Dendroecological analysis of Fagus orientalis temperate rainforest in northern Turkey

An old-growth temperate rainforest in northern Turkey, part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Camili, exhibits characteristics consistent with gap dynamics, a key process shaping forest structure. This conclusion stems from a dendroecological analysis comparing three disturbance detection methods—radial growth averaging (RGA), boundary line method (BLm), and time series approach (TSa)—which revealed that tree growth and forest development are significantly influenced by periodic disturbances. The study, conducted on Fagus orientalis trees, also highlighted the forest's resilience to climate variability while noting that further research is needed to validate these findings across larger plots or through additional ecological investigations, such as seedling recruitment or canopy gap dynamics.

Vollenweider, Claudia. (2015). Dendroecological analysis of Fagus orientalis temperate rainforest in northern Turkey. ETH Zurich. https://doi.org/10.3929/ETHZ-A-010578356