Investigation some of structure characteristics in Aras riparian forest stands

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, I. R. Iran

Abstract

Riparian forests in terms of plant communities, soil, topography and hydrological features are distinct from their adjacent areas. The aim of this research is to study some structural characteristics of Aras River riparian stand forests in Pars Abad Moghan region. For this purpose, 20 line samples (transect) with variable length perpendicular to the main axis of the Aras River within 200 meters interval, and to study regeneration on each line samples circular plots of 100 square meters at 50-meter intervals were established. In each transect, these characteristics for the trees that trunk or crown of them cut the sample line were measured: species type, trees distance from each other, diameter at breast height or DBH, crown diameter, origin (coppice or seedling), trees health, crown symmetry, tree tendency, buttress root presence and number of sprout. Also, regeneration of woody species were recorded in the relevant classes. Results showed that Populus caspica Bornm played the most important role in terms of abundance (i.e. 70.9%) in forest composition in the area. On the other hand, other species (Salix, Morus and Ficus) with 4.2%, had the lowest percentage of composition. DBH, height and crown percentage of trees have had significant changes in relation to the distance from the river. Also, there was a positive and significant correlation between distance from the river and crown percentage, seedling percentage and number of sprout. This study showed that riparian forests of Aras in Parsabad can be considered as uneven aged and irregular age.

Keywords

References

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Forest Research and Development
Volume 6, Issue 2
June 2020
Pages 277-293

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