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Mid-Term Evaluation of Herbaceous Cover Restoration on Skid Trails Following Ground-Based Logging in Pure Oriental Beech ( Fagus orientalis Lipsky) Stands of the Hyrcanian Forests, Northern Iran

Ali Babaei-Ahmadabad, Meghdad Jourgholami, Angela Lo Monaco (), Rachele Venanzi and Rodolfo Picchio
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Ali Babaei-Ahmadabad: Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 999067, Iran
Meghdad Jourgholami: Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 999067, Iran
Angela Lo Monaco: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Rachele Venanzi: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Rodolfo Picchio: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of varying traffic intensities, the time since harvesting, and the interaction between these two factors on the restoration of herbaceous cover on skid trails in the Hyrcanian forests, Northern Iran. Three compartments were selected from two districts within the pure oriental beech ( Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands of Kheyrud Forest, where ground-based timber extraction had occurred 5, 10, and 15 years prior. In each compartment, three skid trails representing low, medium, and high traffic intensities were identified. Control plots were established 10 m away from the trails. A total of 54 systematically selected 1 m × 1 m sample plots were surveyed: 27 on skid trails (three traffic intensities × three time intervals × three replicates) and 27 control plots (matching the same variables). Within each quadrat, all herbaceous plants were counted, identified, and recorded. Our findings revealed that only traffic intensity had a clear significant impact on plant abundance. High traffic intensity led to a pronounced decline in herbaceous cover, with disturbed skid trails showing reduced species diversity or the complete disappearance of certain species in comparison to the control plots. Time since harvesting and its interaction with traffic intensity did not yield statistically significant effects. Disturbance led to a reduction in the quantities of certain species or even their disappearance on skid trails in comparison to the control plots. Given the pivotal role of machinery traffic intensity in determining mitigation strategies, there is a critical need for research on region-specific harvesting techniques and the development of adaptive management strategies that minimize ecological impacts by aligning practices with varying levels of traffic intensity.

Keywords: grass coverage; forest operation; traffic intensity; recovery; species diversity; evenness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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