Vahid Etemad

University of Tehran | UT · Department of Forestry and Forest Economics

Reforestation with native and non-native tree species is one of the most effective strategies to cope with climate change, and is also the most effective management method for solving soil erosion problems in degraded forests around the world. The current research investigates three skid trails, which were planted with three species in the clearcut...

Genetic diversity is essential for sustainability, adaptation and evolution of forest tree populations, especially under changed climate conditions. Maintenance of standing genetic diversity and effective population size (Ne) in relict forest species is of special interest to preserve their genetic heritage. Forest harvesting and management practic...

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of forest roadside on plant diversity and composition in the Hyrcanian temperate forest of northern Iran. To collect vegetation data, 116 rectangular sampling plots were established at two microhabitats (i.e., cut and fill slopes) of forest roads. For both microhabitats, the highest life form belonged to hemi...

Background and Objective: Regarding to importance and widespread of wild Pistachio in arid and semi-arid regions and problems of germination, this study was conducted to identify effect of physiography on seed germination of Pistacia vera in Khajeh Kalat Forest, northeast of Iran (N 36°54' - 36°64', E 54°35' - 54°45'). Material and Methodology: To...

Increasing green space and afforestation in arid and semi-arid regions has always been accompanied by water shortages. Species with lower water requirements have always been an executive policy in these areas. The aim of this study was to estimate the water requirement of Acer negundo and Pinus eldarica Medw as the main species that applied in gree...

Background and Objectives: Forest types and their spatial distribution provides valuable information for sustainable forest management and planning. Remote Sensing (RS) and GIS (Geographical Information System) technologies play a crucial role to obtain required information in the forestry field. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to i...

Since the creation of green space depends on the availability of water and dedicated water for irrigation of urban green space, green belts and afforestation in arid and semi-arid climates. Water availability has great value and should be used optimally with high efficiency. For this reason, in order to save water, planting species that need less w...

Conservation of natural resources is vital for sustainable management, especially in fragile semi-arid ecosystems. Forest plantations can provide a wide range of ecosystem services and deliver a measure of protection for soil and water resources. This study proposes a novel framework (Optimum Land Suitability Score, OLSS) to prioritize the most sui...

In arid and semi arid regions that are affected by drought, maintaining and developing vegetation and green space is facing by serious challenges of waterless. The purpose of this study is to compare the water requirement of Fraxinus rotundifolia Mill and Morus alba as common species in Robat Karim, located in the southwest of Tehran province. This...

Highlights Graphical Abstract Article Info Abstract * Corresponding author: t.sepahvand@ut.ac.ir (T. Sepahvand) RESEARCH PAPER • Arbuscular Mycorrhiza fungi had significant impact on plant growth parameters. • Mycorrhiza symbiosis illustrate positive effect on plant tolerance to water deficiencies. • Symbiosis decreased H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MD...

Highlights Graphical Abstract Article Info Abstract *Corresponding author: t.sepahvand@ut.ac.ir (D. Sepahvand) RESEARCH PAPER • The percentage of colonization on native AMF, isolated from rhizosphere of Celtis caucasica L., has been more than exotic. • The use of mycorrhizal fungi of Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, Funneliformis geosporum and...

Highlights Graphical Abstract Article Info Abstract * Corresponding author: t.sepahvand@ut.ac.ir (D. Sepahvand) RESEARCH PAPER • Identification of truffle fungi in Iran is as important as in the world because there are the rich diversity forests in Iran but the introducing and investigation on truffles are limited. • The first report of Choiromyces...

Undoubtedly, the unbiased expression of the strengths and weaknesses and the critique of the past actions of forestry projects will illuminate the path for the future of forest management. The purpose of this study is to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of 60 years of forestry projects in the Hyrcanian forests of the north of Iran. For this...

Any intervention in the structure and composition of forest stands without having sufficient knowledge of the developmental status of the stand can lead to destruction in forest stands. The first step in managing forest stands in a natural way is to understand the dynamics of these stands during the process of stand development under the influence...

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of slop on root system characteristics of Q. castaneifolia. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted in the nursery of Forestry and Forest Economics department, Natural Resources faculty, University of Tehran with three treatment including flat area, area with 25 percent slope, and area with 45 p...

Soil and plants are interconnected; so destruction in the soil causes degradation in plants. In this study, predictive model of soil and plants degradation was developed using artificial neural network. For sampling of soil, parallel transects by systematic random method were carried out. Soil profiles were drilled in four depths of 5–0, 10–5, 15–1...

Background and Objective: The wide area of Iran is effected by salinity. So, study on salinity tolerance of plants are too important. Therefore this study was conducted to investigate effect of salinity on germination and viability of wild Pistachio seed. Method: Seed sampling was done randomly and based on land unit map. Before germination test, s...

Strong wind is an important natural disturbance in temperate forests causing damage, stand gaps, soil disturbance and changes in vegetation composition. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of forest roads as man-made infrastructures on the frequency and type of wind damage in the Hyrcanian forest in Iran. To do this, all the damage...

Strong wind is an important natural disturbance in temperate forests causing damage , stand gaps, soil disturbance and changes in vegetation composition. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of forest roads as man-made infrastructures on the frequency and type of wind damage in the Hyrcanian forest in Iran. To do this, all the dama...

Abstract The northern mountains of Tehran are amongst the most valuable natural ecosystems in Iran, which have been destroyed in recent decades due to improper use of land and land-use changes. Therefore, studies on the land-use changes via spatial occurrence probability maps are necessary to deal with this phenomenon. In the present study land use...

It is necessary to evaluate sustainable spatial allocation of afforestation. For this purpose, this study was conducted in the Kan watershed of Tehran province to assess the suitability of land for afforestation. First, suitable tree species were chosen based on land characteristics of study area and purpose of restoration. Then, the ecological dem...

In a natural forest, phases of different dynamics are gradually replaced to create sustainability in the stands. Coarse woody debris is among the most significant structural elements of natural stands that perform an influential position in the identification of dynamic phases. Therefore, the focus of this study is on dead wood conditioning as one...

The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective factors and management plans affecting vegetation degradation and provide a prediction model for destruction through various management programs using regression and artificial neural network. For this purpose, after determination of similar ecological units with the help of a 1: 50000 D...

This study aimed to quantify the structural similarities and differences and the regeneration establishment in natural and man-made canopy gaps in the north of Iran. All canopy gaps and related parameters were measured within 20 ha areas, from 60 canopy gaps. Gaps were analyzed by classifying the areas including small, medium, and large gaps. The r...

Sorkheh-Hesar National Park degraded in all its aspects, due to its geographical location in Tehran. The purpose of this study to investigate the rate of destruction of the vegetation cover in this park. With choice 20 joint units in both safe zones and other uses, soil sampling carried out in the region by the Transect method. In each unit, three...

Over the past two decades, destruction damage has increased in natural ecosystems. This research focuses solely on soil degradation and vegetation cover in Sorkheh-hesar National Park. For this purpose, some physical properties of soil (specific gravity and porosity, porosity, moisture content, the percentage of pebbles, acidity and conductivity an...

Regarding the distribution of vegetation, species is strongly correlated with the physical factors of soil, in this study, considering the landfall process, the relationship between the physical factor of the percentage of a pebble in soil with biodiversity studied. At first, ecological units using Makhdoom landform method. A total of 20 ecological...

Seed Germination of Pistachio is difficult naturally because of hard shell. Therefore, study and research on germination increasing of this species is very important. This study was conducted to investigate different treatments of gibberellic acid and stratification on seed germination of Pistachio (Pistacia vera) in Khajeh Kalat forest, which is l...

Seed Germination of Pistachio is difficult naturally because of hard shell. Therefore, study and research on germination increasing of this species is very important. This study was conducted to investigate different treatments of gibberellic acid and stratification on seed germination of Pistachio (Pistacia vera) in Khajeh Kalat forest, which is l...

The study of forest structure is one of the basic requirements to achieve the objectives of close to nature silviculture. The purpose of this study was to identify the structural characteristics of coppice forest stands in Fandoghlou forest, Ardebil province. Three representative sites were carefully selected after detailed field survey. In each si...

The soil is one of the most valuable natural resources in the world, managed only by the preservation and survival of the biological cycle. In order to effectively manage the soil, there is a need for basic information about the spatial variation of soil characteristics, especially soil texture. In this study, soil texture and porosity were compare...

Numerous approaches have been developed to quantify forest structure modules. A variety has measured each as part of stand attributes. This study was carried out in managed mixed stands in northern Iran. The objective was to quantify stand structure and its variation before and after tree marking through the Gini index and structural triangle metho...

This study was conducted to investigate the different irrigation and shade treatments on seedling production of Celtis caucasica in Shorab nursery, Khoramabad city, Iran. For this purpose, 30 Celtis caucasica trees were selected in around of Shorab village forests and then seeds were collected from four directions of trees. After investigating the...

The environmental effects of inadequate productivity reduce the diversity and chaos of habitats, the soil is a valuable resource in the world whose sustainable management can only be achieved through the preservation and survival of the biological cycle. With increasing population growth and incorrect use, it has caused significant changes in soil...

For developing nature-based silvicultural practices in a beech forest to promote, abundance, height, vitality, and preferred growth form, regenerated trees growing in gaps were compared with those under closed canopies. A systematic 50 × 50 m grid was plotted in a beech stand in the Kheyrud Experimental Forest for selecting trees to measure variabl...

This study uses a system analysis to evaluate the effects of outdoor activities on some physical properties of the soil (soil bulk density, porosity and soil moisture content) and vegetation status (density, diversity and abundance) in the Qhamishloo national park and wildlife refuge has been researched.In order to achieve the desired objectives, b...

Evaluating the forest stands structure in different development stages is one of the ways for better understanding the forest dynamics and its response to natural disturbances. This study was carried out in the compartment 319, Kheiroud forest in order to quantify the structure properties of mixed beech stands in the stem exclusion phase. For this...

Mast-seeding behaviour of tree species has a key role in regeneration of plant populations. Seed production data were collected from 360 sampling plots to identify environmental factors influencing beech masting in the old-growth beech stands in the north of Iran. The mean seed number per m 2 was 4687 ± 164 in the study sites. Seed production signi...

The Decay rates of dead wood were estimated and used to model the decay of hornbeam stumps in a deciduous forest in North of Iran. We measured the remaining fraction of stump from 36 dead wood of hornbeam. In the samples tree species, stump diameters and decay stage of dead wood were recorded. Single-exponential modeling used for describing the dec...

Protected areas are one the places that need to be continuously monitored. According to evidence, most of these areas have declined in different environmental perspectives that it shows weak management in these areas. in order to determine the effects of development on karkas protected area, development impact assessment was done by model. Degradat...

Knowledge of the stand condition and the gradual replacement of tree species in different development stages and phases provide appropriate information related to the close to nature treatments. Stem exclusion phase is one of the important development phases in the forest stands development. The aim of study was to analyze the characteristics of de...

Tertiary-relict Hyrcanian (Caspian) forest along the shores of the southern Caspian Sea is a center of biodiversity. Still, there is little information on plant diversity patterns in this area. This study evaluated plant diversity, variation in life forms, and geographical distribution of the zonal vegetation types and their relationships with envi...

Establishment of natural regeneration is a crucial process which plays a key role in maintaining the sustainability within the forest stands. This study aimed to investigate the quantitative characteristics of oriental beech regeneration within canopy gaps and under the canopy in Kheyroud forests of Nowshahr in the north of Iran. Two compartments w...

This study analyzed differences between actual and modelled fire predictions for two recent fires that affected the Golestan National Park in northeastern Iran. FARSITE and FlamMap minimum travel time (MTT) fire modelling systems were used to compare spatial differences in burned area between observed and modelled fires. Then, the spatial variabili...

Aim of study: This study aimed to examine the dead wood inhabiting macrofungi communities occurring on dead beech and hornbeam trees in Caspian forests. Area of study: The Kheiroud forest in the north of Iran. Material and Methods: Data from 205 sampling dead tree were analyzed by means of Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to test the effects of...

The Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran support a great diversity of bird species. Yet, the ecological relationships of cavity-nesting birds (CNBs), the main components of forest bird communities in this area, remain unknown. We examined the importance of ecological factors in 90 study plots during the breeding season to predict the probability dist...

Due to their significance for carbon sequestration and ecosystem management, information on decay dynamic of deadwood and its total decay time are of great importance to ecologists and forest managers. This study was conducted in Kheirud forest of Nowshahr to study the decay process of beech and hornbeam deadwood. Therefore, 72 beech and hornbeam d...

The aim of this research was to describe characteristics of natural canopy gaps and gap area fraction as an environmental influence on the success of beech seedling establishment in mature beech stands. All canopy gaps and related forest parameters were measured within three 25 ha areas within the Gorazbon district of the University of Tehran’s Khe...

Wildfire simulators based on empirical or physical models need to be locally calibrated and validated when used under conditions that differ from those where the simulators were originally developed. This study aims to calibrate the FARSITE fire spread model considering a set of recent wildfires that occurred in northern Iranian forests. Site-speci...

Juniperus excelsa is one of the specific tree species in the mountainous areas of Iran. It forms the mountainous forests of Irano-Turanian vegetation region. Despite the considerable spread of J. excelsa in Iran, there is no detailed and valid published study on the phytosociology of Iranian juniper stands. The aim of this research is to identify t...

Hyrcanian mixed broadleaved forests, within middle elevations of the Alborz Mountains bordering the Caspian Sea in northern Iran, experience few human disturbances and provide an ideal study site to science research. Knowledge of diameter at breast height (DBH) and total tree height is fundamental to both developing and applying many growth and yie...

The aim of study was to evaluate qualitative and quantitative characteristics of old trees in Pattom and Namkhaneh districts in the Nowshahr, Northern Iran. The trees quantitative characteristics of DBH, total height, slenderness coefficient, trunk height, crown length, buttress height, and canopy cover area and qualitative characteristics of crown...

Mohammadi MF, Vaezin SMH, Etemad V, Sepahvand A, Shirvani A, Azam S. 2014. Qualitative and financial evaluation of public and private forest nurseries; Case study of southern Zagros forests, Iran. Nusantara Bioscience 6: 152-158. This study has examined the efficiency of two nurseries, private and public divisions, based on qualitative and financia...

To study the beech stand dynamics followed by the definition of developmental phases in natural mixed beech stands, three sample plots, each covering 25 ha, were inventoried in undisturbed natural mixed beech (Fagus oreintalis Lipsky) stands in Kheiroud-Kenar experimental forest in the north of Iran. The plots were subdivided into 25 one-hectare...

The structure of forest stands changes through developmental phases. This study carried out in the unmanaged, oriental beech stands in the north of Iran. Stem exclusion phase is one of the important development phases in the forest stands development. The aim of this study was to analyze the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of dead tree...

Effects of soil chemical properties on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) symbiosis with wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis L. Crantz) were examined with the aim of assessing the root colonization rate at three forest sites in northern Iran. Soil characteristics including pH, available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), organic matter, total nitroge...

Lack of fire behavior studies and the immediate needs posed by the extent of the fire problem in forests of Iran require that extensive studies be conducted to develop models to predict fire behavior in the region. In this study, FARSITE Fire Area Simulator was applied to simulate spread and behavior of two real fires that had occurred in Northern...

Participatory conservation, as bottom-up management, is currently the most acceptable model for management of protected areas across the world. Social context is a central issue in the sustainable management of conservation areas. It is also crucial to introducing participatory conservation. The new approach therefore recognizes rural communities a...

Wildfire simulators based on empirical or physical models need to be locally calibrated and validated when used under conditions that differ from those where the simulators were originally developed. This study aims to calibrate FARSITE fire spread model considering a set of recent wildfires occurred in Northern Iran forests. Site specific fuel mod...

Populus euphraticaOliv. is a native species in arid and semi- arid zone of Iran distributing naturally in the vast regions. We studied the variation in fruit morphological traits in P. euphratica trees originating from seven provenances of Iran. P. euphratica samples were prepared from Karaj Research Station. In this study, catkin length, number of...