Introducing plant associations of Qalajeh protected area and their relation with environmental factors

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student, Quantitative Plant Ecology and Biodiversity Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Corresponding author, Prof., Quantitative Plant Ecology and Biodiversity Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

3 Associate Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

4 Assistant Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

Abstract

     In this study, the Qalajeh protected area in the Kermanshah Province (Iran) was investigated for its plant associations. Based on the map of the region, areas of natural and semi-natural habitats were initially separated from inhabited, farms and disturbed areas, in which 98 releves were stablished. Vegetation data were collected using the Braun-Blanquet method and soil samples were collected to analyze soil characteristics. The vegetation analysis was carried out by the Braun Blanquet tabular synthesis using the JUICE software, while classification of releves was carried out using TWINSPAN. Results showed that  19 associations including Aveno barbatae-Trifolietum scabri, Aegilopetum triuncialis-umbellulatae, Sanguisorbetum minoris, Astragalo flexilipedis-Acanthophylletum caespitosi, Trifolio echinati-Anemonetum coronariae, Scirpoidetum holoschoeni, Daphno mucronatae-Quercetum brantii, Pistacio eurycarpae-Quercetum brantii, Pruno orientalis-Quercetum brantii, Fico caricae-Quercetum brantii, Pistacio khinjuk-Quercetum brantii, Crataego ponticae-Quercetum brantii, Festuco ovinae-Astragaletum veri, Pruno microcarpae-Quercetum brantii, Ferulago carduchori-Quercetum brantii, Pyro oxyprii-Quercetum brantii, Aceri cinerascentis-Quercetum brantii, Juncetum inflexi and Typhetum grossheimii in the area. Furthermore, their distribution was found to be mainly due to climatic factors of temperature and precipitation, which are resulted from difference in elevation levels, aspect and soil factors including texture, lime, available potassium (K), available phosphorus (P), organic carbon and electrical conductivity.

Keywords


Asri, Y. and Mehrnia, M., 2002. A phytosociological study of central part of Sefid-Kuh protected area. Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 54(4): 423-443 (In Persian).
- Asri, Y., 1995. Phytosociology. Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 285p (in Persian).
- Assadi, M. (Ed.), 1988-2018. Flora of Iran, Vols. 1-145. Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran (In Persian).
- Barkman, J.J., Moravec, J. and Rauschert, S., 1976. Code of phytosociological nomenclature. Vegetatio, 32(3): 131-185.
- Basiri, R., 2010. Phytosociological study in Quercus libani Oliv.’s site by analyzing environmental factors in West Azerbaijan, Iran. Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(16): 1667-1683.
- Braun-Blanquet, J., 1932. Plant sociology, The Study of Plant Communities. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York and London, 439p.
- Cain, S.A. and Castro, G.M.O., 1959. Manaul of Vegetation Analysis. Harper and BrothersPublishers, New York, 325p.
- Davis, P.H., 1965-1986. Flora of Turkey, Vols. 1-9. Edinburgh University Press. Edinburgh, 6451p.
- Esmaeilzadeh, O., Asadi, H. and Ahmadi, A., 2013. Phytosociology of Khybus protected area. Journal of Wood & Forest Science and Technology, 19(4): 1-20 (In Persian).
- Esmailzadeh, O., Hosseini, S.M. and Oladi, J., 2005. A phytosociological study of English yew (Taxus baccata L.) in Afratakhteh reserve. Pajouhesh & Sazandegi, 18(3): 66-76 (In Persian).
- Fatehi, Sh., 2011. Semi-detailed soil survey of Dare-Badam forestry research station in Kermanshah province. Final Report of Research Project, No. 2684, Published by Soil and Watre Research Institute, Tehran, 62p (In Persian).
- Hamzeh'ee, B., 2017. Phytosociological study of the Bisotun protected area. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research, 23(4): 876-892 (In Persian).
- Hamzeh'ee, B., Khanhasani, M., Khodakarami, Y. and Nemati Peykani, M., 2008. Floristic and phytosociological study of Chaharzebar forests in Kermanshah. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 16(2): 211-229 (In Persian).
- Kaya, Ö.F., Ketenoğlu, O. and Bingöl, M.Ü., 2009. A phytosociological investigation on forest and dry stream vegetation of Karacadağ (Şanlıurfa/Diyarbakır). Kastamonu University Journal of Forestry Faculty, 9(2): 157-170.
 - Khalid, Sh., 2017. Phytosociological and ethnobotanical studies of Mohmand agency. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Botany, Islamia College Peshawar, Peshawar, 166p.
- Khanhasani, M., 1997. Phytosociology of Gavanban research station in Harsin. Final Report of Research Project, No. 2684, Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 62p (In Persian).
- Khanhasani, M. and Atri, M., 2000. Phytosociological study of Darbadam forest: 125-170. In: Fattahi, M., (Ed.). Management of Zagros Forest (Study Area: Darbadam forest of Kermanshah). No. 47, Published by Institute of Research Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 469p.
- Maassoumi, A.A., 2005. The genus Astragalus in Iran, Vol. 5. Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 773p (In Persian).
- Mirdavoudi, H.R., Asri, Y., Hosseinzadeh, J. and Mohamadpour, M., 2019. Phytosociological study of Dalab park protected area in Ilam. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 26(4): 530-541 (In Persian).
- Mobayen, S., and Djavanshir, K., 1971. Yasuj Forests. Journal of Forestry Department, University of Tehran, 24: 51-73 (In Persian).
- Mueller-Dombois, D. and Ellenberg, H., 1974. Aims and Methods of Vegetation Ecology, First Edition. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 547p.
- Rechinger, K.H. (Ed.), 1963-2015. Flora Iranica, Vols. 1-181. Akademische Druck und VerlagsanstaltVerlag des Naturhistorischen Museum Wien, Graz and Wien.
- Rostami, A., Mataji, A., Hamzeh, B. and Karimi, H., 2008. The relationship between plant communities with edaphic conditions in natural forests of middle Zagross (a case study in Manesht region of Ilam province). Journal of Sciences and Techniques in Natural Resources, 2(4): 11-24 (In Persian).
- Samiei, A., 2015. Phytosociology of Qalajeh protected forests, Kermanshah province. M.Sc thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 76p (In Persian).
- Samiei, A., Shakeri, Z. and Maroofi, H., 2015. Study of relationship between plant species distribution and some environmental factors by ordination method (Case study: Qalajeh protected forests, Kermanshah). International Conference on Sustainable Development, Strategies and Challenges with a Focus on Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism. Tabriz, Iran, 24-26 Feb. 2015: 13p.
- Tel, A.Z., Tatli, Â. and Varol, Ö., 2010. Phytosociological structure of Nemrut Mountain (Adıyaman/Turkey). Turkish Journal of Botany, 34(5): 417-434.
- Tichý, L., 2002. JUICE, software for vegetation classification. Journal of Vegetation Science, 13(3): 451-453.
- Tichý, L., 2005. New similarity indices for the assignment of relevés to the vegetation units of an existing phytosociological classification. Plant Ecology, 179(1): 67-72.
- Townsend, C.C., Guest, E. and Al-Rawi, A., 1966-1985. Flora of Iraq, Vols. 1-9. Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Iraq, Baghdad, 4098p.
- van der Maarel, E., 2005. Vegetation Ecology. Blackwell Publishing Science Ltd, Malden, Massachusetts, 395p.
- Zohary, M., 1973. Geobotanical Foundations of the Middle East, Vol. 2. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, 739p.