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J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014 Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online) Vol. 4, No. 6, p. 278-307, 2014 http://www.innspub.net RESEARCH PAPER OPEN ACCESS The flora of Sarigol National Park, Northern Khorassan Province, Iran Nargessadat Rahchamani, Atefeh Ezazi, Farrokh Ghahremaninejad* Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, 43 Dr. Mofatteh Avenue,15719-14911 Tehran, Iran Article published on June 18, 2014 Key words: Floristic, diversity, Iran, Northern Khorassan, National Park. Abstract Sarigol National Park is located at Northern Khorassan province, at NW Esfarayen between 36˚ 55΄– 37˚ 02΄N, 57˚ 41΄– 57˚ 47΄E. The vascular flora of this park was investigated in the years 2008–2009. A total of 975 plant specimens were collected and 498 taxa (species, subspecies and variety), belonging to 291 genera and 70 families were identified. The life form rates of the taxa were as follows: Therophyte (34.9%), Hemicryptophyte (33.9%), Geophyte (13.3%), Chamaephyte (10.5%) and Phanerophyte (7.4%) respectively. The phytogeographical affinities of the species were as follows: Irano-Turanian (60.8%), Irano-Turanian, Euro-Siberian & Mediterranian (10.3%), Irano-Turanian & Mediterranian (8.7%), Irano-Turanian & Euro-Siberian (5.6%), Irano-Turanian & Sahara- Sindian (2.5%), Pluriregional (6.7%) and Cosmopolite (2.9%). Of these, 26 taxa (5.2%) are endemic to Iran and 37 taxa (7/4%) are in the international IUCN list. Finally, the results of this research compared with other studies carried out near the study area. *Corresponding Author: Farrokh Ghahremaninejad [email protected] 278 | Rahchamani et al J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014 Introduction at SW and SE from the park, respectively. The region National Parks are indicative samples of nature in was declared as a National Park in 2002 (Fig. 1). each country and have much value in different fields such as: conservation, education, research and tourism. National Parks are important, because they protect a large number of different animal and plant species. Many of these plants or animals are endangered if they live in another area that is not protected by the government. Sarigol National Park is one of these regions that were protected in 1974 under name of “Shah Jahan Protected Region”. After 1978, this area was renamed to “Sarigol Protected Region”. According to current ratification, 20% of space of every Protected Region, for protection of its ecological value, completely is preserved as “Safe region”. Thus, in 1979 a part of this region, about 8000 Ha is separated and named “Sarigol Safe Region”. Because of full conservation of Fig. 1. Map of the study area (Red and Yellow the safe region during 24 years, its natural richness boundaries are Sarigol National Park and Sarigol grew and then this region is upwelled to “Sarigol Protected Region, respectively). National Park” in 2002. The difference in height between the highest area in It is important to mention here that the Khorassan the northern mountain (2840 m) and the lowest area province is now divided to three separated provinces: in the southern plain (1400 m) is about 1440 m. This Razavi Khorassan, Southern Khorassan, and elevation variance builds variety of ecosystems in the Northern Khorasan; it is located in NE of Iran, study area, thus its biodiversity enhances. covering an area of 313, 335 sq. km. But in Flora Geomorphologically, this area is divided to two parts: Iranica treatments and several other works usually plain-hilly and mountain. Hilly almost is without any the former Khorassan is used. Recently some articles plants. In the present work, vegetation of plain and are published as a supplement for Flora Iranica about mountainous reogions of this park was compared. Khorassan’s flora, i.e. Ghahremaninejad et al. 2005, Northern of the park is mountainous and includes 2010, 2012; Joharchi et al. 2007, 2011. 3/4 of total of the park. The elevation of the area ranges from 1700 to 2840 m and Bil Baghli Mt is the Location and Topography highest peak in this park. This regions are habitat of The Sarigol National Park is located at Northern tree and shrub species sach as: Juniperus excelsa, Khorassan province, at NW Esfarayen between 36˚ Berberis integrima, Rosa beggeriana, Salix 55΄– 37˚ 02΄N, 57˚ 41΄– 57˚ 47΄E. The nearest cities acmophylla and pulvinate species of genera such as: to this area are Esfarayen at 25 Km NW, Bojnurd at Acantholimon, Acanthophyllum and Onobrychis. 90 Km N and Sabzevar at 105 Km S from the study South part of the park includes plain and hilly regions area, respectively. There is not any village inside the that contain 1/4 of total of the park. The elevation of boundary of this region, but the nearest villages to it the area ranges from 1440 to 1700 m. This regions are are Nasr Abad and Dahaneye Ojagh that are situated habitat of annual species and bush species of genera such as: Artemisia, Cousinia, Stachys and Rosa. 279 | Rahchamani et al J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014 Some speicies find in both mountainous and plain- rhizomatous species such as: Tulipa spp., Iris spp., hilly regions such as: Acanthophyllum glandulosum, Gagea spp., Fritillaria gibbosa and Muscari neglecta Acanthophyllum sordidum, Acroptilon repens, and higher regions still are without any plant. With Astragalus suluklensis, Astragalus meschedensis, gradual melting of the snow and warming the Capparis spinosa, Cardaria draba, Ceratocarpus weather, some of species such as: Adonis annua, arenarius, Clypeola jonthlaspi, Descurainia Sophia, Corydalis rupestris, Arum kotschyi, Allium spp. and Holosteum glutinosum, Lappula sinaica, Malcolmia many species of Papaveraceae and Brassicaceae Africana, Nonnea caspica, Pulicaria dysenterica. families observe in the area. To end of spring, many plant species complete their flowering phase and in Climate the end of summer get to the fruiting stage. After this A total of the study area is 7037 hectares. The process, in autumn, most of plants burn and shrivel. elevation of the area ranges from 1400 to 2940 m. In this season, precipitation is almost rare and the The median annual rain is 273 mm and the median park becomes completely dry. Halophytes, especially annual temperature is 14°C. The climate of this region family Chenopodiaceae, grow in the area in autumn. is cold-semiarid and clearly reflects in the flora and In start of winter, the study area is just about without vegetation of the study area. any plant. According to available data form the nearest Materials and methods climatological station (Nodeh Chenara station, during A total of 975 plant specimens were collected from the 1988–2004) the median annual temperature is 12.26° C, area, during three seasons –summer, autumn and The coldest month is January with a minimum spring – of 2008 and 2009. The specimens were temperature of – 3.85° C and the warmest month is July prepared according to standard herbarium with a maximum temperature of 30.59° C (Fig. 2). techniques. The nomenclature, life form, chorology and distribution of each species are based on Flora Iranica (Rechinger, 1963–2010), Flora of the USSR (Komarov, 1968–2001), Flora of Turkey (Davis, 1965–1988), Flora of Iraq (Townsend et al., 1966– 1988), Flora Europeae (Tutin et al., 1964–1980), Flora of Iran (Assadi et al., 1988–2011) and the number of the available papers. Number of genera of each family and number of species of each genus were determined with “The Plant Book” (Mabberley, 2008). Fig. 2. Ombrothermic climatic diagram of the study area. Endemism of each species was determined with Flora Iranica (Rechinger, 1963-2010), Flora of Iran (Assadi In the north regions of the park, high mountains, et al., 1988–2011) and Biodiversity of Plant Species in winter is cool and long and the soil is covered with Iran (Ghahreman & Attar, 1998). The plant species of snow during almost 4–6 months of year. Against the this park was checked with international IUCN south parts, wide plain, has rather warm weather. In (International Union for Conservation of Nature) list our study area, winter fall is snow and it stays on and their status in this list were denoted with Red higher altitude until end of the spring. In early spring, Data Book of Iran (Jalili & Jamzad, 1999). snowfall replaces with rainfall. In this time, vegetation of the area is included bulbous and 280 | Rahchamani et al J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014 The species list is provided in the appendix. All The genera with the highest species richness are vouchers were deposited at the Farabi herbarium Astragalus (5.8%), Cousinia (1.8%), Allium, Vicia, (FAR) of Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. Gagea, Alyssum (1.4%), Veronica, Lappula, Galium (1.2%), Cirsium, Onobrychis, Euphorbia, Cotoneaster Results and discussion (1.1%), Cerasus, Centaurea, Bromus, Tragopogon, Floristic diversity Stachys, Salvia, Hyoscyamus, Hordeum (0.8%) (Fig. 4). 975 plant specimens were collected from the study area. A total of 70 families, 291 genera, 498 taxa –18 species, 46 subspecies and 34 varieties– were identified (see appendix). One family belongs to pteridophytes. Three families belong to gymnospermes, while the other 66 families are angiospermae, dicotyledones and monocotyledones with 54 and 12 families, respectively (Tab. 1). Table 1. The diversity of taxonomic groups in the study area. Fig. 4. The large genera in terms of number of Taxon (sp., Plant Groups Family Genus subsp.,var.) species in the study area. Pteridophytes 1 1 1 Spermatophytes 69 290 498 Habitat Gymnosperms 3 3 3 According to the done observation and survey on the Angiosperms 66 287 491 area, there are four diverse habitats and a variety of Dicotyledones 54 239 411 vegetation in the different parts of the park: Monocotyledones 12 48 80 Total 70 291 498 1- Plain regions: They include the flat and wide Large families in terms of number of genera and plains that are at south of study area.