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The effects of environmental factors on plant diversity of Darab natural ecosystems in Fars province, Iran

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Abstract

This research quantitatively evaluated the diversity of plants to protect vulnerable species. To measure vegetation information, the appropriate sampling plot size was determined based on the canopy cover of the dominant species of the study area (1 m2). Then, in each unit, sampling was done along 3 transects of 100 m. Along each transect, 10 plots with dimensions of one square meter were placed at a distance of 10 m from each other. In each plot, the type, life forms, frequency of plant species, and species density were recorded. Species diversity indices were calculated using Ecological Methodology software. The values obtained from these indicators were analyzed in SPSS 24 statistical software and using the F test. The results of the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the highest values of the species diversity indices are in the middle altitudes (ecotone) class. ANOVA of the richness, evenness, and heterogeneity indices in different altitude classes showed that the values of the richness indices were not significant, but among the indices related to the heterogeneity, the Hill index and all the evenness indices were significant. Comparing the numerical indices of our communities enables us to determine the impact of environmental stress in a single community to choose the best habitat among a similar group for conservation. A community that has high diversity and richness is important for conservation. Therefore, the authorities must prevent the destruction of the vegetation of the study area in connection with the implementation of principled and correct management by the potential of the region, but also to reduce the pressure of livestock grazing and carry out corrective and restoration operations, to turn these rangelands towards rich diversity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

    Farzaneh Mohammadi

  2. Food Security Research Centre, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

    Abbas Ahmadi

  3. Department of Environment, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

    Hamid Toranjzar & Bahman Shams-Esfandabad

  4. Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Mokhtarpour

Authors
  1. Farzaneh Mohammadi
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  2. Abbas Ahmadi
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  3. Hamid Toranjzar
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  4. Bahman Shams-Esfandabad
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  5. Mehdi Mokhtarpour
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Contributions

Farzaneh Mohammadi (First author), Original researcher (40%); Abbas Ahmadi (Second author), Introduction/Discussion author (25%); Hamid Toranjzar (Third author), Methodologist/Data analyzer (25%); Bahman Shams-Esfandabad and Mehdi Mokhtarpour (Fourth and fifth authors), Discussion (10%).

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Correspondence to Abbas Ahmadi.

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Mohammadi, F., Ahmadi, A., Toranjzar, H. et al. The effects of environmental factors on plant diversity of Darab natural ecosystems in Fars province, Iran. Environ Monit Assess 195, 1555 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12165-x

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