Investigation of the Structure, Distribution Pattern and Regeneration of Taradeh Desert Forest, Kerman

Taradeh, Kerman province, has valuable forest stands that are under pressure from local communities. In this study, after making forest survey, plot area was selected as ​​1500 m2 and 50 samples were collected systematically with in a grid of 100 m×100 m. In each plot, the plant species were recorded along with diameter at breast height, tree height, crown diameter, number of trees per hectare, large and small crown diameters, regeneration count, the distance between plot center and the nearest tree, and distance to neighboring trees. Results showed that the forests under study are mixed and include Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis farcta, Tamarix stricta, Lysium shawii, and Calligonum comosum as the main species. The mean density of Prosopis cineraria and other species were 10.6 and 37.2 tree.ha-1 and canopy cover were 308 and 1088.3 m2.ha-1, respectively. The height and diameter of P. cineraria trees were in the range of 5.5-14.3 m and 16-100 cm respectively, and its regeneration density was 1.26 tree.ha-1. The structure of the forest was uneven-aged and two-layered which in overstory was occupied by P. cineraria trees. The distribution pattern of P. cineraria trees was clumped which may be influenced by type and size of the seeds, dispersion method, human interference, habitat constraints, and livestock grazing. Due to the lack of trees in low diameter classes and lack of regeneration, tree planting and preservation is recommended, especially in occupied lands.