Abstract
Summary This paper describes stand structure and growth in natural oriental beech forests of northern Turkey. All sample plots showed uneven-aged stand structure at 0.01 significance levels. This was confirmed by Z- test results where Zmin: 1.58 and Zmax: 33.30 values were determined. The total volume of uneven-aged oriental beech stands ranged between 289.8–1481.9m3/ha in pure stands, and 172.2–924.2m3/ha in mixed stands, giving a mean volume for all stands of 500m3/ha. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out to test site indexes, and typical increase of stand volumes in line with site indexes were established (F= 118.452 *** > F0.001; 1; 83 = 11.7439). Stand volume and its distribution into diameter classes in site indexes (F= 409.78 *** > F0.001. 5; 1372 = 3.743) was highly significant. The acquired basal area values ranged between 91.6–17.4 (42.9)m2/ha and stand volume ranged between 3.8–23.4 (11.8)m3/ha/year. This study into oriental beech forests, may guide managers in Turkey, in south-eastern Europe, the northern Caucasus, northern Iran and Syria. The implications of the results for forest management are discussed.
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