Distribution of old trees and their ecological sites characteristics in the Mazandaran Province, Iran

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Assistant Prof., Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Mazandaran Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Sari, Iran

2 Senior Research Expert, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 Associate prof., Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Mazandaran Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Sari, Iran

4 Senior Research Expert, Mazandaran Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Iran

Abstract

      As part of project of identification and introducing old trees of Iran, this study was conducted to identify the old trees of the Mazandaran province and their ecological characteristics. Based on comprehensive field survey, 182 old trees were identified and recorded. Thirty three trees and shrub species were identified, among them chestnut-leaved oak (Quercus castaneifolia C. A. Mey.) with 30 trees was the most frequent species. Also, Siberian elm (Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.) Dipp.) with 29 trees and plane tree (Platanus orientalis L.) with 21 trees, followed by wild pear (Pyrus Boissieriana Buhse), ironwood (Parrotia persica (DC.) C. A. Mey.), false walnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Lam.) Spach), olive (Olea europaea L.), silk tree (Albizia julibrissin Durazz.) were the recorded species. The species of Quercus castaneifolia C. A. Mey. as the highest diameter and longest tree (60.4 m) in Iran was identified and its information was recorded. The long-lived trees were generally in sea side to 3000 m altitude. The most distribution was found in none slope and aspects (flat). Also the old trees had the most frequency in 400> m class. The highest mean diameter were in 400-1600 m and the highest crown area recorded at the slope range of 0 to 60%. The oldest tree in the province was estimated to be an 850-900 years old plane in Kinj, followed by an individual yew (Taxus baccata L.) of 400-450 years old in Gazo of Savadkouh, a juniper (Juniperus excels M. B.) with 850-950 years old in Babol, a Quercus castaneifolia with 550-600 years old in Bandpey of Babol, and a maple tree (Acer velutinum L.) of 650-700 years old in Tonekabon. The sites embracing the old trees included Sordar, Javaherdeh in Ramsar, Hassanabad in Chaloos, Kordmir of Chahardangeh-Sari, and Nour forest park, which should be specifically protected.

Keywords


- Ali-Ahmad Korori, S., Shirvany, A., Khoshnevis, M., Matinizadeh, M., Imani, G., Shabestani, Sh. and Valipour Kahroud, H., 2011. Yazd Provice's Long-Lived Trees. Niak Press, Tehran, 188p (In Persian).
- Azaryan, M., 2013. Relationship between silvicultural characteristics of old trees and site factors in Kheyrud Forest. MSc. thesis, Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 145p (In Persian).
- Azaryan, M., Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., Etemad, V., Shirvany, A. and Sadeghi, S.M.M., 2015. Morphological characteristics of old trees in hyrcanian forest (Case study: Pattom and Namkhaneh districts, Kheyrud). Journal of Forest and Wood Product, 68(1): 47-59 (In Persian).
- Barnes, B.V., Zak, D.R., Denton, S.R. and Spurr, S.H., 1998. Forest Ecology, 4th Edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 774p.
- Jonsson, M.T., Fraver, S and Jonsson, B.G., 2009. Forest history and the development of old-growth characteristics in fragmented boreal forests. Journal of Vegetation Science, 20: 91–106.
- Khoshnevis, M., 2015. Identification, introduction and study of habitat, reproduction and peparation of atlas of old Iranian trees in 15 provinces of the country and registration of these trees and introduction of these trees at national and global level. Final Report of Research Project, Published by Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands, Tehran, 187p (In Persian).
- Khoshnevis, M., Matinizadeh, M., Shirvany, A. and Teimouri, M., 2017. Iran, the treasure of long-lived trees. Journal of Iran Nature, 2(4): 42-55 (In Persian).
- Khoshnevis, M., Sadeghzade Hallaj, M.H., Matinizadeh, M., Ahmadi, Sh., Teimouri, M. and Shirvany, A., 2019. Long lived wild pistachio trees of Iran. Journal of Iran Nature, 4(2): 43-50 (In Persian).
- Lindenmayer, D.B., Laurance, W.F. and Franklin, J.F., 2012. Global decline in large old trees. Science, 338(6112): 1305-1306.
- Måren, I.E., Karki, S., Prajapati, C., Yadav, R.K. and Shrestha, B.B., 2015. Facing north or south: Does slope aspect impact forest stand characteristics and soil properties in a semiarid trans-Himalayan valley? Journal of Arid Environments, 121: 112-123.
- Maroufi, H., 2000. Site demands of Lebanon oak (Quercus libani Oliv.) in Kurdistan province. M.Sc. thesis, Imam Khomeini Higher Education Center, Karaj, 95p (In Persian).
- Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., 2011. Silviculture. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 418p (In Persian).
- Mayer, H., Zukrigl, K., Schrempf, W. and Schlagre, G., 1989. Urwaldreste, Naturwaldreservate und schutzenswerte Naturwalder in Osterreich, 2. Aufl. Institut fur Waldbau, Bodenkundliche Universitat, Wien, 971p (In German).
- Mirakhorlou, Kh. and Akhavan, R., 2017. Area changes of Hyrcanian Forests during 2004 to 2016. Journal of Iran Nature, 2(3): 40-45 (In Persian).
- Mossadegh, A., 2011. Silviculture. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 496p (In Persian).
- Mozaffarian, V., 2015. Trees and Shrubs of Iran. Farhang Moaser Publishers, Tehran, 1000p (In Persian).
- Parish, R. and Antos, J.A., 2006. Slow growth, long-lived trees, and minimal disturbance characterize the dynamic of an ancient, montane forest in coastal British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 36(11): 2826-2838.
- Pederson, N., 2010. External characteristics of old trees in the eastern deciduous forest. Natural Areas Journal, 30(4): 396-407.
- Punchi-Manage, R., Wiegand, T., Wiegand, K., Getzin, S., Huth, A., Gunatilleke, C.V.S. and Gunatilleke, I.A.U., 2015. Neighborhood diversity of large trees shows independent species patterns in a mixed dipterocarp forest in Sri Lanka. Ecology, 96(7): 1823-1834.
- Ranius, T., Niklasson, M. and Berg, N., 2009. Development of tree hollows in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). Forest Ecology and Management, 257(1): 303-310.
- Rezaei, S.A., 2012. The Feature of Natural Resources and Watersheds of Iran. Pouneh Publication, Tehran, 304p (In Persian).
- Sabeti, H., 2016. Forest, Trees and Shrubs of Iran. Published by University of Yazd, Yazd, 854p (In Persian).
- Seyed Akhlaghi, S.J., 2010. Study of people motivations for some trees protection in Gilan province. Final Report of Research Project, Published by Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands, Tehran, 65p (In Persian).
- Spies, T.A. and Franklin, J.F., 1996. The diversity and maintenance of old-growth forests: 296-314. In: Szaro, R.C. and Johnston, D.W. (Eds.). Biodiversity in Managed Landscapes: Theory and Practice. Oxford University Press, New York, 778p.