Effects of soil and environmental factors on the site productivity of pure Oriental beech forests in Akkuş Region of Turkey

Abstract

Oriental Beech grows naturally in the Eastern Caucasus, Northern Iran and Crimea, from the west of the Balkans towards Anatolia. Akkuş Region of Turkey is one of the moist ecosystems where this tree species spread optimally. In this spread area, the change of local site factors affect the site productivity. In this study, the correlations between the height growth of pure Oriental beech forests between 1200-1500 m altitudes in Akkuş region and some soil characteristics and location factors were investigated. 40 sample plots were taken from normally covered Oriental beech stands. In the sample plots, soil profiles were dug and soil sampling was performed according to genetic soil horizons. The location factors of the sample plots in the field were determined, and d0.30 diameter, d0.30 age and upper height were measured in 4-6 trees with upper stand height. The site productivity (site index) was determined based on the correlation between standard age and upper stand height. Physical and chemical soil analyses were performed in the soil samples taken. The correlations between the productivity indexes (site index) of the sample plots and the local ecological characteristics of the site were tested by correlation analysis. Positive correlations were determined between site index and the land slope degree and altitude. There are negative correlations between soil properties of average amount of clay, average amount of silt, field capacity, fine soil weight, soil reaction, and site index, while there are positive correlations between horizon Ah's organic matter, average amount of sand, physiological soil depth, skeleton weight and site index.