Abstract
Cedrus brevifolia Henry is a narrow endemic tree species of Cyprus flora. The objectives of this study are to develop silvicultural treatments for the conservation of the species formations based on the stand structure analysis of C. brevifolia natural forest and to present the characteristics of the first application of the treatments through silvicultural interventions. Six structural types were distinguished in C. brevifolia formations in the study area located in the state forest of Paphos. For each structural type, six circular plots of approximately 500 m2 were established. In each plot, various measurements and estimations were recorded. Then, silvicultural interventions were applied in the plots of the mixed C. brevifolia formations. In the formations of C. brevifolia a great number of trees grow in the understory. In the very productive and in the poorly productive sites C. brevifolia occurs only in pure formations. The basal area of C. brevifolia in pure formations ranges from 19.04 m2·ha-1 in poorly productive sites to 38.49 m2·ha-1 in fairly productive sites. Cedrus brevifolia is the most competitive species of the study area as a result of both shade tolerance and the wide range of its site sensitivity behavior. The climax of the study area are the pure stands of C. brevifolia having an understory of Quercus alnifolia Poech and a sparse occurrence of Pinus brutia Ten., mainly in moderately productive sites. Forest practice has to, as much as possible, unite species formations in order to create extensive areas of C. brevifolia formations.
Highlights
Silvicultural interventions for the redistribution of the growing space in order to create certain conditions favor specific individuals or species (Oliver et al 1996, Milios et al 2019)
The pure C. brevifolia formations cover a total area of 106 ha, while the mixed formations occur in an area of 184 ha; in both cases, these formations are scattered
In the case of Q. alnifolia, in all structural types, the trees grow in the understory and in the middlestory (Table 1)
Summary
Silvicultural interventions for the redistribution of the growing space in order to create certain conditions favor specific individuals or species (Oliver et al 1996, Milios et al 2019). In order to develop silvicultural guidelines for the longterm treatment of a forest ecosystem, a basic requirement is a thorough knowledge of the main ecological traits and characteristics of the constituting tree species. The main information needed is the site sensitivity determination (Oliver et al 1996) of the constituting tree species and the knowledge of their light requirements. This information will be the basis for assessing the competitive ability of the species in the context of the ecosystem in question. Stand height structure analysis combined with stand density and canopy cover data may supply crucial information on the light requirements of the species forming the different stories of the stand.
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