Investigating the Crown Structure and Carbon Storage of Beech Trees (Fagus orientalis L.) in an Unmanaged-Temperate Hyrcanian Region (Case Study: Alandan Forest, Mazandaran)

Assessing tree crown traits are the important character in forest which can be considered for the management of silvicultural practices. The main purpose of this study was to investigate tree crown traits and carbon storage as well as to determine the interactions among them for Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) in an unmanaged and temperate forest in Hyrcanain region, northern Iran.

Data were collected from 90 one-stemmed and healthy beech trees in unlogged forest in Hyrcanian forest and crown dimensions were measured.

The study revealed significant difference between crown tree traits as well as carbon storage in terms of height and DBH classes. Correlation analysis indicated that some tree traits correlated significantly with the crown productivity, crown length, crown width and crown ratio for beech trees (P< 0.05, P< 0.01). There was a strong positive correlation between the carbon storage and most beech tree traits in research site (p < 0.01).

In general, the main tree crown size disparities and significant interactions among features of beech trees in unlogged forest suggest the ability of these trees to modify the morphological traits within stand. It is essential to consider these variables of beech trees in the future forest management in Hyrcanian temperate region.