Preliminary results of post fire resprouting of manna oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) in the Zagros forests, Kermanshah

Fire in the Zagros forests disturbs some parts of these forests every year. Manna oak species (Quercus brantii) as the main species of these forests is stimulated by fire. In order to investigate post-fire resprouting of Quercus brantii, 133 sprout clumps were selected randomly in a burnt area of the Zagros forests in Kermanshah province. Some variables were recorded and classified as follows: dbh of the thickest sprouts in 4 classes, number of pre-fire sprouts in 5 classes, fire intensity in 5 classes and the number of post-fire sprouts. This study was conducted under completely randomized design with three replications for each class. Results showed that post-fire resprouting is positively related to the number of pre-fire sprouts and the fire intensity, whereas it is negatively related to the diameter of the thickest sprout. In general, the more pre-fire sprouts and more fire intensity as well as the smaller diameter size of pre-fire sprouts, would cause more post-fire sprouting in manna oak.