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Abstract
An old-growth beech forest stand with silver fir within the strict forest reserve of Sasso Fratino has been examined with the following aims: to characterize forest stand on the basis of classic forest parameters and to assess forest stand structure by means of spatial functions; to provide genetic dating of the beech population. Total census of size and position of living trees and deadwood was performed on a 9200 m2 permanent plot. Vertical distribution of crowns in the stand was assessed using the TSTRAT function, horizontal stand structure using spatial point pattern analysis. Genetic dating was performed on a sample of beech trees. DNA was isolated and each individual was genotyped at four chloroplast microsatellite loci. Microsatellite profiles were compared with the profiles of control DNA of known haplotypes. Results show a multi-strata vertical structure, a horizontal structure characterized by small gaps (<160 m2) where silver fir regeneration sets in. Deadwood is present with all the decay classes and with relatively high volumes. Genetic dating ascribes the Sasso Fratino beech stand to the ancestral haplotype 2: this population can therefore be considered a hot spot of haplotype diversity of the glacial refugia present in central Italy.
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research within the framework of the project PRIN2007 “Innovative methods for the identification, characterization and management of old-growth forests in the Mediterranean environment” (National Coordinator: G. Chirici). The authors wish to thank the National Forest Service (Corpo Forestale dello Stato) for its support in the fieldworks.