İbrahim Turna, Tunahan Günaydın, Ali Bayraktar, Fahrettin Atar, Deniz Güney
Effects of elevation and aspect on the morphological traits of 10- and 15-year-old Scots pine individuals
Dendrobiology 2026, vol. 95: 51-65
https://doi.org/10.12657/denbio.095.004
Abstract:
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a widely distributed forest tree species of major importance in global forestry and afforestation, whose growth performance varies in response to site and stand conditions. This study evaluates the effects of elevation and aspect on the morphological development of Scots pine individuals grown under afforestation conditions in the Aslandag Provincial Forest, Bayburt, Türkiye. The research material consisted of 10- and 15-year-old individuals established at two elevations (1600, 1750 m) and two aspects (sunny and shady). A total of 720 individuals were evaluated from 24 plots established in a full factorial design. Morphological traits measured included height, root collar diameter branch length, crown area, crown asymmetry index, terminal shoot length (for 10-year-olds), and diameter at breast height (for 15-year-olds). The study results showed that lower elevation (1600 m) and shady aspect conditions generally supported better growth. For 10-year-old individuals, the highest mean values for height, root collar diameter, and crown area were 213.1 cm, 6.1 cm, and 2.21 m2 , respectively. In 15-year-old individuals, these values increased to 581.3 cm in height, 14.2 cm in root collar diameter, and 4.36 m2 in crown area, which showed strong positive correlations with height and root collar diameter, emphasizing its value as a growth indicator. In contrast, the crown asymmetry index reached its highest value at 1600 m (0.116 in 10-year-olds), and tended to decrease with age, indicating a transition toward more balanced crown forms over time. The findings demonstrate that both environmental factors and age jointly shape the morphological traits of Scots pine, offering valuable guidance for afforestation practices and silvicultural planning in similar temperate conditions.
Keywords: afforestation, crown morphology, crown asymmetry index, topographic factors, site-related variation