Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Reza Sheikhakbari-Mehr ¹
• Zahra Khalili ²
• Younes Asri ³
• Mehdi Ramezani ²

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

² Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

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

Abstract

Introduction: Plants play a key role in the balance of ecosystems and therefore are vital for the sustainability of the environment. Any knowledge about the plant species of a region is considered the basic principle for other research and can be a starting point for future supplementary studies. Biodiversity is one of the important aspects of life, especially considering the climate and land use. Destruction of the environment and natural resources has caused the extinction of plant and animal species and consequently, the reduction of biodiversity in the world. Given that today humans are facing numerous environmental issues and threats to biodiversity, the best way to save biodiversity and understand its values is to continuously evaluate and monitor natural habitats. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating and analyzing plant biodiversity in the Plang-Dareh protected area in Qom province, as well as determining the endemism and conservation status of plant species in the area. The results obtained from this research can be used to explain the role of protected areas in the preservation and maintenance of genetic resources, environmental health and the development of appropriate management-protection plans.
Materials and Methods: Palang-Dareh protected area is located southwest of Qom province. In order to make a contribution to the flora of the region during periodic visits, plant samples were collected in the growing seasons for two consecutive years. Any information about collected samples was noted, and the samples were pressed and dried. Plant species were identified using relevant Floras. In addition to determining the endemic and conservation status of plant species, the life form of plants was determined based on the Raunkier method and the chorology of plant species in the study area was determined using Zohari and Leonard classification. In order to evaluate the biodiversity of vegetation along an altitude gradient, the height (a.s.l.) in the study area was divided into three zones (1600-1900, 1300-2200, 1600-1900 meters). Systematic-random sampling was done from different altitude zone of the study area and biodiversity indices were calculated.
Results: Based on our results there are 171 plant species belonging to 126 genera and 46 families in the studied area. The family Asteraceae is the richest plant family in Palang-Dareh. In terms of life form, 45% of the species belong to hemicryptophytes and 22% to therophytes. The chorology of the species showed that more than 65% of the flora of the Palang-Dareh protected area belong to the Irano-Turanian chorotype and 12% belong to the Irano-Turanian and Mediterranean phytogeographical regions. 15% of the identified species are endemic to Iran and some plants are on the list of vulnerable or endangered species. The evaluation of biodiversity indices in different altitude zones revealed that the species diversity and species richness indices have reached their maximum in the intermediate altitude zone and the species diversity decreases with increasing altitude.
Discussion: Having comprehensive knowledge about the vegetation of an area is an essential and the first step in solving ecological issues such as biodiversity conservation, natural resources management and, assessment of environmental conditions. The dominance of a dry climate as well as over-grazing and unauthorized human activities have led to the high prevalence of certain plant species (known as indicators of destruction) and also therophytes in the studied area. Enjoying diverse vegetation and suitable natural habitats, protected areas have an essential role in biodiversity conservation. Based on our results some endemic plants of the area have vulnerable or endangered conservation status so that, more precise conservation plans should be put on the agenda.

Keywords

• Chorology
• Conservation
• Endemism
• Floristic

Main Subjects

• Biodiversity & Biosafety