The Effect of Altitude on the Physical Properties of Juvenile Wood; Hornbeam Species (Case Study: Mashelak Forest - Noshahr)

This study examines the effect of altitude on physical properties of hornbeam juvenile wood. For this purpose, nine healthy twelve-years-old trees of Hornbeam species were selected in three altitude levels 300, 750 and 1350 meters at Mashelak forestry project. From each tree, three discs for breast height, 50% and 75% height of trees cut down. samples of discs prepared to measure physical properties such as oven-dry density, basic density, volume shrinkage and volume swelling. The analysis of variance showed that the effect of altitude on the oven-dry density, basic density, volumetric shrinkage, and volumetric swelling of hornbeam juvenile wood were significant. Trend of wood basic density and oven-dry density in longitudinal axis from the bottom to the top of tree is decreasing. The interaction effect between altitude and longitudinal axis on wood basic density, oven-dry density, volumetric swelling, and volumetric shrinkage wasn’t significant and while the longitudinal axis effect on oven-dry density and basic density was significant. The correlation results showed that relationship between density and variation dimension correlation results of wood on 750 meter is stronger than other altitudes.