Estimation of Structural Diversity of Acer campestre Stands by using of Complexity Structural Diversity Index in Arasbaran Forest

Abstract

Measuring the forest structural diversity is a useful and important way to predict the growth and the future development activities of the forest stands. Calculating structural indices are the most common methods for estimating the forest structure. These indices provide a quantitative estimation of the situation of stands variations. The aim of this study was to investigate the structural diversity of Acer campestre L. stands as one of the most important species in Arasbaran forests in order to identify the condition of this species and improve its structural diversity. The structural diversity index (S-index) was calculated by using summing three indices consist of uniform angle index, mingling index and diameter differentiation index in distance method. The results showed that the uniform angle index (Wt=0.36) indicated a uniform -random distribution. The diameter differentiation index (Dt=0.16) showed a low diameter differentiation among the reference trees and the neighbor trees species and mingling index (Mt=0.57) showed the high amount of species mixture in the study area. Finally, the structural diversity index showed high structural variation (0.479) in the study area. This study can be considered as the basic information for improving the conditions, recognizing the ecological relationships between tree species and a pattern for restoration activities.

Keywords

• structure
• diameter differentiation index
• forest structure
• uniform angle index