Effect of Forest Roads on Adjacent Tree Regeneration in a Mountainous Forest

The estimation of the road effects on the adjacent tree regeneration particularly composition and density is useful to understand changes induced by the road network on ecosystems. In this study the effects of forest roads (5.5 m width) were evaluated on adjacent tree regeneration in plots that located on transects running from edge roads to 40m to the interior in the Hyrcanian mountainous forests of Iran. Mean of adjacent tree regeneration under height 150cm and 5 cm diameter was compared in the circle shape plots with various distances from the road edges (2.5, 7.5, 15, 25, 35m). The results revealed that some species which were benefited from increased light and disturbed soils were established in plots near the forest roads. Also results suggested that construction of roads in forest may cause establishment light demanding species specially for light loved species such as Acer sp (Maple) were more present close to the road edges and density of shade loved (demands) species such as Fagus orientalis (Beech) increased with distance from the road. Density of tree regeneration changes significantly persisted for 7.5 m distance. Most number of regeneration was observed in the plots with distance of 7.5 m from road edge.