount Atlas mastic (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) trees on their biometric characteristics using mark-correlation function in Baneh Research Forest, Fars province

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Associate Prof., Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

The spatial distribution analysis of trees in arid and semi-arid regions presents valuable information about their interactions and impacts on one another. This study was aimed to investigate how biometric characteristics of mount Atlas mastic (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) are influenced by their clustered spatial distribution in Zagros vegetation zone. For this purpose, a part of Wild Pistachio Research Site, Fars province, was selected and in addition to registering the position of all trees with > 2.5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH), DBH, height, and crown area of each tree were measured. Wild pistachio trees with DBH > 10 cm and < 10 cm were classified as adult and sapling, respectively. To achieve the aims of study, univariate and bivariate forms of mark variogram and mark-correlation function (γ(r), kmm(r), γm1m2(r) and km1m2(r), respectively) were applied. The observed pattern of wild pistachio trees showed significant spatial heterogeneity as compared to homogeneous Poisson process (α=0.05). This heterogeneity was caused by unfavorable environmental conditions of study area. The results of univariate and bivariate γ(r) and kmm(r) showed that DBH, height, and crown area of wild pistachio trees located at three meter distance from each other were less than overall average. Moreover, the results showed that investigated biometric characteristics of wild pistachio saplings that wild pistachio adults were located up to three meter distance from them were less than overall average. In general, it was concluded that aggregation of wild pistachio trees because of environmental heterogeneity negatively influenced their biometric characteristics and prevented their increase.

Keywords


- Alavi, J., Zahedi Amiri, G., Nouri, Z. and Mohajer, M.R., 2014. Application of Ripley’s K-function in detecting spatial pattern of Wych Elm species in Kheyroud forests, North of Iran. Journal of Wood and Forest Science and Technology, 20: 21-39 (In Persian).
- Basiri, R., Sohrabi, H. and Mozayen, M., 2006. A statistical analysis of the spatial pattern of trees species in Ghamisheleh Marivan region, Iran. Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 59(2): 579-588 (In Persian).
- Biabani, K., Pilevar, B. and Safari, A., 2016. Comparison of spatial patterns and interspecific association of Gall oak (Quercus infectoria) and Lebanon oak (Q. libani) in two less degraded and degraded oak stands in northern Zagros (Case study: Khedr Abad, Sardasht). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 24(1): 77-88 (In Persian).
- Cisz, M.E., Falkowski, M.J. and Orr, B., 2013. Small-scale spatial patterns of Copernicia alba Morong near Bahia Negra, Paraguay. Natural Resources, 4(5): 369-377.
- Clyatt, K.A., Crotteau, J.S., Schaedel, M.S., Wiggins, H.L., Kelley, H., Churchill, D.J. and Larson, A.J., 2016. Historical spatial patterns and contemporary tree mortality in dry mixed-conifer forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 361: 23-37.
- Dale, M.R., 2004. Spatial Pattern Analysis in Plant Ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 326p.
- Daryaei, M.G., Hoseini, S.K., Taheri, J. and Mazbani, A., 2012. Effect of morphological variables of Pistacia atlantica on gum and seed production. Iranian Journal of Biology, 25(2): 303-315 (In Persian).
- Diggle, P.J., 2003. Statistical Analysis of Spatial Point Patterns. Hodder Education, London, 159p.
- Erfanifard, Y. and Khosravi, E., 2015. Evaluating the intraspecific interactions of Eshnan (Seidlitzia rosmarinus) shrubs in arid lands by point pattern analysis (Case study: Qehi protected area, Isfahan province). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 23(2): 354-367 (In Persian).
- Erfanifard, Y. and Mahdian, F., 2012. Comparative investigation on the methods of true spatial pattern analysis of trees in forests, case study: wild Pistachio research forest, Fars province. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 20(1): 62-73 (In Persian).
- Erfanifard, Y. and Rezayan, F., 2014. Suitable methods in spatial pattern analysis of heterogeneous wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) woodlands in Zagros, Iran. Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology, 9: 81-91 (In Persian).
- Getzin, S., Wiegand, T. and Hubble, P., 2014. Stochastically driven adult-recruit associations of tree species on Barro Colorado Island. Proceedings of the Royal Society, 281: 20140922.
- Grabarnik, P., Myllymäki, M. and Stoyan, D., 2011. Correct testing of mark independence for marked point patterns. Ecological Modeling, 222: 3888-3894.
- Illian, J., Penttinen, A., Stoyan, H. and Stoyan, D., 2008. Statistical Analysis and Modelling of Spatial Point Patterns. John Wiley & Sons, London, 534p.
- Karimi, M., Pormajidian, M.R., Jalilvand, H. and Safari, A., 2012. Preliminary study for application of O-ring function in determination of small-scale spatial pattern and interaction species (Case study: Bayangan forests, Kermanshah). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 20(4): 608-621 (In Persian).
- Law, R., Illian, J., Burslem, D.F.R.P., Gratzer, G., Gunatilleke, C.V.S. and Gunatilleke, I.A.U.N., 2009. Ecological information from spatial patterns of plants: insights from point process theory. Journal of Ecology, 97: 616-628.
- Ledo, A., Canellas, I., Barbeito, I., Gordo, F., Calama, R. and Gea, G., 2014. Species coexistence in a mixed Mediterranean pine forest: Spatio-temporal variability in trade-offs between facilitation and competition. Forest Ecology and Management, 322: 89-97.
- Martinez, I., Taboada, F.G., Wiegand, T. and Obeso, J.R., 2013. Spatial patterns of seedling-adult associations in a temperate forest community. Forest Ecology and Management, 296: 74-80.
- Nguyen, H.H., Uria‐Diez, J. and Wiegand, K., 2016. Spatial distribution and association patterns in a tropical evergreen broad‐leaved forest of north‐central Vietnam. Journal of Vegetation Science, 27: 318-327.
- Ni, R., Baiketuerhan, Y., Zhang, C., Zhao, X. and von Gadow, K., 2014. Analyzing structural diversity in two temperate forests in northeastern China. Forest Ecology and Management, 316: 139-147.
- Pourhashemi, M., Mansouri, F., Parhizkar, P., Panahi, P. and Hassani, M., 2014. Spatial pattern of sprout-clumps of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii) in utilized forest stands of Marivan. Iranian Journal of Plant Researches, 27: 534-543 (In Persian).
- Pourreza, M., Hossein, S.M. and Zohrevandi, A.A., 2012. Spatial variations of diameter of Pistacia atlantica trees in Zagros area (Case study: Pirkashan, Kermanshah). Journal of Wood and Forest Science and Technology, 19: 1-19 (In Persian).
- Safari, A., Heidari, R.H., Shabanian, N. and Karimi, M., 2014. An investigation of spatial pattern in Pistacia atlantica stands by angular method in Javanroud region of Kermanshah. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 22(2): 347-357 (In Persian).
- Safari, A., Shabanian, N., Erfanifard, Y., Heidari, R. and Purreza, M., 2010. Investigation of spatial pattern of wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) (Case study: Bayangan forests, Kermanshah). Iranian Journal of Forest, 2(2): 177-185 (In Persian).
- Sohrabi, H., 2014. Spatial pattern of woody species in Chartagh forest reserve, Ardal. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 22(1): 27-38 (In Persian).