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Beech is the most important commercial species in the Caspian forests of Iran. Selective cutting and harvesting methods may adversely impact the quality of the residual trees, as the injuries make the trees prone to future disease, insect infestations or timber defects. Although attempts to better understand how wounds affect the residual trees have been made in many different contexts, there are still few investigations on uneven-aged forests. In this study the key objectives were to determine and model the healing rate for different wound parameters (width, length, and area of wound); to analyse the relationship between wound healing rate (WHR), tree diameter growth and tree height growth; to analyse the WHR in relation to wound position on the stem; and to analyse the relationship between WHR, width and area of wound in DBH classes and social classes, with the aim of enabling the prognosis of logging wounds. Wounded beech trees were examined immediately after selective logging and after a 5-year period. The WHR was 31.2 ±7.7 cm² year-1. The wound width healing rate (18.4 ±3.4 mm·year-1) was significantly higher than the wound length healing rate (4.5 ±1.6 mm·year-1). Only 12% of wounds were completely closed after a 5-year period, and 15 years are necessary for the complete closure of 80% of total wounds. The ratio of wound area to stem area at wound height (RWS) showed a more pronounced effect on diameter than on height. Regression analysis showed that WHR was correlated negatively with wound area and width and positively with tree diameter growth, but no significant relationship was found between height growth and WHR parameters. The WHR was significantly higher at an upper position than at a lower one, and statistical tests showed that the tree vertical layering classes had a significant effect on WHR. Finally, it was shown that WHRs in upper-storey trees are significantly higher than in the middle and lower storeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of selection cutting management on the stem quality of the trees remaining in the forest. For this purpose, three parcels managed for three decades by selection cutting were selected as managed stands (MP), and two protected parcels without tree felling as control stands (PP). First, the frequency of deformed stems in each parcel was determined for a circular 1000 m2 area of each plot by systematic sampling of 100 m × 100 m grid sections, and then a stem deformity index was estimated for each of the deformed stems. The results showed that the frequency of stem deformity in MP (6.5%) was significantly lower than in PP (20.7%) (p < 0.01). In addition, the frequency of all types of stem deformities in MP was significantly lower than in PP. Furthermore, selection cutting management reduced the indices of twisting, decay, conicity, forking, and ellipticity by 58.4%, 53.9%, 34.7%, 8.4% and 6.8%, respectively. The results for the correlation between frequency of stem deformity and tree diameter at breast height (dbh) showed that the curves followed a parabolic shape in both MP (r = 0.83) and PP (r = 0.80), where the frequency of deformed stems decreased with increasing dbh (up to 75 cm in MP, and up to 65 cm in PP), and then increased with larger dbh. Selection cutting management, regardless of tree species, improved the stem form. Decay accounted for a high proportion (24.1%) of the total deformity in MP, mainly due to logging damage. Overall, the results of this study show that selective management has been successful in improving the quality of tree boles in the studied mixed beech stands. Regular and long-term stand monitoring and statistical quality control (SQC) may be a good approach to aligning ecological and economic goals in forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wound healing rate (WHR) was investigated in 234 wounded trees in Iranian forests and was found to range from 6.4 to 24.0 mm·yr-1. Tree species, slope aspect, elevation, wound age and wound type had significant effects on the WHR. The mean of the WHR in the Fraxinus excelsior (24 mm·yr-1), Alnus subcordata (18.9 mm·yr-1) and in the Fagus orientalis (17.9 mm·yr-1) were significantly higher than in the Acer insigne (15.7 mm·yr-1), Acer cappadocicum (14.6 mm·yr-1), Carpinus betulus (13.7 mm·yr-1) and Tilia begonifolia (6.4 mm·yr-1). In addition, the mean of the WHR on northern slopes (17.5 mm·yr-1) was significantly higher than on southern slopes. Moreover, the parameters that positively influenced tree growth showed a similar effect on the wound healing rate. The WHRs of 5-, 10- and 15-year-old wounds were 19.3, 16.9 and 10 mm·yr-1, respectively. The WHR increased the higher the wound from ground level. The WHR for horizontal wounds (18.4 mm·yr-1) was significantly higher than for vertical wounds. The highest WHR was estimated in a stand with a canopy closure of 60-80%. The WHR decreased according to increasing wound width. Wounds affect future income, lowering the number of trees that potentially provide a higher quality of saw and veneer logs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]