Comparison of soil seed bank and vegetation in semi-steppe rangelands of Zanjan province, Case study: Anguran protected area, Ghara-Boogh station

Document Type : Scientific Letters

Authors

1 Associate Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extention Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangeland, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

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

4 Research Expert, Rangeland Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

5 Senior Research expert, Research center of Agricultural and Natural Resources of Zanjan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extention Organization, AREEO, , Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

The characteristics of the soil seed bank of the Ghara-Boogh site were studied. Out of 30 trays containing two-depth soil samples, 312 seeds belonging to 15 species were germinated in the greenhouse, so that the total germination rate was 228 seedlings in one square meter. The therophytes had the highest germination percentage and number of species in two soil depths. The highest germination rate was related to the 0-5 cm depth. Among the germinated species, the highest abundance belonged to Draba nuda at a soil depth of 0-5 cm. The Sorenson's similarity index of species germinated from the soil seed bank was calculated to be 18%. Also, the similarity percentage of each depth with plant species on the ground was 18%. The similarity percentage between the two soil depths was 75%. The average dissimilarity of density between the two groups of soil seed bank was 69%. Simper analysis showed that 69.76% of the average dissimilarity of seedlings density in the two soil depths belonged to Draba nuda, Astrgalus sp., Poa bulbosa, and Eremopoa persica, respectively. Comparison of vegetation on the ground with soil seed bank showed that in case of any natural or non-normal damage in Ghara-Boogh station of Zanjan, the seed bank of this area does not have the ability to quickly and short-term regeneration of vegetation on the ground; however, due to the presence of some species at a depth of 5-10 cm of the soil seed bank, the plant succession can begin and the vegetation can be restored in the long-term.

Keywords

References

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Iran Nature
Volume 5, Issue 5 - Serial Number 24
November and December 2020
Pages 69-80

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