University of Isfahan Taxonomy and Biosystematics 3115-9001 14 52 2022 09 23 A Preliminary Survey of Flora, Life form and Chorotype of Plants of the Booz Daghi Region in North Khorassan Province بررسی مقدماتی فلور، شکل زیستی و کوروتیپ گیاهان منطقۀ بوزداغی در استان خراسان شمالی 1 22 27124 10.22108/tbj.2022.134427.1208 EN Ali Malkeshi Ph. D. Student of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Gholamreza Bakhshi Khaniki Professor, Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Younes Asri Associate Professor, Department of Botany, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran 0000-0002-4566-1756 Mohabat Nadaf Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Mina Rabie Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2022 07 15 The Booz Daghi region, encompassing an area of 62,000 hectares, is situated 47 kilometers from Maneh and Semelghan city. This study explored the floristic composition, biological, and chorological spectra of the area through numerous random collections in various habitats and vegetation types, and from 220 plots established in selected plant communities during the growing season of 2021. A total of 252 vascular plant species, belonging to 173 genera and 53 families, were recorded as native to the Booz Daghi region. The most diverse families were Asteraceae (31 species), Poaceae (25 species), Lamiaceae (22 species), and Fabaceae (21 species). The genera Astragalus L. (10 species), Allium L., Convolvulus L., and Stachys L. (each with 5 species) were among the richest. Hemicryptophytes (31.3%) and therophytes (29.8%) emerged as the dominant life forms in the region. A significant number of species (63.5%) were identified as belonging to the Irano-Turanian region. The findings of this study indicate that the Booz Daghi region possesses a relatively rich flora, necessitating special attention and proper planning for the conservation of its biodiversity. Introduction Due to the accelerated destruction of various ecosystems and its adverse effects on biodiversity reduction in recent decades, researchers have increasingly focused on conservation issues. Recognizing that the first step towards effective and efficient protection of any resource is having accurate and comprehensive information, floristic studies offer valuable insights into the types of plants and their general biological and vegetative characteristics in different regions. The climatic and environmental diversity of Iran has led to a rich flora and varied vegetation across its regions. The Booz Daghi region in North Khorasan province is one of the areas that has not yet been thoroughly studied in terms of floristic characteristics. This study was conducted to investigate the flora and geographical distribution of plants in this region. The findings of this study can provide valuable information for managers and decision-makers in the field of existing plant reserves and in planning for the conservation of these resources. Materials and Methods Approximately 500 plant samples were randomly collected from different habitats and vegetation types, including some collected from 220 plots of 100 m² each, located in selected plant communities during the growing season of 2021. The plant samples were identified using the Flora of Iran, Flora Iranica, and several revision papers. The nomenclature conforms to Flora Iranica and has been updated according to databases such as the International Plant Names Index (IPNI) and Plants of the World Online (POWO). The life forms of plants were determined based on Raunkiaer's classification system, and the distribution areas of plant species were classified by suitable flora. The chorotypes of the species, along with their distribution areas in Iran and other countries, were also identified. Findings (Results) In the preliminary survey of the Booz Daghi region, 252 plant species from 173 genera and 53 families were identified. In terms of species count, the largest contributing families were Asteraceae with 22 genera and 31 species, Poaceae with 19 genera and 25 species, Lamiaceae with 10 genera and 22 species, and Fabaceae with 10 genera and 21 species. Among the plant genera, Astragalus had the most species (10), followed by Allium, Convolvulus, and Stachys (each with 5 species), and Centaurea, Cousinia, and Ziziphora (each with 4 species). Acanthophyllum, Salvia, and Tulipa each contributed 3 species. The biological spectrum analysis of the region revealed that hemicryptophytes, therophytes, geophytes, chamaephytes, and phanerophytes constituted 31.3%, 29.8%, 14.7%, 12.7%, and 11.5% of the life forms, respectively. The geographical distribution study of plants indicated that the Irano-Turanian elements comprised 63.5% of the species, followed by Irano-Turanian/Mediterranean elements with 13.9% and Euro-Siberian/Mediterranean/Irano-Turanian elements with 11.9%. The remaining species in the Irano-Turanian region were part of other floristic regions. Conclusion The present study investigated the flora of the Booz Daghi region. The findings revealed that the area encompasses 252 plant species from 173 genera and 53 families. Over 63.5% of these species belonged to the Irano-Turanian region, to which the Booz Daghi region is affiliated. Due to challenging environmental conditions, families such as Asteraceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, and Fabaceae, and among life forms, hemicryptophytes and therophytes, were most prevalent. The study concludes that the Booz Daghi region possesses a relatively rich species diversity, making it an important area for further studies. The authors recommend comprehensive planning and additional research for biodiversity conservation in this region.

https://tbj.ui.ac.ir/article_27124_91e667602c9c7049dac73d236caf3692.pdf