Influence of forest management and sylvicultural treatments on abundance of snags and tree cavities in mountain mixed beech forests
Author(s)
Date Issued
2021
Type
article
Volume
8
Issue
6
Start Page
1
End Page
14
Journal
Abstract
In this study the influence of forest management on the characteristics of snags and tree cavities in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran was investigated. In particular, the effect of two sylvicultural treatments (shelter wood and single-tree selection) was assessed in comparison to protected stands. The abundance, diameter, height, and degree of decay of snag species, and the characteristics of birds excavated and natural cavities (number and height from the ground level) were measured by systematic plots in each stand. The results showed that the abundance, species diversity, and size of snags in both of the sylvicultural treatments were significantly lower than the protected stands. The number of birds excavated and natural cavities on thicker snags with moderate decay was significantly higher than other decay classes. Abundance, species diversity, size of snags, and number of tree cavities in the single-tree selection stands were significantly higher than sheltered-wood stands.
Project(s)
This research was in part carried out within the framework of the MIUR (Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research) initiative “Departments of Excellence” (Law 232/2016), WP3 and WP 4, which financed the Department of Agriculture and Forest Science at the University of Tuscia