J. For. Sci., 2009, 55(8):387-394 | DOI: 10.17221/40/2008-JFS

The effect of shelterwood silvicultural method on the plant species diversity in a beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in the north of Iran

H. Poorbabaei1, A. Poor-Rostam2
1 Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Someasara, Iran
2 Natural Resources Service of Siahkal, University of Guilan, Guilan, Iran

To clarify the effect of shelterwood silvicultural method on the diversity of plant species in a beech (Fagus orientalis) forest in the north of Iran, we compared the plant species diversity in three compartments (treatments) where regeneration cuttings were performed with that in a primary compartment. The sampling procedure was a systematic random method and the tree, tree regeneration, shrub and herbaceous species were identified and measured within sampling plots. Results indicated that the mean tree richness in compartment No. 1 (only with one seed cutting) was higher than in the other compartments. The mean richness of understorey species in compartment No. 4 (with all regeneration cuttings) was higher than in the other compartments. The mean evenness (EVar) of tree species in compartment No. 4 was higher than in the other compartments. The mean evenness of understorey species in compartment No. 1 was higher than in the other compartments. The mean tree diversities (i.e. 1-D, N2, H´ and N1) in compartment No. 1 were higher than in the other compartments. In addition, the mean diversities of understorey species in compartment No. 1 were higher than in the other compartments.

Keywords: beech forest; shelterwood method; plant diversity; systematic random method

Published: August 31, 2009  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Poorbabaei H, Poor-Rostam A. The effect of shelterwood silvicultural method on the plant species diversity in a beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in the north of Iran. J. For. Sci. 2009;55(8):387-394. doi: 10.17221/40/2008-JFS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. ATLEGRIM O., SJOBERG K., 2004. Selective felling as a potential tool for maintaining biodiversity in managed forests. Conservation Biology, 13: 1123-1133. Go to original source...
    2. BATTLES J.J., SHLISKY A.J., BARRETT R.H., HEALD R.C., ALLEN-DIAZ B.H., 2001. The effects of forest management on plant species diversity in a Sierran conifer forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 146: 211-222. Go to original source...
    3. BREDENKAMP G.J., 1986. Ecological profiles of potential bush encroacher species in the Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa. Journal of Botany, 52: 53-59. Go to original source...
    4. BROCKWAY D.G., 1998. Forest plant diversity at local and landscape scales in the Cascade Mountains of southwestern Washington. Forest Ecology and Management, 109: 323-341. Go to original source...
    5. DEAL L.R., 2001. The effects of partial cutting on forest plant communities of western hemlock - Sitka spruce stands in southeast Alaska. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 31: 2067-2079. Go to original source...
    6. DUFFY D.C., MEIER A.J., 1992. Do Appalachian herbaceous understories ever recover from clearcutting? Biological Conservation, 6: 196-201. Go to original source...
    7. ELLIOTT K.J., LOFTIS D.L., 1993. Vegetation diversity after logging in the southern Appalachians. Biological Conservation, 7: 220-221. Go to original source...
    8. FORESTS AND RANGELANDS ORGANIZATION OF IRAN, 1994. Forestry plan of district No. 6 of Shenrood. Natural Resources Department: 80. (In Persian)
    9. FULS E.R., BREDENKAMP G.J., VAN R., THERON G.K., 1993. The physical environment and major plant communities of the Heilborn-Lindley-Earden-Villiers area, northern Orange Free State, South Africa. Journal of Botany, 59: 345-359. Go to original source...
    10. GILLIAM F.S., TURRILL N.L., ADAMS M.B., 1995. Herbaceous-layer and overstory species in clear-cut and mature central Appalachian hardwood forests. Ecological Applications, 5: 947-955. Go to original source...
    11. HANNERZ M., HÅNELL B., 1997. Effects on the flora in Norway spruce forests following clearcutting and shelterwood cutting. Forest Ecology and Management, 90: 29-49. Go to original source...
    12. KARIUKI M., KOOYMAN R.M., SMITH R.G.B., JOHNSON G.W., VANCLAY J.K., 2006. Regeneration changes in tree species abundance, diversity and structure in logged and unlogged subtropical rainforest over a 36-year period. Forest Ecology and Management, 236: 162-176. Go to original source...
    13. KINNEAR P.R., GRAY C.O., 2001. SPSS for windows made simple release 10 (translated by Akbar Fotouhi Ardakani). London, Psychology Press: 448. (In Persian)
    14. KOOIJ M.S., BREDENKAMP G.J., THERON G.K., 1990. Classification of the vegetation of the Bland type in the North-Western Orange Free State, South Africa. Journal of Botany, 56: 306-318. Go to original source...
    15. KREBS J.C., 1999. Ecological Methodology. New York, Harper and Row: 432.
    16. LUDWIG J.A., REYNOLDS J.F., 1988. Statistical Ecology. New York, John Wiley and Sons: 337.
    17. MAGURRAN A.E., 2004. Measuring Biological Diversity. London, Blackwell Publishing Company: 256.
    18. MUELLER-DOMBOIS, ELLENBERG H., 1974. Aims and Methods of Vegetation Ecology. New York, John Wiley and Sons: 547.
    19. MÜLLER S.W., RUSTERHOLZ H.P., BAUR B., 2006. Effects of forestry practices on relict plant species on limestone cliffs in the northern Swiss Jura mountains. Forest Ecology and Management, 237: 227-236. Go to original source...
    20. NAGAIKE T., KAMITANI T., NAKASHIZUKA T., 1999. The effect of shelterwood logging on the diversity of plant species in a beech (Fagus crenata) forest in Japan. Forest Ecology and Management, 118: 161-171. Go to original source...
    21. POORBABAEI H., RANJAVER A., 2008. Effect of shelterwood silvicultural method on plant species diversity in beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests in Shafaroud, Guilan province. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 16: 61-73. (In Persian)
    22. READER R.J., 1987. Loss of species from deciduous forest understorey immediately following selective tree harvesting. Biological Conservation, 42: 231-244. Go to original source...
    23. SCHMIDT W., 2005. Herb layer species as indicators of biodiversity of managed and unmanaged beech forests. Forest Snow Landscape Resources, 79: 111-125.
    24. SELMANTS P.C., KNIGHT D.H., 2003. Understory plant species composition 30-50 years after clearcutting in southeastern Wyoming coniferous forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 185: 275-289. Go to original source...
    25. TAYLOR A.H., QIN Z., 1989. Structure and composition of selectively cut and uncut Abies - Tsuga forest in Wolong natural reserve and implications for Panda conservation in China. Biological Conservation, 47: 83-108. Go to original source...
    26. WILD J., NEUHÄUSLOVÁ Z., SOFRON J., 2004. Changes of plant species composition in the ©umava spruce forests, SW Bohemia, since the 1970s. Forest Ecology and Management, 187: 117-132. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content