Morphological characteristics of old trees in hyrcanian forest (Case study: Pattom and Namkhaneh districts, Kheyrud)

The aim of study was to evaluate qualitative and quantitative characteristics of old trees in Pattom and Namkhaneh districts in the Nowshahr, Northern Iran. The trees quantitative characteristics of DBH, total height, slenderness coefficient, trunk height, crown length, buttress height, and canopy cover area and qualitative characteristics of crown and trunk, i.e., health, vitality, and concurrent, decay, health, branching system, form, and quality were measured. DBH was regarded as a criterion for identification of old trees, hence, the minimum DBH was considered for each species. Non-plot method was used in the regions with slopes lower than 60%. Full forest inspection showed 49 individual old trees composed of eight tree species. Quercus castaneifolia had the absolute maximum and maximum average of DBH, as well as the maximum height. The mean values of the slenderness coefficient, trunk relative height, crown relative length, buttress relative height, and canopy cover area were 20.2, 42.7%, 57.3%, 4.4%, and 325 m2, respectively. The mean values of the healthy crown, good condition of crown vitality, in-concurrent of crown, trunk without any decay, and cavity of trunk averaged 88%, 59%, 39%, 45%, 59, respectively. Forty five percent of old trees had no single trunk and two-third of them was categorized as middle and poor classes. This research was the first of its kind to address and introduce old trees in the natural Hyrcanyan forests of northern Iran.