Dead Trees Effect on Beech and Hornbeam Regeneration in the Mixed Beech (Fagus orientalis L.) Stands of Northern Iran

The establishment and survival of seedlings is one of the main objectives of forest management which ensures continues production. The aim of this article is the investigation of dead trees effect on beech and hornbeam seedlings in Masal's forests. For this reason, 30 dead trees were selected, and the control trees were selected in four aspects around the dead trees. They were the same as dead trees in terms of species and diameter. In general, 30 and 120 sampling plots were taken around dead trees and control trees, in respectively. The quantity and quality (crown equality, multi trucks and verticality) of seedlings were recorded. In addition, the volume of dead trees were assessed by measuring their diameter and height, and also their decay classes were investigated. According to the results, abundance of seedlings doesnt significantly differ among decay and canopy coverage classes, whereas dead tree's diameter classes significantly effect on seedlings abundance. The forked seedlings were significantly higher than other forms of stem growth. Abundance of seedlings, in terms of quantity and quality (the forked) around the dead trees, showed significant differences with control trees. Based on the finding of this research and the overall impact of dead trees on regeneration, it is recommended that large dead trees be considered as a seedbed in the management of natural regeneration in the forest stands.