Growth Indicators of Lebanon Cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) and Brutia Pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) in the Cool Supra-Mediterranean Bioclimatic Zone of the Syrian Coastal Mountains

Abstract

Lebanon Cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) and Brutia pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) growth performance in the Cool Supra-Mediterranean bioclimatic zone of the Syrian Coastal Mountains at Almawla Hassan afforestation site was evaluated. The Pluviothermal quotient of Emberger and the aridity index for the site is 199 and 53.1 consecutively, whereas, summer drought spans for 120 days. The site is dominated by oak Maqui with 80 species distributed equivocally on site aspects. Lebanon Cedar was superior to Brutia pine in all growth indicators. It achieved mean height of 17.97m compared to 14.07m in Brutia pine with significant effects of exposures on the later. Furthermore, it realized a diameter of 27.37cm compared to 23.95cm in Brutia pine with significant effects of exposures on the later species. Basal area (BA) median tree of Lebanon Cedar was 0.058m2, equivalent to 64.78m2/ha. compared with 0.045m2 Brutia pine median tree BA, equivalent to 62.18m2/ha. The growing stock volume (GSV) of Lebanon Cedar median tree was 0.494 m3, and total GSV for its stand was 549.45 m3/ha. whereas, average annual growth reached 13.73 m3/ha/yr. On the other side, GSV of Brutia pine median tree was 0.335 m3, and GSV for its stand was 461.90m3/ha. In the meantime, the species average growth was 11.84 m3 /ha /yr. Tree form factor was greater in Brutia pine. Width of average annual growth rings of the Lebanon Cedar was 4.34 mm/yr. of which 82% of growth was formed in fall compared with 2.42 mm of Brutia pine of which fall growth formed 76%. It is suggested that Lebanon cedar be afforested to similar mountain aspects within this bioclimatic regime along the coastal range mountains.