Natural Regeneration Within Natural and Man-Made Canopy Gaps in Caspian Natural Beech (Fagus Orientalis Lipsky) Forest, Northern Iran

This study aimed to quantify the structural similarities and differences and the regeneration establishment in natural and man-made canopy gaps in the north of Iran. All canopy gaps and related parameters were measured within 20 ha areas, from 60 canopy gaps. Gaps were analyzed by classifying the areas including small, medium, and large gaps. The relationship between seedlings and saplings frequency with the gap size and shape was compared. Gaps area ranged from the smallest of sizes 35.7 and 33.27 m² to the largest of sizes 536.8 and 582.26 m², in natural and man-made gaps, respectively. There existed no significant difference in the perimeter to area ratio between the two types of gaps. Most of the gaps were created by one gapmaker. Results revealed that total seedling abundance correlated with gap size, whereas there was no significant relationship between definitive gapfiller abundance (>1.3 m) and gap size in the natural gaps. Abundance of beech seedling showed negative significant correlation with the gaps size. This investigation provided useful data to manage the natural seedlings and saplings based on forest sustainability. Canopy openings with small size, irregular shape, and created by falling one gapmaker are nearer to nature.