Effect of intervention and type of forest management on quality and quantity characteristics of dead wood in managed and reserve forests: A case study

Abstract

We compared the dead wood (DW) conditions of Cheshmeh-sar forest and Sardab forest with different management history, including reserve forest and harvested forest. The First forest took 100% inventory from all the available DW. Also dead trees were compared in terms of species, shape, location and quality of fracture in both forests. Volumes of dead wood in Cheshmeh-sar and Sardab forests were 207.47 and 142.74 m³, respectively. Due to this significant difference, impact on the management level was determined. In Cheshmeh-sar forest, 42% of dead trees were standing and 58% were fallen type while in Sardab forest 38.6% were standing and 61.4% fallen. But the difference was not statistically significant between them (p = 0.0587). In terms of quality, dead trees of hard, soft and hollow had the highest frequency, respectively. However, 71.5% of DW was seen as hard dead in Cheshmeh-sar forest while hard dead trees in Sardab forests were 54.2%. Soft quality degree of dead trees which formed in Cheshmeh-sar and Sardab forest were calculated as 26.6% and 43.4% respectively. Also 30% of the dead trees of Sardab forest were eradicated while in Cheshmeh-sar this amount was reduced to 12%. Due to this significant difference ((P=0/018), it is concluded that the type of management and human interference are affecting the quality of dead trees and makes us to think the human interferences could effect on the ecosystem of touched forests.

Keywords

dead wood / intact forests / managed forest / reserve forest / North of Iran