Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of the Environment, botany Group, botany rating expert
2 Associate Professor, Division of Botany, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
3 Ph.D. in Plant systematic eco., General manager of National Natural History Museum and Genetic reserves, Doe., Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Diaphanoptera khorasanica is Iran's endemic species and vulnerable threat class. In this research, some of the vegetative and environmental characteristics of this species were studied in the Chalpo-e-Ataeiyeh habitat of Razavi khorassan and Hoindeh and Kajdarreh Sarigoul National Park in North Khorasan, Iran. For sampling of D. khorasanica, 45 plots were arranged in a systematic - random method along 9 transects of 100 m for all three habitats. In each plot, the vegetative properties of this species were measured. In each habitat, three soil samples were randomly taken from the depth of 0-20 cm at the under of the plants, and some of their physical and chemical characteristics were measured. Climatic data of 10 years was extracted from synoptic stations of Kashmar and Esfarayn. After data collection, one way ANOVA was used to analyze vegetative and soil characteristics and Duncan's test was used to compare the means. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the three habitats in terms of crown cover and diameter of the thickest stem at 5% level, plant height and leaf length , density and length of the longest stem at 1% level, but the number of seedling and leaf width were not significantly different. Also, there was a significant difference between the habitats for all of soil characteristics (p < 0.01). The most important environmental factors affecting vegetative characteristics were determined using principal components analysis (PCA). The results showed that minimum absolute temperature, average minimum temperature of coldest month, annual rainfall, electrical conductivity, clay and direction of slope had the most effect on these characteristics, respectively. Also among the vegetative characteristics, length of the longest stem, plant height, crown cover, number of plants and diameter of the thickest stem had the most effect on environmental characteristics.
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