Effect of the oak decline on nutrient absorption in leaves of healthy and unhealthy Brant`s oak (.Quercus brantii Lindl) trees in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province, Iran

Document Type : Research article

Authors

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

2 Prof., Research Division of Forest, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 Researcher, Research Division of Forest, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

4 Ph.D, of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

5 Assitant Prof., Research Division of Forests, Rangelands and Watershed Management, Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.), the dominant tree species in Zagros forests, has experienced decline of varying intensity. Investigating nutrient concentrations in tree leaves helps study physiological responses to environmental stresses. This research examines changes in leaf nutrients of healthy and unhealthy oak trees in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad forests over two consecutive years (2020-2021), amid increasing oak decline in Iran's South Zagros forests.
Methodology: Trees were selected from two 1-ha sites: Sarabtaveh (control) and Sisakht (declined area). In the declined plot, five healthy and five unhealthy trees were chosen; in the control plot, five healthy trees were selected. Leaf samples were collected at the end of the growing season in 2020 and 2021 from the middle crown across four geographic directions (five leaves per direction), yielding 20 leaves as a composite sample per tree. Essential elements and micronutrients were extracted via digestion and measured using atomic absorption. Treatments were compared using two-way ANOVA and Duncan's mean separation test in R software.
Results: Nitrogen (1-1.6%), potassium (0.2-1%), and phosphorus (0.1-0.2%) concentrations varied across plots. Sampling year significantly affected most elements except magnesium. Nitrogen decreased in the second year across all stands, significantly so in unhealthy trees of the declined area. Phosphorus showed interannual fluctuations but no significant differences. Potassium increased slightly in year two but showed no significant differences. Iron, zinc, and manganese were significantly higher in 2021 than 2020 across stands. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were higher in the declined area than the control during both years. Manganese, copper, and zinc were highest in control healthy trees, intermediate in declined unhealthy trees, and lowest in declined healthy trees.
Conclusion: Significant changes in most leaf elements between declining and healthy trees indicate that oak decline, characterized by reduced nitrogen and phosphorus and increased potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese, affects nutrient absorption. Leaf nutrient measurements reflect absorption dynamics and plant-environment stress relationships in forest ecosystems. Observed changes likely stem from trees' defense mechanisms enhancing stress tolerance. Better understanding of decline effects on tree nutrition can inform strategies to minimize oak decline damage.
 
 
 
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

- Ahmad, R., Dehghani Shoraki., Y. and Banedjschafie, S., 2009. Nutritional status of elm (Ulmus glabra Huds.) trees in National Botanical Garden of Iran. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 17(1): 99-106 (In Persian with English summary).
- Alizadeh, A., 1995. The Relationship between Water, Soil and Plants (Translation). Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Mashhad, Iran, 735p (In Persian).
- Alizadeh, A., Majidi, A. and Noormohammadi, G., 2008. Effects of drought and soil nitrogen on nutrient uptake by of corn varieties 704. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4(1): 51-59 (In Persian).
- Allen, C.D., Macalady, A.K., Chenchouni, H., Bachelet, D., McDowell, N., Vennetier, M., ... and Cobb, N., 2010. A global overview of drought and heat-induced tree mortality reveals emerging climate change risks for forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 259(4): 660-684.
- Amtmann, A., Troufflard, S. and Armengaud, P., 2008. The effect of potassium nutrition on pest and disease resistance in plants. Physiologia Plantarum, 133(4): 682-691.
- Anschütz, U., Becker, D. and Shabala, S., 2014. Going beyond nutrition: Regulation of potassium homoeostasis as a common denominator of plant adaptive responses to environment. Journal of Plant Physiology, 171(9): 670-687.
- Bennett, W.F., 1993. Plant nutrient utilization and diagnostic plant symptoms: 1-7. In: Bennett, W.F. (Ed.). Nutrient Deficiencies and Toxicities in Crop Plants. APS Press, Minnesota, USA, 202p.
- Du, B., Ji, H., Liu, S., Kang, H., Yin, S. and Liu, C., 2021. Nutrient resorption strategies of three oak tree species in response to interannual climate variability. Forest Ecosystems, 8: 70.
- Ghazanshahi, J., 1997. Soil and Plant Analysis (Translation). Published by Homa Nasher, Tehran, Iran, 312p (In Persian).
- Haidari, M., Jahanbazi Goujani, H. and Pourhashemi, M., 2023. Analysis of annual oak mortality changes in different crown dimensions in Arasbaran forests, Kurdistan province: A case study of Baneh County. Journal of Plant Ecosystem Conservation, 10(21): 68-78 (In Persian with English summary).
- Haidari, M., Matinizadeh, M., Pourhashemi, M. and Nouri, E., 2024a. Investigating the changes of deep soil parameters adjacent to control stands and dieback trees in the forests of Kurdistan province (Case study: Marivan county). Iranian Journal of Forest and Range Protection Research, 22(2): 184-198 (In Persian with English summary).
- Haidari, M., Matinizadeh, M., Pourhashemi, M., Nouri, E. and Bagheri Deligani, N., 2024b. Investigating changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of soil in control and dieback stands in Marivan county, Kurdistan province in Iran. Forest Research and Development, 10(1): 95-111 (In Persian with English summary).
- Haidari, M., Matinizadeh, M., Pourhashemi, M., Nouri, E. and Keneshloo, F., 2022. Changes in leaf nutrients of healthy and withered trees in Garan and Dezlei forests in Kurdistan province. Journal of Plant Ecosystem Conservation, 10(21): 194-206 (In Persian with English summary).
- Hawkesford, M., Horst, W., Kichey, T., Lambers, H., Schjoerring, J., Skrumsager Møller, I. and White, P., 2012. Functions of macronutrients: 135-190. In: Marschner, H. (Ed.). Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, Third Edition. Academic Press, London, England, 672p.
- Hosseini, A., 2017. Variability of nitrogen and phosphorous in Persian oak trees and soil of dieback affected stands in Ilam. Forest and Wood Products, 70(2): 231-240 (In Persian with English summary).
- Hosseini, A., Matinizadeh, M., Pourhashemi, M. and Asgari, Sh., 2021. Effect of slope aspect and crown dieback intensity on leaf and soil nutrient status in Persian oak stands, Quercus brantii Lindl. (Case study, Melah-Siah forests, Ilam province). Iranian Journal of Forest and Range Protection Research, 19(2): 354-367 (In Persian with English summary).
- Hosseini, A., Matinizadeh, M., Soleimani, R. and Asgari, Sh., 2024. Three-year results of monitoring the leaf nutrients of Persian oak trees (Quercus brantii Lindl.) in declining forests. Iranian Journal of Forest, 16(1): 55-69 (In Persian with English summary).
- Hosseinzadeh, J. and Pourhashemi, M., 2015. An investigation on the relationship between crown indices and the severity of oak forests decline in Ilam. Iranian Journal of Forest, 7(1): 57-66 (In Persian with English summary).
- Imsande, J., 1998. Iron, sulfur, and chlorophyll deficiencies: A need for an integrative approach. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 21(9): 1839–1857.
- Jahanbazy Goujani, H., Iranmanesh, Y., Talebi, M. and Pourhashemi, M., 2021. Micronutrients changes during the growing season in different dryness classes of Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) trees, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Forest and Wood Products, 74(2): 223-233 (In Persian with English summary).
- Javanmiripour, M., Valipour, J. and Hasanzadeh, A., 2023. Study of climate change on the structure and decline of Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) in Zagros ecosystems (Case study: forests of Gilan-e-Gharb county). Ecology of Iranian Forests, 11(21): 12-23 (In Persian with English summary).
- Khajei, N., Etemad, V. and Bazrafshan, J., 2024. Predicting climate change impacts on distribution of Brant's oak trees (Quercus brantii Lindl.) in the Zagros forests, Fars Province. Iranian Journal of Forest, 15(4): 393-409 (In Persian with English summary).‏
- Kieu, N.P., Aznar, A., Segond, D., Rigault, M., Simond-Côte, E., Kunz, C., ... and Dellagi, A., 2012. Iron deficiency affects plant defense responses and confers resistance to Dickeya dadantii and Botrytis cinerea. Molecular Plant Pathology, 13(8): 816-827.
- Mirabolfathi, M., 2013. Outbreak of Charcoal disease on Quercus spp and Zelkova Carpinifolia trees in forests of Zagros and Alborz mountains in Iran. Iranian Journal of Plant Pathology, 49(2): 257-263 (In Persian with English summary).
- Mohammadzadeh, H., Mirzaei, J., Farashiyani, M.E., Soheili, F., Woodward, S., Abdul-Hamid, H. and Naji, H.R., 2021. Variation in the nutrient contents of leaves, bark, and wood of Persian oak trees (Quercus brantii Lindl.) affected by decline. BioResources, 16(3): 4704-4715.
- Nikolic, M. and Römheld, V., 1999. Mechanism of Fe uptake by the leaf symplast: Is Fe inactivation in leaf a cause of Fe deficiency chlorosis? Plant and Soil, 215: 229-237.
- Nouri, E., Matinizade, M., Moshki, A., Ensafi Moghaddam, T. and Rahimi, M., 2015. Evaluating the amount of heavy metals in dusts and their absorption by Brant’s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) (Case study: Meleh Siah, Ilam). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 23(4): 605-616 (In Persian with English summary).
- Ostakh, E., Soosani, J., Abdolkhani, A. and Naghavi, H., 2020. Impact of decline on the concentration of chemical elements in the wood of declined and healthy Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 27(4): 413-424 (In Persian with English summary).
- Pessarakli, M., Haghighi, M. and Sheibanirad, A., 2015. Plant responses under environmental stress conditions. Advances in Plants and Agriculture Research, 2(6): 276-286.
- Pourhashemi, M. and Sadeghi, S.M.M., 2021. A Review on ecological causes of oak decline phenomenon in forests of Iran. Ecology of Iranian Forests, 8(16): 148-164 (In Persian with English summary).
- Sagheb Talebi, Kh., Sajedi, T. and Pourhashemi, M., 2014. Forests of Iran: A Treasure from the Past, a Hope for the Future. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 152p.
- Sardans, J. and Penuelas, J., 2007. Drought changes phosphorus and potassium accumulation patterns in an evergreen Mediterranean forest. Functional Ecology, 21(2): 191-201.
- Sardans, J., Penuelas, J. and Ogaya, R., 2008. Drought-induced changes in C and N stoichimetry in a Quercus ilex Mediterranean forest. Forest Science, 54(5): 513-522.
- Shariat, A., Mirzaie-Nodoushan, H., Mirza, M., Zare, Z., Keneshloo, H. and Taghavi, F., 2019. An ionome study in Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl) to evaluate factors affected oak decline. Iranian Journal
of Forest, 11(3): 415-428 (In Persian with English summary).
- Sohar, K., Helama, S., Läänelaid, A., Raisio, J. and Tuomenvirta, H., 2013. Oak decline in a Southern finnish forest as affected by a drought sequence. Geochronometria, 41(1): 92-103.
- Teimouri, M., Alizadeh, T., Iranmanesh, Y., Sadgezdeh Hallaj, M.H. and Pourhashemi, M., 2023. The evaluation of changes in the chemical and biological properties of soil in Brant's oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) forests of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Province, Iran. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 31(1): 14-26 (In Persian with English summary).
- Zarafshar, M., Matinizadeh, M., Negahdarsaber, M., Pourhashemi, M., Bordbar, S.K. and Ziaeian, M.R., 2021. Soil characteristics and leaf nutrients of healthy and declined Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 29(2): 140-152 (In Persian with English summary).
-Matinizadeh, M., Nouri, E., Alizadeh, T., Pourhashemi, M., Faraji, F. and Khaksarian, F., 2025. Assessing soil physicochemical characteristics of stands affected by declining Iranian oak in Kohgilouye and Boyerahmad forests. Iranian Journal of Forest, 17(2): 159–172 (In Persian with English summary).
Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research
Volume 33, Issue 3 - Serial Number 101
January 2026
Pages 257-270

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics