The amount and quality of dead trees in a mixed beech forest with different management histories in northern Iran

Dead tree (fallen logs and snags), is regarded as an important ecological component of forests on which many forest dwelling species depend, yet its relation to management history in Caspian forest has gone unreported. The aim of research aim was to compare the amounts of dead tree in the forests with historically different intensities of management, including: forests with the long term implication of management (Patom), the short term implication of management (Namekhaneh) which were compared with semi virgin forest (Gorazbon). The number of 215 individual dead trees were recorded and measured at 79 sampling locations. ANOVA revealed volume of dead tree in the form and decay classes significantly differ within sites and dead volume in the semi virgin forest significantly higher than managed sites. Comparing the amount of dead tree in three sites showed that, dead tree volume related with management history and significantly differ in three study sites. Reaching their highest in virgin site and their lowest in the site with the long term implication of management, it was concluded that forest management cause reduction of the amount of dead tree. Forest management history affect the forest's ability to generate dead tree specially in a large size, thus managing this forest according to ecological sustainable principles require a commitment to maintaining stand structure that allow, continued generation of dead tree in a full range of size.