Status of unmanaged oriental beech stand in different development stages within 5-years period (case study: Langa_ Kelardasht)

This study was carried out in reserve or control compartment of district one of Langa region in watershed No.36 Kazemrood. Development stages including initial, optimal and decay were identified and one sample plot, 1ha area (100 × 100m), was selected in each development stage. All of the trees with dbh larger than 7.5cm were measured in the sample plots within a 5-years period (2008 and 2012). Results showed that after 5 years, maximum (2.2 cm) and minimum (0.9 cm) of diameter increment was observed in the initial and decay stages, respectively. The volume increment in the optimal stage was 31.26 m3ha-1, while the total volume of standing trees in the initial and decay stages reduced about 9.26 m3ha-1 and 25.30 m3ha-1, respectively. Because of severe winter in 2011 and a heavy snow fall some trees were damaged, broken or uprooted. The volume of damaged trees was 29.30, 24.2 and 40.05 m3ha-1 in the initial, optimal and decay stages, respectively. Considering both standing and damaged trees, the annual volume increment of the studied stands varied between 2.4 and 8.8 m3ha-1.