Spatial distribution of tree regeneration using fractal theory in Gahvareh forests, Kermanshah province

The tree species regeneration is a critical process in the population dynamics of forests and significantly influences the composition of forest communities. Quantitative analysis of tree regeneration may provide baseline information for conservation and management strategies. Zagros oak forests have been subjected to dramatic changes in forest regeneration, cover and structure in recent decades. Zagros forests have critical national importance. These forests capture over one third of the country’s annual precipitation, and are the headwaters for 40% of the country’s rivers and streams which provide water to the dry central plateau of Iran. Given the national and regional importance of Zagros forests, it is extremely useful for restoration management to evaluate spatial distribution of tree regeneration. Disturbing of ecosystems, changes the dynamic of species and ecosystem processes. Ecosystems are therefore moving in a self-organizing way towards a more efficient use of energy/nutrients to the total energy input. This self-organizing of the ecosystem is an inherent feature of non-linear interacting systems. Techniques used to study non-linear systems could be able to quantify the structure of complex objects and spatial dynamic of plants.

The mathematical features of spatially complex systems are often fractal. Fractal has the potential to exposure a new way to understand and analyze such natural spatial phenomena, which are not smooth, but rough and fragmented to self-similarity. We investigated the spatial patterns of tree regeneration density and diversity in 126 plots (100 m2). The study was conducted at a preserved area (12 years) in Zagros forest of western Iran. We applied autocorelation methods to examine the spatial structure in distribution of regeneration. Fractal analysis was also used to characterize the complexity of the spatial patterns.

We found that preservation favored density and diversity of tree regeneration in this area. On the whole the variables have weak autocorrelation but regeneration density of C.microcarpa, total regeneration density, regeneration height and Shannon index are the variables which have the most autocorrelation. On the other hand, fractal dimension, representing the unpredictability of spatial patterns, is high for trees and regeneration. This implies that although spatial dependence exists, it is generally fairly weak.

These results revealed the scattered and homogeneous spatial distribution of trees and their regeneration. Indeed, our results showed a recovery of regeneration but not the spatial structure of it. It seems that conservation efforts must be continue to complete the recovery of regeneration and their spatial structure.