International journal of Agronomy and Production. Vol., 4 (3), 530-536, 2013 Available online at http:// www.ijappjournal.com ISSN 2051-1914 ©2013 VictorQuest Publications

Evaluation of survival and growth of coniferous species plantation in Hyrcanian , North of Iran

Farzam Tavankar1* and Afraz Iranparast Bodaghi2

1- Department of Forestry, Khalkhal Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khalkhal, Iran 2- M.Sc. in Forestry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

*Corresponding Author: Farzam Tavankar

Abstract

Forest plantations can help to reduce logging pressure on natural ecosystems. In this research survival and growth of two exotic coniferous species (Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana) that planted in 1962 were evaluated in Hyrcanian forest in North of Iran. The results showed survival rate of in Picea abies plantation was 44.5% and in Abies nordmanniana was 35.6%. Also growth characteristics (diameter, height and basal area) of picea abies plantation were higher than Abies nordmanniana plantation. The mean of diameter at breast height (DBH) in Picea abies plantation (37.3 cm) was significantly higher than DBH of Abies nordmanniana (33.2 cm). The mean of height in Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantation were measured 24.2 and 19.4 m. Stand volume in Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantation sites were calculated 289.8 and 212.9 m3/ha and had a significantly differences (p<0.01). These results indicated survival rate and growth of these plantations is high and are suitable for timber production purposes in this region.

Keywords: coniferous species, growth, Plantation, stand volume, survival.

Introduction

The country of Iran features three main climatic zones: Arid and semi-arid regions, with an annual precipitation rate of 30 mm to 250 mm in central and southern zone (covering nearly 90% of the country), Mediterranean climate with annual rainfall between 250 mm and 600 mm, mainly in the western Zagros mountains, the high plateau of Azerbaijan, and the Alborz mountains (covering about 5% of the land surface) and Humid and semi-humid regions, with an annual precipitation rate of 600 mm to 2000 mm mainly in the south of Caspian sea, but also in west Arasbaran province (covering about 5% of the land surface). The ecological region of Caspian Sea called Hyrcanian zone. Today forest areas cover some 12.4 million ha, about 7.5% of the area of the country (Mossadegh, 1996; Marvi Mohadjer, 2005; Heshmati, 2007). Hyrcanian forests cover 1.8 million ha of land area and are none commercial forests of Iran. Approximately 60 percent of these forests are used for commercial purposes and the rest of them are degraded. The Hyrcanian forests are extended at the altitude of a maximum of 2800 m from sea level and have an uneven topography and very steep slopes. They are suitable habitats for a variety of hardwood species such as beech, hornbeam, oak, maple, alder, and encompass various forest types including 80 woody species. These forests are known as one of the most basic resources for production and have a big share in supplying wood to the related industries (Mossadegh, 1996). Annual removal in managed areas of Hyrcanian forests (1.2 million ha) is around 1 million m3 per year (Hosseini, 2010). Iran is among wood importer countries which has enhanced import volume to support its forests. Today, the forests are depleting rapidly due to population growth, and associated socio-economic problems, industrial development, urbanism, and more recently intensive irregular tourism (Poorzady and Bakhtiari, 2009). Some coniferous species are planted in Hyrcanian forests of Iran. The potential for forest plantations to partially meet demand for wood and fibre for industrial uses is increasing. Norway spruce (Picea Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 4 (3), 530-536, 2013

abies) and Nordmann (Abies nordmanniana) are tow exotic species that planted in mountainous area of Hyrcanian forests in small zone for experimental aims. Norway spruce (Picea abies) is native to the European Alps, the Balkan Mountains and the Carpathians. Norway spruce (Picea abies) is an introduced evergreen tree. In central , heights of up to 61 m have been reported. The range is usually between 30 and 61 m. The bole is usually straight and symmetrical, with no tendency to fork (Safford, 1974; Tjoelker et al, 2007). Also, Abies nordmanniana, the Nordmann Fir, is a fir native to the mountains west and east of the , in , , Russian and northern parts of Armenia. It occurs at altitudes of 900-2,200 m on mountains with a rainfall of over 1,000 mm. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 60 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m (Warren and Johnson, 1988). The selection of suitable species for specific growing conditions is important in maximizing the productivity and quality of a plantation. The aim of this research was evaluation growth and survival rate of these exotic coniferous species plantation in the mountainous area of Hyrcanian forests in the North of Iran.

Material and Methods

Study area This study was carried out in Guilan province in the North of Iran (Fig. 1). The trees of Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana were planted in different sites in 1962. The geographical characteristics of three plantation sites are given in table 1.

Figure 1. Study area in the north of Iran

Table 1. The geographical characteristics of two plantations in the Hyrcanian forest Species of plantation Altitude (m) Plantation area (ha) Slope aspect Slope percent (%) Picea abies 1350 1.7 North 25 Abies nordmanniana 1430 0.8 North 35

The mean annual precipitation was approximately 950 mm and the mean annual temperature was 9.1ο C. The plantation density was 2500 stem per ha (2 m × 2 m spaces) and thinning operation was carried out in 1988 in two sites.

Methods Systematic sample plots were used to collection of data. On each plantation sites 10 sample plots with an area of 100 m2 (10 m × 10 m) with 30 m distances were layout systematically. Then tree height (H), diameter at

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breast height (DBH), Crown length (CL) and crown diameter (CD) were measured for all of the trees in each plot. Also survival rate (%) and basal area (BA) was calculated for each plot. The basal area for each tree was calculated using equation 1(Cerchiaro, 2003): BA= 0.785 × DBH2 (1) Where BA is basal area (cm2) and DBH is diameter at breast height (cm). Individual tree volume was calculated using the equation 2 (Bonyad, 2006): V = G × H × F (2) Where V is Individual tree volume (m3), G is basal area at breast height (m2), H is total tree height (m) and F is form factor that was calculated using equation 3:

2 2 F = (d0.5) / (d1.3) (3) Where F is form factor, d0.5 is the diameter at the half total height and d1.3 is diameter at breast height (Bonyad and Rostami shahraji, 2005). Independent samples t test were used to compare survival rate, diameter, height, basal area and volume of trees in experimental sites by SPSS 19.0 statistical software.

Results and Discussion

The results showed survival rate of trees was higher in Picea abies plantation than Abies nordmanniana plantation (Fig 2a). The survival rate of trees in Picea abies plantation was 44.5% and in Abies nordmanniana was 35.6%. There were significantly differences between means of survival rates in two plantations (df=18, t=2.68, p=0.01). Farrokhnia et al., (2006) in Hamadan province (1770 m from sea level and 370 mm annual precipitation), reported that survival rate of Picea abies after 4 years of plantation was 33 to 40%. Hannerz and Wilhelmsson (1998) in central Sweden reported that survival rate of Picea abies after 14 years of plantation was 79%. The mean of diameter at breast height (DBH) in Picea abies plantation (37.3±2.64 cm) was significantly higher than DBH of Abies nordmanniana (33.2±2.51 cm) plantation (df=18, t=2.31, p=0.03, Fig. 2b).

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Figure 2. Means and comparison of survival rate, DBH, height and basal area in two P. abies and A. nordmanniana plantation

The mean of tree height in Picea abies plantation (24.2 m) was significantly higher than tree height of Abies nordmanniana (19.4 m) plantation (df=18, t=4.03, p=0.00, Fig. 2c). The mean of basal area in Picea abies plantation (31.7±2.22 m2/ha) was significantly higher than basal area of Abies nordmanniana (23.5±1.80 m2/ha) plantation (df=18, t=4.75, p=0.00, Fig. 2d). In this research length and diameter of tree crowns were measured and compared in two plantation sites (Table 2). Results showed the mean of trees crown diameter in Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantation were 3.5 m and 3.0 m that had a significantly differences at α=0.05 level. Also, the mean of trees crown length was higher in Picea abies plantation than Abies nordmanniana plantation (6.1 m and 5.2 m) and had a significantly differences at α=0.01 level (Table 2).

Table 2. Mean (±SE) of diameter and length of trees crown in two plantation sites Tree crown Plantation Diameter (m) Length (m) sites t p-value t p-value Picea abies 3.5±0.13 6.1±0.14 2.89 0.01 4.25 0.00 Abies nordmanniana 3.0±0.11 5.2±0.15

Stand volume in Picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantation sites were calculated 289.8 and 212.9 m3/ha and had a significantly differences at α=0.01 level (t=9.7>p=0.00, Fig 3). Plantations can provide significant economic, environmental and social benefits (Solberg, 1996). Environmental benefits are harder to quantify. In the study area picea abies and Abies nordmanniana were planted in small zone in the year of 1962 to experiment of survival and growth of these coniferous species. Forest plantations may help reduce logging pressure on natural forests in areas in which unsustainable harvesting of wood is a major cause of forest degradation and where logging roads facilitate access that may lead to deforestation (Carle, et al., 2002). Forest plantations in New Zealand met 99% of the country's needs for industrial round wood in 1997 (Carle, et al., 2002).

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Figure 3. Stand volume in two plantation sites

In the north of Iran, Caspian forests have been under continuous degradation over the last few decades and there is an urgent need to maintain the functions of this unique forest ecosystem (Haghdoost, et al., 2012). Caspian forests in the north of Iran are known as one of the most basic resources for wood production and have a big share in supplying wood to the related industries. Commercial logging in these forests is accomplished within the legal framework of forestry management plan and annual removal is around 1 million m3 per year. This amount is not sufficient for needs of internal wood industries and predicted in future years to increase imports of wood (Bayat Kashkooli, et al., 2008). The results of this study showed that survival rate and growth of picea abies plantation was higher than Abies nordmanniana plantation. Where, survival rate and growth of native species are more than these species. Plantations of native species, in particular, can help achieve conservation goals and protect core conservation areas. The growth rate or mean annual increment, of a specific tree species on a specific site is critical in determining its suitability as a plantation species. Intensive management of plantations also allows the use of additional technologies to increase forest production. In the first few years after planting, weeds seem to reduce the availability of water and nutrients in particular for trees (Nilsson and Orlander 1999). Forest promotion of the Caspian region is of high importance because of wood production, protection of biological diversity and soil and water conservation in watershed basins. One of the ways to promote forest resources in Iran is to plant multipurpose tree species. Evans (1997) shows that plantation forestry is sustainable in terms of wood yield in most situations, if plantation managers maintain good management practices. Through improved management techniques and the selection of appropriate species matched to the site, there is scope to further increase the productivity of plantations.

Conclusion

Iran is one of the low forest cover countries. Therefore, the main objective of forest policy is to protect forests in natural ecosystem. Iran is an importer of wood. One of forest strategies in Iran is to conserve biological diversity. In the Caspian region forest policy aims at forest promotion. Plantations are playing an increasingly important role in meeting the world’s growing requirements for wood and non wood forest products (Jaakko Pöyry, 1999). The development and successfully of forest plantation depends on suitability of land, careful site and species selection, good management and silvicultural techniques. Not all forest plantation development has positive economic, environmental, social or cultural impacts. There is a need to integrate strategies for tree improvement programs, nursery practices, site and species matching, appropriate silviculture (site preparation, establishment, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, thinning) and forest protection (Curt et al., 2001; Callesen et al., 2006; Bonyad, 2006; Huuskonen and Hynynen, 2006; Malik et al., 2008; Uotila et al., 2012). In this research survival rate and growth characteristics of two exotic coniferous species plantation (picea abies and Abies nordmanniana) were investigated in the Hyrcanian forests in North of Iran that these trees were planted in year

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of 1962. The results showed survival rate of picea abies and Abies nordmanniana was 44.5% and 35.6%. Also stand volume after 50 years in picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantations were 289.8 and 212.9 m3/ha. These results indicated that the survival rate and growth of picea abies and Abies nordmanniana plantations are low in mountainous areas of Hyrcanian forests. Thus, on the base of the results of this study, plantation with species of picea abies and Abies nordmanniana were not suitable for wood production in these regions and further researches will be helpful to find the best area for establishment of this species. FAO is assisting developing countries to establish and manage forest plantations according to sustainable forest management principles and practices and maximize environmental benefits (Carle, et al., 2002). The control of water runoff and soil erosion, protection of species diversity and wildlife habitats are other aims of forest plantation with timber production. In the study area species and density of understory were very poor and not found any cavities on standing or downed trees. These results indicated that plantation with picea abies and Abies nordmanniana species are suitable for timber production in this region.

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