Box tree habitat investigation for lichen and herbaceous community after disturbance caused by box blight disease (Case study: Lesakoti Forest, Tonekabon)

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Prof., Faculty of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

3 Prof., Faculty of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch, Tehran., Iran

4 Assistant Prof., Faculty of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University, Chalus Branch, Chalus, Iran

Abstract

   This study aimed at evaluating the box tree habitat after the occurrence of box blight disease in Buxo-Fagtum orientalis (B) and reference pure Fagetum (S) stands in the district 3, Lesakoty catchment No. 36, southeast of Tonekabon in the Mazandaran Province. In each stand, 60 micro-plots with 25 m2 were established, in which the frequency of herbaceous species was recorded. For sampling lichens, 60 × 40 cm quadrats were used. Raw data obtained from the field were compared and analyzed using an independent t-test and CCA analysis. Results revealed that the Simpson species diversity (B = 0.813 ± 0.07, S = 0.649 ± 0.07) and Shannon-Wiener (B = 0.830 ± 0.05, S =0.577 ± 0.05) of herbaceous species were significantly higher in Buxo-Fagetum orientalis stand (p <0.05). In addition, the independent t-test for lichen species showed that Simpson species diversity (B = 0.477±0 0.03, S = 0.629 ± 0.03) and Shannon-Weiner (B=0.738 ± 0.06, S= 1.067± 0/06) inboxwood-beech stand was significantly lower than those in pure beech site (p <0.05). CCA results showed that the environmental conditions, as well as the variability of the presence and diversity of different species of lichens as forest ecosystem bio-indicators were changed, mainly due to the boxwood blight disease in boxwood-beech stand. Further, stand opening caused by disturbances and increase of light reaching the forest floor was identified as a key factor in changing the composition of herbaceous and lichen communities in Buxo-Fagetum orientalis stands.

Keywords

References

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