The response of nursery seedlings and wildings of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky)
to canopy gap size was studied in a climax beech forest in northern Iran with respect to
seedling survival, shoot growth and vitality. These parameters were followed for 2 years after
planting in gaps of 50, 200 and 600 m2, as well as in the open field. Foliage coloration was
used as a criterion for vitality. The survival rate of nursery seedlings and wildings dropped
rapidly with increasing gap size from 84 per cent in 50-m2 canopy openings to∼ 55 per cent …

The response of nursery seedlings and wildlings of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) to
canopy gap size was studied in a climax beech forest in northern Iran with respect to
seedling survival, shoot growth and vitality. These parameters were followed for 2 years after
planting in gaps of 50, 200 and 600 m2, as well as in the open field. Foliage coloration was
used as a criterion for vitality. The survival rate of nursery seedlings and wildlings dropped
rapidly with increasing gap size from 84% in 50-m2 canopy openings to∼ 55% in the 600 …