Composition and structure of English yew forest stands (Taxus baccata L.) in different conservation systems of Arasbaran forests, Iran

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 Department of Forestry, Ahar Faculty of Agriculture and Natural resources, University of Tabriz

2 University Of Mohaghegh Ardabili

3 Department of Forestry, Ahar Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tabriz, Ahar, Iran

Abstract

Background and objectives: One of the most important conservation actions that can be taken in disturbed forests is the development of enclosed areas that can substantially impact the structure and composition of vegetation. The main goal of forest management plans is to maintain the natural structure of stands. Yew is one of the most important and threatened tree species in the Arasbaran region in northwestern Iran.
Materials and methods: In this research, we assessed the structural characteristics and composition of yew forest communities using the nearest neighbor and full callipering methods at three sites with different management histories. Within a one-hectare sampling area, tree species identity, diameter, height, and crown diameter were measured. In each of these sampling areas, 56 sample points were surveyed in a 25 m × 25 m grid for trees species identity, diameter, height, and distance from reference to neighbor trees. To quantify the structural characteristics in areas of different conservation status, some indices calculated including mingling, distance to neighbor, diameter and height differentiation, uniform angle, and Clark Evans.
Results: The average height of yew trees at the long-term sites SKA and SVA was 5.1 and 4.8 m respectively. These trees were located in the lower layer. In the short-term site (SKU), however, yew trees (4.04 m) had approximately the same height as other trees (4.3 m). Results revealed that four species – hornbeam (68%), maple (8%), yew (7%), and oak (5.2%) composed 88% of tree species. The majority of trees had a low distance (2–3 m) between neighbors. Due to the high density of trees in the sites with a long-term conservation period (SKA and SVA), a low percentage of trees had mean distance more than 5 meters. Mean of distance to neighbor (Di) index for long-term and short-term sites were 3.8 and 5.14, respectively. The mean TDi for long-term and short-term conservation areas was 0.59 and 0.06, respectively. The uniform angle index showed that there was no class value 1 at all three sites. In the long-term enclosed area, Clark Evans index was 1.18. In short term-enclosed areas, it was less than 1 (0.82). At all sites, yew trees were in the least vital class.
Conclusion: Reducing tree density and basal area of other species will lend strength to yew trees in the studied sites. However, because yew trees need moderate light conditions, excessive decreases in the tree density can be detrimental. In order to optimize the management of forest resources, it is essential to get the correct information about the structure of forest stands. It is important to obtain enough information about the forest stand structure and changes in various indicators of stand to offer new approaches to forest management. The results of this research can show the conservation effects on yew stands in long-term and short-term conservation periods. It helps provide effective and useful conservation solutions.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Aguirre, O., Hui, G., von Gadow, K., and Jiménez, J. 2003. An analysis of spatial forest structure using neighborhood-based variables. Forest Ecology and Management. 183: 1-3. 137-145.
  2. Akhavan, R., Sagheb-Talebi, K., Zenner, E., and Safavimanesh, F. 2012. Spatial patterns in different forest development stages of an intact old-growth Oriental beech forest in the Caspian region of Iran. Europ. J. For. Res. 131: 5. 1355-1366.
  3. Alijani, V., Sagheb-Talebi, K., and Akhavan, R. 2013. Quantifying structure of intact beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands at different development stages (Case study: Kelardasht area, Mazandaran). Iran. J. For. Pop. Res.
    21: 3. 396-410. (In Persian)
  4. Alijanpour, A., Eshaghi Rad, J., and Banej Shafiei, A. 2009. Comparison of woody plants diversity in protected and non-protected areas of Arasbaran forests. Iran. J. For. Pop. Res. 17: 1. 133-125. (In Persian)
  5. Amirghasemi, F., Saghebtalebi, K., and Dargahi, D. 2001. The study of natural regeneration structure in Arasbaran forest (Sotanchi region). Iran. J. For. Pop. Res. 6: 1. 1-62. (In Persian)
  6. Casals, P., Camprodon, J., Caritat, A., Rios, A.I., Guixé, D., Garcia Martí, X., Martín Alcón, S., and Coll, L. 2015. Forest structure of Mediterranean yew (Taxus baccata L.) populations and neighbor effects on juvenile yew performance in the NE Iberian Peninsula. Forest Systems. 24(3). 1-9.
  7. Corral-Rivas, J.J., Wehenkel, C., Castellanos-Bocaz, H.A., Vargas-Larreta, B., and Diéguez-Aranda, U. 2010. A permutation test of spatial randomness: application to nearest neighbour indices in forest stands. J. For. Res. 15: 4. 218-225.
  8. Devaney, J.L., Jansen, M.A., and Whelan, P.M. 2014. Spatial patterns of natural regeneration in stands of English yew (Taxus baccata L.); Negative neighborhood effects. Forest ecology and management. 321: 52-60.
  9. Dhar, A., Ruprecht, H., Klumpp, R., and Vacik, H. 2006. Stand structure and natural regeneration of Taxus baccata at" Stiwollgraben" in Austria. Dendrobiology. 56: 19-26.
  10. Dhar, A., Ruprecht, H., Klumpp, R., and Vacik, H. 2007. Comparison of ecological condition and conservation status of English yew population in two Austrian gene conservation forests. J. For. Res.18: 3. 181-186.
  11. Dobrowolska, D., Niemczyk, M., and Olszowska, G. 2017. The influence of stand structure on European yew Taxus baccata populations in its natural habitats in central Poland. Polish J. Ecol. 65: 3. 369-384.
  12. Farhadi, P., Soosani, J., Erfanifard, S., and Akhtari, M. 2017. Efficiency of nearest neighbor indices to assess structure of Fageto-Carpinetum in Hyrcanian vegetation zone (Case study: Nave Asalem-Guilan Forests-Iran). J. Wood For. Sci. Technol. 24: 2. 17-32. (In Persian)
  13. Ghanbari Sharafeh, A., Mohajer, M., and Zobeiri, M. 2010. Natural regeneration of Yew in Arasbaran forests. Iran. J. For. Pop. Res.18: 3. 380-389. (In Persian)
  14. Ghanbari, S., Mahmoud, Z., Mahdi, H.V.S., and Taghi, S. 2010. Estimation of fruit production of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) and Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) in Arasbaran forests. Iran. J. For. Pop. Res. 18: 4. 609-620.
    (In Persian)
  15. Herrero-Jáuregui, C., Sist, P., and Casado, M.A. 2012. Population structure of two low-density neotropical tree species under different management systems. Forest ecology and management. 280: 31-39.
  16. Jafari Afrapoli, M., Sefidi, K., Waez-Mousavi, S.M., and Varamesh, S. 2018. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of dead trees in English yew (Taxus baccata) in Afratakhteh Forests, Golestan Province and northeastern Hyrcanian forests. J. For. Res. Dev. 3: 4. 305-316. (In Persian)
  17. Karimi, M., Pormajidian, M., Jalilvand, H., and Safari, A. 2012. Preleminary study for application of O-ring function in determination of small-scale spatial pattern and interaction species (Case study: Bayangan forests, Kermanshah). Iran. J. For. Pop. Res. 20: 4. 608-621. (In Persian)
  18. Katsavou, I., and Ganatsas, P. 2012. Ecology and conservation statusof Taxus baccata population inNE Chalkidiki, northern Greece. Dendrobiology. 68: 55-62.
  19. Luo, Z., Ding, B., Mi, X., Yu, J., and Wu, Y. 2009. Distribution patterns of tree species in an evergreen broadleaved forest in eastern China. Frontiers of Biology in China. 4: 4. 531-538.
  20. Mishra, B., Tripathi, O., Tripathi, R., and Pandey, H. 2004. Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on plant diversity and community structure of a sacred grove in Meghalaya, northeast India. Biodiversity & Conservation.
    13: 2. 421-436.
  21. Nouri, Z., Zobeiri, M., Feghhi, J., and Marvie Mohadjer, M.R. 2015. Application of nearest neighbor indices in studying structure of the unlogged beech (Fagus Orientalis Lipsky) forests in Kheyrud, Nowshahr. Iran. J. Appl. Ecol. 4: 12. 11-21. (In Persian)
  22. Pastorella, F., and Paletto, A. 2013. Stand structure indices as tools to support forest management: an application in Trentino forests (Italy). J. For. Sci. 59: 4. 159-168.
  23. Pilehvar, B., Mirazadi, Z., Alijani, V., and Jafari Sarabi, H. 2015. Investigation of Hawthorn and Maple's stands structures of Zagros forest using nearest neighbors indices. J. Zagros For. Res. 1: 2. 1-13. (In Persian)
  24. Piovesan, G., Saba, E.P., Biondi, F., Alessandrini, A., Di Filippo, A., and Schirone, B. 2009. Population ecology of yew (Taxus baccata L.) in the Central Apennines: spatial patterns and their relevance for conservation strategies. Plant Ecology. 205: 1. 23-46.
  25. Pommerening, A. 2002. Approaches to quantifying forest structures. For. Inter. J. For. Res. 75: 3. 305-324.
  26. Pommerening, A. 2006. Evaluating structural indices by reversing forest structural analysis. Forest Ecology and Management. 224: 3. 266-277.
  27. Ruprecht, H., Dhar, A., Aigner, B., Oitzinger, G., Klumpp, R., and Vacik, H. 2010. Structural diversity of English yew (Taxus baccata L.) populations. Europ. J. For. Res. 129: 2. 189-198.
  28. Sabeti, H. 1994. Forests, trees, and shrubs of Iran. Yazd university press. 807p. (In Persian)
  29. Sagheb-Talebi, K., Sajedi, T. and Pourhashemi, M. 2014. Forests of Iran: A treasure from the Past, a hope for the Future. Springer. Netherlands. 161p.
  30. Sagheb-Talebi, K., Sajedi, T., and Yazdian, F. 2004. Forests of Iran. Research Institute of forests and Rangelands. 56p. ( In persion)Saniga, M. 2000. Structure, production and regeneration processes of English yew in the Plavno State Nature Reserve. J. For. Sci. 46: 2. 76-90.
  31. Sefidi, K., Copenheaver, C.A., Kakavand, M., and Behjou, F.K. 2015. Structural diversity within mature forests in northern Iran: a case study from a relic population of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica CA Meyer). Forest Science. 61: 2. 258-265.
  32. Szmyt, J., and Dobrowolska, D. 2016. Spatial diversity of forest regeneration after catastrophic wind in northeastern Poland. iForest-Biogeosciences and Forestry. 9: 3. 414.
  33. Szmyt, J. and Korzeniewicz, R. 2014. Do natural processes at the juvenile stage of stand development differentiate the spatial structure of trees in artificially established forest stands? Forest Research Papers. 75: 2. 171-179.
  34. Vacik, H., Oitzingerauthor, G., and Georgauthor, F. 2015. Evaluation ofin situ conservation strategies for English yew (Taxus baccata L.) inBad Bleiberg by the use of population viability risk management (PVRM). Forstwissenschaftliches Centralblatt 120:6. 390-405.
  35. Vessella, F., Salis, A., Scirè, M., Piovesan, G., and Schirone, B. 2015. Natural regeneration and gender-specific spatial pattern of Taxus baccata in an old-growth population in Foresta Umbra (Italy). Dendrobiology. 73p.
  36. Wei-dong, H., Xiu-mei, G., Lin-feng, L., and Chang-yi, L. 2001. Spatial pattern of dominant tree species of the secondary monsoon rain forest in Lianjiang, Guangdong Province. J. For. Res. 12: 2. 101-104.
  37. Yazdani, D., Shahnazi, S., Rezazadeh, S., and Pirali Hamedani, M. 2005.A review on Yew (Taxus baccata L.).
    J. Med. Plants. 3: 15. 1-8.