Initial Performance of Turkish Red Pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) Afforestation in Izmir, Türkiye

The success rate of pine afforestation in Mediterranean countries decreased sharply in recent years, highlighting the critical need for selecting suitable tree species to ensure ecosystem sustainability and afforestation success. This study assesses the initial afforestation performance of two ecologically and economically important pine species in Türkiye under Izmir conditions, aiming to guide future semi-arid zone afforestation and restoration projects. The survival and growth of Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) seedlings planted on northern and southern aspects of an experimental plot in Izmir-Buca were compared one and two years after planting. Two-factor ANOVA analysis revealed that Turkish red pine seedlings exhibited a 72% higher survival rate after two years than maritime pine seedlings. Diameter growth varied by species and aspect, with Turkish red pine showing similar performance on both aspects, while maritime pine showed significantly lower performance (18%) on the southern aspect. Regardless of species, crown growth was considerably better in northern aspects, consistent with findings on superior soil moisture retention. These results indicate that Turkish red pine possesses greater drought tolerance than maritime pine under climate change conditions and is more suitable for semi-arid regions. Further research with different origins and locations over an extended period is recommended.