Modeling frequency distributions of tree height, diameter and crown area by six probability functions for open forests of Quercus persica in Iran

The prediction of the distribution of quantitative variables in a forest stand is of great interest to forest managers, for the evaluation of forest resources and scheduling of future silvicultural treatments. The aim of this research was to model the distribution of quantitative variables for Quercus persica in open forests in Iran. To investigate the probability distribution of trees in natural stands, 642 trees were selected for measurement using a systematic random sampling method. Selected trees were measured and data were analyzed. Gamma, beta, normal,lognormal, exponential and Weibull probability distributions were fitted to the height distribution of trees. Variables of distribution functions were estimated using the maximum likelihood estimation method. Actual probability and probability which derived from functions was compared using Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Anderson–Darling tests. Beta, Weibull and Weibull probability distributions explained the distributions of tree height, DBH and crown area.

Diversity of filamentous fungi in organic layers of two forests in Zijin Mountain

A study was conducted to evaluate the cultivable filamentous fungal diversity in organic layers (L, F, and H layers) and A1 layer of two main forest types, Pinus massoniana and Liguidambar formasana mixed forest and Quercus variabilis forest, in Zijin Mountain(325?N, 11848?E), Nanjing, China. A total of 67 taxa comprising 56 Deuteromycetes, 3 Zygomycetes, 5 Asco-mycetes and 3 unidentified fungi were recognized from samples from the forest floor of the two forest types. The most abundant group was Deuteromycetes. The dominant genera in both forests were Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium sp., Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizopus sp., Gliocladium sp. and Trichoderma spp. The fungal diversity was higher in the mixed forest than that in Q. variabilis forest. For both forest types, the maximum fungal diversity was found in layer F and there existed significantly different in fungal diversity between layer F and layer L. In the mixed forest, richness of fungi isolated from needle litter (P. massoniana) was lower than that from leaf litter (L. formasana). The richness of fungi from needle litter increased with the in-crease of forest floor depth, but for leaf litter, the fungal diversity decreased with the depth of forest floor. The co-species of fungi from the two forest types, as well as from two kinds of litters in mixed forest, increased with the depth of the forest floor. The succession of fungi along with the process of decomposition was discussed here. The results also showed that litter quality was a critical factor affecting fungal diversity.