Growth and nutrition of restored Quercus castaneifolia C.A. Mey. versus native Celtis australis L. tree species : conservation perspectives of Hyrcanian forest (Iran)

For native species, mixed plantation systems seem to be the most appropriate for providing a broader range of options such as production, protection, biodiversity conservation and restoration. After 11 years, growth and nutrition and soil properties were examined in young plantation of two indigenous tree species in Hyrcanian forests of Iran. Quercus castaneifolia C.A. Mey. (as target species) and Celtis australis L. (as native component species) were planted in five proportions (100Q, 70Q:30C, 60Q:40C, 50Q:50C, 40Q:60C) in Noor, Iran. Diameter at breast height of individual Quercus trees and total basal area were affected by the presence of Celtis. Percent retranslocation of nutrients in Quercus followed in order: K> P> N. Leaf-litter fall production ranged from 4.10 to 6.14 t ha[^-1] year[^-1]. Ca and Mg concentrations in fully expanded leaves of Quercus, N and K retranslocation of Quercus, concentration of available P in soil were higher in some of the mixed plantations than in monoculture of Quercus. On the other hand, N concentration in fully expanded leaves of Quercus, N fluxes and soil C/N ratio were higher in monoculture of Quercus. Within the framework of this experiment, it appeared that production was maximized when these two species were grown together in the proportion of 60% Quercus and 40% Celtis.