Evaluating the shelterwood harvesting system after 25 years in a beech Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in Iran

Abstract

Beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) is the most industrial commercial tree species among more than 80 broadleaved trees and shrubs in Hyrcanian forests. In this study some of the silvicultural properties of beech were studied under a shelterwood cutting system in a regeneration unit of 25 years old stand in Sangdeh forests of Iran. Tree height, diameter, canopy cover, variety of species, frequency at different stages of growth (seedling, sapling, thicket and pole) and tree density at juvenile phase were recorded in 431 circular 1,000 m 2 sample plots before and after shelterwood cutting. Results indicated that tree density in the diameter at breast height (dbh) class of < 20 cm increased during shelterwood cutting. Canopy cover of regeneration unit was 78.5% in 1957, while in 2000 and after the shelterwood cutting it reached 59%. Growing stages of regeneration were 14% sapling, 21% thicket, 24% small pole and 41% pole. The shelterwood method has not been very successful in our study area due to a number of technical and potential problems.

Effect of shelterwood cutting method on forest regeneration and stand structure in a Hyrcanian forest ecosystem

“…So, the shelterwood cutting system seems to be an option for maintaining plant species diversity after logging. Similar findings have been reported for Fagus orientalis Lipsky in Sangdeh forests of Iran (Pourmajidian et al 2009). Decrease of frequency for some shade tolerance species such as Hedera pastuchovii Woron.ex.…”

“…Seedling competition with ferns and grasses to access light and nutrients has been a problem following shelterwood cutting in many European and American countries (Loftis 1990;Brose and Van Lear 1998). During shelterwood cutting in north of Iran, technical deficiency in performing secondary light felling has been caused invasion of berry (Rubus fructicosus) and fern (Petridium aquilinum) into gaps (Habashi et al 2007;Pourmajidian et al 2009). …”

“…Despite many studies have focused on the changes of natural regeneration in understory plants from the canopy structure of beech, spruce and oak forest by shelterwood cutting (Loftis 1990;Agestam et al 2003;Souček 2007;Poorbabaei and Poor-rostam 2009;Pourmajidian et al 2009), the role of this system on regeneration and stand structure of beech forests in Middle East deciduous temperate zone such as Hyrcanian forests is not fully understood. Moreover, evaluating the effectiveness of shelterwood cutting from the perspective of silviculture is especially important to determine the type and time of improvement and tending operations.…”

Plant diversity in natural forest of Guilan Rural Heritage Museum in Iran

“…In this method, the sampling network size was 100×200 m. The distances between sampling strips were 200 m and the distances between circular plots on strips were 100 m. Then, start point was randomly selected and the sampling network was systematically located on the map (Poorbabaei et al 2008;Pourmajidian et al 2009;Poorbabaei and Poorrostam 2009;Shafiei et al 2010). Totally, 89 sampling plots were taken.…”

“…Totally, 89 sampling plots were taken. Data was collected to the class of tree (≥10 cm dbh) and shrub layers (number of individual) in 1000 m 2 circular plots (Zobeiry 2005;Pourmajidian et al 2009;Shafiei et al 2010). In the center of these plots, the cover percentage of herbaceous species, including herbs, ferns and mosses, was estimated using Domin criterion by minimal area method with 32 m 2 areas.…”