Monitoring mortality in a semiarid forest under the influence of prolonged drought in Zagros region
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Monitoring mortality in a semiarid forest under the influence of prolonged drought in Zagros region M. Gheitury1 · M. Heshmati1 · A. Noroozi2 · M. Ahmadi1 · Y. Parvizi1 Received: 24 November 2019 / Revised: 11 January 2020 / Accepted: 18 January 2020 © Islamic Azad University (IAU) 2020
Abstract Climate change and exacerbation of drought stress during recent decade cause forest mortality phenomenon and threatening existence of forests worldwide. This study was conducted to assess the forest decline trend and associated factors through remote sensing technique and field measurements during 6 years (2012–2017) in Zagros forest in the Kalehzard, Kermanshah, Iran. Precise coordinates of dead trees were recorded annually, and points were checked with satellite images. Results indicated that reductions in winter precipitation by about 37 mm and long-term frost days by about 10 days, and adversely increased air temperature by 0.14 °C corresponded with 20% reduction in tree density. Dead tree rate over study period on northern and southern slopes was 18.8% and 31.1%, respectively, with a significant higher rate being detected in southern slope (P
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