Assessment of plant species diversity understory of forest in high, coppice, and coppice-with-standards stands in the Zagros forests (case study of Qalajeh forest, Kermanshah province, Iran)

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Forestry Department, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Corresponding author, Prof., Forestry Department, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

3 Assistant Prof., Forestry Department, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

Background and objectives: The oak forests of western Iran, with their unique species diversity and numerous plant communities, are considered among the most important natural ecosystems. The diversity and richness of plant species play a vital role in the health and sustainability of these forests. The present study aimed to investigate and understand the differences, similarities, and relationships between the diversity of plant species under forest canopy in Iranian oak forest stands, as well as to investigate its relationship with their structural characteristics in the protected forests of Qalajeh Mountain in Kermanshah Province.
Methodology: In this research, while identifying three forest high stand, coppice stand, coppice-with-standards stand, three sample plots of one hectare were randomly taken in each of them. Then, the structural characteristics of species name, growth form, number of sprout, diameter at breast height, height of trees and the dominant height of the coppice trees and two perpendicular diameters of the crown were recorded. Also, in order to investigate the vegetation cover of the forest floor and its relationship with the characteristics of the forest stand, 40 sample plots of 1 square meter were randomly selected in each 1-hectare sample plot. In each, plant species were identified and their richness and percentage of cover were measured. Ecological Methodology software was used to estimate the values ​​of diversity indices. The values ​​of Shannon-Wiener and Simpson species diversity indices, Margalef and Menhinick species richness indices, and Hill and Pitt evenness indices were calculated.
Results: The results showed that 145 species of vascular plants belonging to 104 genera and 35 families were identified in the study area. The largest families of vascular plants were Fabaceae with 12 genera and 24 species, Asteraceae with 16 genera and 19 species, Poaceae with 12 genera and 18 species, Lamiaceae with 8 genera and 12 species, and Apiaceae with 9 genera and 9 species, respectively. In the coppice stand, 33 families, 88 genera, and 124 species were identified; in the coppice-with-standards stand, 31 families, 83 genera, and 103 species; and in the high stand, 108 species belonging to 33 families and 81 genera were recorded. The highest values ​​of Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices are assigned to the coppice stand, Hill and Pitt's evenness index to the high stand, and Margalef and Menhinick indices to the coppice stand. Also, the results of the analysis of variance of the values ​​of the studied indices indicate that only the values ​​of Shannon-Wiener diversity index in the stands had significant differences (Pvalue < 0.05), and the other indices did not have significant differences. Shannon-Wiener species diversity indices and Hill's evenness in the stands were significantly related to the crown surface, but other structural characteristics of the stands did not show the same relationship and dependencies with the values ​​of the studied indices.
Conclusion: The results of the study show that the species diversity values ​​of understory vegetation in the forest stands of the studied area are related to some of their structural characteristics. Also, the Shannon-Wiener species diversity index in the three oak forest stands has a significant difference, such that the coppice stand has the highest diversity and the high stand has the lowest diversity, while the Simpson diversity index and evenness and species richness indices in the forest stands did not have a significant difference.
 
 

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References

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