Original scientific paper
Effects of Logging Wounds on Caucasian Alder Trees (Alnus subcordata C.A. Mey.) in Iranian Caspian Forests
Farzam Tavankar
; Islamic Azad University Department of Forestry Khalkhal IRAN
Mehrdad Nikooy
; University of Guilan Faculty of Natural Resources Somehsara IRAN
Rodolfo Picchio
; University of Tuscia Department of Agriculture and Forests Science Via S. Camillo de Lellis 01100 Viterbo ITALY
Amireslam Bonyad
; University of Guilan Faculty of Natural Resources Somehsara IRAN
Rachele Venanzi
; University of Tuscia Department of Agriculture and Forests Science Via S. Camillo de Lellis 01100 Viterbo ITALY
Abstract
Caucasian alder is a large tree and one of the commercial species in the Caspian forests. We investigated the wound healing rate (WHR) and compared the diameter growth (DG) of 66 wounded and 66 unwounded alder trees 15 years after selected logging in these forests. The conditions of the wounds after 15 years were as follows: 56.1% had closed, 25.7% were open, and 18.2% had decayed. The mean WHR was 4.95 cm2/yr, ranging between 0 and 17.3 cm2/yr, and DG of wounded trees was 13.3% lower than in unwounded trees. The WHR and DG were related to the size, intensity and location of the wound, stem diameter (diameter at breast height; DBH), and ratio of wound size to stem basal area. The WHR in middle-aged trees was more than in young and older trees. The reduction in DG of wounded alder trees was only observed in the DBH range below 58 cm. Wounds that were larger than 100 cm2 in area significantly reduced diameter growth of alder trees. Height of wound from ground level had significant negative effects on WHR and DG. Closed wounds had no significant effect on DG, but open or decayed wounds reduced DG by 13.8% and 34.3%, respectively. 72.7% of total logging wounds were caused by skidding operations where 20.8% of them were decayed, and reduced DG by 12.2%. Selective logging needs more careful planning of roads, skid trails, and winching corridors.
Keywords
Alder tree; Caspian forests; logging wound; selection cutting; wound occlusion
Hrčak ID:
174452
URI
Publication date:
20.1.2017.
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