فهرست مطالب زهرا جابرالانصار

One of the most important techniques for improving the quality and quantity of seedlings is the use of seed treatment with PGPR, which can increase the plant's resistance to adverse conditions. For this purpose, the effect of seed inoculation of Cerasus mahaleb in 10 forest provenances of Fereydunshahr city, Isfahan province with the most important rhizosphere bacteria that stimulate plant growth, on the components of seed germination in a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design It was done with three replications in the greenhouse, seed inoculation with five levels including no bacterial inoculation (as a control), inoculation with (Bacillus sp.), (Azotobacter sp.), (Pseudomonas fluorescens) and a combination treatment of three growth stimulating (MIX) and calculation of different components of Cerasus mahaleb seed germination was done. The results showed that mixed inoculation treatment (MIX) had the greatest effect on the indicators of germination speed (0.039 per day), seed germination (39.20), germination strength (20.38 percent) and The root length was (8.66 mm) compared to other treatments. P. fluorescens bacteria treatment also showed the best performance in germination percentage index (17.55%) and stem length (8.76 mm). On the other hand, the weakest performance among the bacterial treatments was related to the growth promoting bacteria (Bacillus sp.). Among the 10 areas of Cerasus mahaleb seed collection, Chal Khalil 1 and 2 forest reserve areas as well as Peshtkoh Som Durak 2 showed better seed germination indicators than other areas. In general, seed inoculation with PGPR can be a suitable solution for producing healthy and strong seedlings, better establishment, and also increasing the success of planting seedlings in disturbed and degraded habitats of Cerasus mahaleb in Zagros forests.

Awareness of changes in medicinal plant yield quantity and quality over time is one of the most important goals in agricultural management. Satureja mutica is one of the valuable medicinal species growing in Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different planting beds on changes in vegetative characteristics and essential oil components over the years of growth in S. mutica under rainfed conditions. The experiment was conducted in the form of split plots in a randomized complete block design for three years (2018-2020) in the rainy conditions of Feridounshahr city, Isfahan province. Planting beds as the main plot included cow manure (30 tons per hectare), wheat straw (10 tons per hectare), and control (without cow manure and wheat straw). After the preparation of the field, the seedlings were planted at the bottom of the wells created at a distance of 50 x 50 cm from each other. During the growing season and at the time of 50% flowering, the studied traits including total plant dry weight, leaf and stem dry weight, plant height, crown diameter per plant, canopy area per plant, and in each square meter of land and the number of stems per plant were measured. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branches of the plants were harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands. Considering that the plant is several years old and measurements are carried out every year on fixed plots, the design analysis was done on divided plots at the time of implementation. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was applied to compare the means. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branch of the plant was harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Pastures. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was used to compare the means. The variance analysis of the data showed that the effects of bed, year, and their interaction effects on the measured traits were significant in many cases. Results showed that the highest values of plant height, crown diameter, canopy area, and number of stems per plant in the first year were seen in manure treatment. In the last year, they were in control. The highest rates of total dry weight, leaf dry weight, essential oil yield, and essential oil percentage were observed in control in the last year. These rates were 1427, 891, 42 kg ha-1, and 4.67%, respectively. The main essential oil components are thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene. These essential oil components are affected by the planting bed and the growth year. So in the case of p-cymene, the highest amount obtained in the first year was in the straw treatment. The highest amounts of gamma-terpinene were observed in all three planting bed treatments in the last year of growth. S. mutica had significant amounts of thymol, and the trend of changes among planting bed treatments and during growing years was very small. The highest amounts of carvacrol were observed in straw treatment and animal manure in the second year of growth. The results of the correlation coefficients showed that the most vital traits affecting essential oil yield were total dry weight, leaf and stem, and essential oil percentage. Thymol and p-cymene were inversely correlated with carvacrol and gamma-terpinene. On the whole, to produce S. mutica under rainfed conditions similar to this study, manure or straw could affect yield and essential oil over the first and second years; however, in the third year, this effect diminished, and control treatment was superior to straw and manure treatments.

Ferula assa-foiteda L., as one of the most significant medicinal and export plants in Iran, plays a role in the livelihood of stakeholders and the pharmaceutical industry. Over exploitation of this plant habitats and recent droughts will reduce plant density and eventually the extinction of this species in the near future. This study was conducted to identify potential habitats of this species in Isfahan province using modeling species distribution. For this purpose, during 3 years of field surveys, data of the studied species were collected from 88 presence points. Physiographic information (slope, elevation, aspect) and 19 bioclimatic variables were used in the modeling process. The potential species distribution map was produced using maximum entropy model and Geographic Information System. The results of model evaluation showed the proper performance of the model with the AUC value equal to 0.962. Analysis of variable importance using Jackknife test, showed that slope, temperature annual range, annual precipitation and precipitation of coldest quarter were identified as the most important environmental factors influencing the species distribution. Regarding the response curves to environmental factors, Ferula assa-foiteda is more likely to occure in areas with a slope of more than 70%, temperature annual range from about 37 to 43 °C, annual precipitation and precipitation of coldest quarter about 70 and 40 mm, respectively. Based on the obtained results, about 7% of the habitats of Isfahan province especially in the semi arid and steppe areas are suitable for the growth of Ferula assa-foiteda which is very important in management of rehabilitation and develop cultivation.

The study of vegetation changes under habitat protection conditions has a significant role in rangeland management. The studies confirm that permanent changes in rangelands in terms of plant composition, canopy cover, and forage production are influenced by ecological and management factors. This research was conducted to investigate and monitor the plant vegetation indices of semi-steppe rangelands of central Zagros for five years (2016-2020) at the Zayandehrud watershed management research site (Isfahan province). 

 Vegetation sampling was performed by a systematic random method in each exclosure and grazed site during 2016-2020. Vegetation characteristics, including the percentage of canopy cover of species, the percentage of gravel, bare soil, and litter were determined in each plot. For this purpose, four 100-meter segments were used. Then, ten plots (with 1 x 1-meter dimensions) were established with the same distance. In total, vegetation cover was measured in 80 plots of one square meter in exclosure and grazed sites. To calculate rangeland production, ten samples of each plant species were collected, and their canopy cover percentage was measured. After drying and weighing the samples, by establishing regression equations between the canopy cover percentage and the weight of the dried samples, the amount of production of plant species was determined separately for growth form and palatability class. Rangeland's condition was also evaluated according to the four-factor method and by scoring the factors of soil, vegetation, plant composition and age classes, and plant vigor. After collecting the data in Microsoft Excel, the variance analysis for the vegetation traits was done as a completely random design in a factorial format. This was done through the GLM (General Linear Model) method. Tukey's test investigated vegetation traits mean comparison in MINITAB 16 software. 

The analysis of variance showed a significant difference between vegetation indices, including total canopy cover and production, separately for growth form and palatability class. This was in the exclosure and grazed sites during the assessment period. The average percentage of canopy cover in exclosure sites during different years was 26.7%, 13.7%, 25.84%, 33.74%, and 13.33%. In grazed sites, it was 22.33%, 12.65%, 27.09%, 30.9%, and 11.59%, respectively. Total production at the exclosure site during different years was 624.26, 349.86, 556.79, 894.54, 664.53 kg/ha. Production at the grazed site was 456.45, 243.85, 455.6, 605.47, and 323.44 kg/ha, respectively. The highest values of canopy cover and production belonged to 2019, which was a wet year based on meteorological indices. The lowest canopy cover and production were assigned to 2017 (a drought year). The highest amount of litter was found at the exclosure site. The highest percentage of bare soil and annual plant canopy cover was obtained from the grazed site. The highest percentage of canopy cover and production in the exclosure site belonged to Stipa hohenackeriana. At the grazed site, Hedysarum criniferum and Stipa hohenackeriana accounted for the highest canopy cover and production, respectively. According to the four-factor method, the rangeland condition at the disclosure site was fair in 2016, 2018, and 2019 and poor in 2017 and 2020. At the grazed site, the rangeland condition was fair in 2018 and 2019 and poor in the rest of the years. 

 The comparison of vegetation parameters inside and outside the exclosure shows the good condition of vegetation inside the exclosure. It also shows the effectiveness of the exclosure in rangeland rehabilitation. Balanced livestock grazing on the vegetation caused no significant difference between vegetation characteristics, such as canopy cover in the exclosure and grazed sites. Continuous evaluation and monitoring of rangelands through creating a regular database of vegetation indicators and investigating their changes under different managements. This investigation of their relationship with climatic factors can provide the necessary background for fundamental rangeland planning and management.

Marl formations are one of the most important sources of sediment production in arid and semi-arid regions. Marl lands are highly susceptible to erosion, causing an increase in drinking water treatment costs, reducing the useful life of dams, and significantly decreasing the permeability of floodwater spreading areas.  Different forms of erosion have been shown to have a relationship with the geological characteristics of marls, as evidenced by research. The results of the study of the effect of the physical and chemical properties of marl sediments on erosion in Latshore-Pakdasht showed that the amount of Na+, SO4-2 and silt in the marl lands increased, while the percentage of clay decreased from surface to gully erosion. The form and intensity of water erosion are greatly influenced by changes in soil texture. Gully erosion can be developed by increasing the amount of sand compared to the finer particles of silt and clay. Despite the difficulty of vegetation establishment on marl lands, in some areas, surprisingly, a relatively dense cover of rangeland species can be observed, which can cause erosion control and soil stability. The results of the systematic survey of plant species and their protective role in the marl lands of Ilam, Yazd and Gilan provinces all indicate that rangeland species are one of the most effective and suitable methods to prevent soil erosion by creating a stable vegetation cover on marl formations. The relationship between the physical and chemical properties of the soil with vegetation characteristics including distribution, canopy cover and density is inevitable. In the marl lands of Borujen, the research revealed that vegetation type named Astragalus brachycalyx-Daphne mucronata-Cirsium bracteosum can be established in neutral marl lands, with medium CaCO3 content and minimal presence of Na+ and Cl-. On the other hand, the vegetation type named Astragalus susianus-Daphne mucronata-Amygdalus elaeagnifolia can be established in alkaline and calcareous marl lands with very high amounts of Cl- and can be effective in controlling water erosion in marl lands. Considering arid and desert climate and the occurrence of surface, rill and gully erosions in the marl lands of Kashan region, as well as the importance of protecting and controlling erosion in the marl formations of the region and the lack of detailed vegetation studies in this region, accurate identification of the vegetation of the marl lands and prioritizing native and resistant plant species is necessary for the rehabilitation management of vegetation and biological protection of soil in these areas. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to identify rangeland species and investigate their role in erosion control in the selected marl formations in Kashan. In addition, the physical and chemical soil parameters of marl lands and the vegetation characteristics of plant species in different types of erosion are investigated.

Kashan is one of the marl regions chosen for the current study on the classification and determination of marl erodibility indices in Isfahan province. Two vegetation types named Anabasis setifera-Artemisia sieberi-Salsola tomentosa and Pteropyrum aucheri-Pteropyrum olivieri-Artemisia sieberi have been identified in the selected Marl lands of Kashan. In order to evaluate the erosion condition in three erosion forms of surface, rill and gully, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) form was completed in the same marl units and control areas without vegetation cover. In the next step, three soil samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth in three repetitions in marl units including three forms of erosion. The physical and chemical soil properties including texture, EC, N, P, SAR, OC, CEC, CaSO4 and CaCO3 were measured. For vegetation studies in the study area, after preparing the floristic list of plant species, three 100 m transects were established in a random-systematic method. In each transect 10 plots of 2 m2 were placed and vegetation characteristics including canopy cover percentage and density per plant species, as well as the percentage of gravel and litter were measured and recorded. The statistical analysis of the data was done as a completely random design using SAS software, and the averages of soil properties were compared according to the Least Significant Difference (LSD). Correlation analysis between soil and vegetation characteristics was done by SPSS statistical software.

The results showed that in terms of erodibility, Marl lands with vegetation cover had a better condition than those without vegetation. Based on analysis of variance, the physical and chemical parameters of soil and vegetation characteristics in three types of erosion had significant differences at level of 1% and 5%. In gully erosion, the amount of N, P, SAR, OC, litter and canopy cover were in better conditions compared to other types of erosion. The results of correlation between soil properties and vegetation characteristics showed that the canopy cover had significant correlation with the percentage of sand (r=0.92) and a negative correlation with the amount of CaCO3 at (r=0.97). In terms of the type of dominant plant species, in surface erosion Ephedra strobilacea Bunge. with canopy cover of 1.71%, in rill erosion Anabaisis setifera Moq. with canopy cover of 1.24% and in gully erosion Artemisia sieberi Besser. with canopy cover of 12.3% were identified as the most suitable species for soil protection. In all three types of erosion, bushes had the highest percentage of density in terms of growth form. In surface erosion and gully erosion, shrubs occupied the highest percentage of canopy cover.  In gully erosion, due to better conditions of soil moisture and organic matter, bushes and shrubs were successful in competition with annual and herbaceous plants. They established well due to deep and extensive root system. The results of current research could be considered as a novel achievement in order to prevent soil erosion through establish appropriate species in marl lands with similar climatic conditions.

Tamarix ramosissima, due to its high potential for settling in arid and semi-arid lands, considered as one of the valuable plants for creating vegetation in these areas. The use of the plant in the east of Isfahan can be reproduced and expanded for desertification purposes; however, information on its habitat and ecological requirements is limited. The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the distribution of this species and to model the potential habitats for the growth of this species in Isfahan province. The distribution points of the plant were determined according to the flora of Iran and by referring to the region, sampling was performed and its geographical and ecological characteristics were recorded. A total of 55 distribution locations were registered in 14 cities. Using the maximum entropy model, 19 bioclimatic and three topographic variables were used to model the distribution of the species and the importance of each of them in the modeling process was evaluated by Jack Knife test. The results showed the area under the receiving operator curve was equal to 0.967 by using Maxent model. The produced model had an acceptable accuracy as its Kappa coefficient index was 0.80. .Environmental factors related to topography including slope percentage and climatic factors precipitation of coldest quarter, annual precipitation, temperature annual range and mean temperature of coldest quarter had the greatest impact on species distribution, respectively. According to the prediction of the presence of the species based on habitat potential, about 19% of the area of ​​Isfahan province, provided the absence of limiting factors, has the desired potential for the presence of this species.

Understanding the ecological characteristics of plant species and how they react to environmental factors provides the necessary information for vegetation management and rangeland improvement. In the present study, the ecological needs of sainfoin (Onobrychis melanotricha Boiss.) were studied with emphasis on environmental factors affecting vegetation changes, and the response of this species to changes in ecological factors was investigated using the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Data collection was performed in 2018 in 19 study sites in the west and south of Isfahan province. In each site, the vegetation sampling was performed by random-systematic sampling method in 30 plots of one square meter, located along 3 200-meter transects, and soil sampling was done from a depth of 0-30 cm in each site. Data were analyzed using SPSS17 and CANOC4.5 software. Using a generalized additive model with Poisson error distribution for each of the environmental variables showed that environmental factors including height, clay percentage, rainfall, organic matter percentage, phosphorus, and sand percentage, and the average annual temperature significantly affect (p<0.01) vegetation. This species is distributed on semi-deep to deep soils with medium to semi-heavy textures. This species is distributed on semi-deep to deep soils with medium to semi-heavy textures. The optimal altitude range for the growth of this plant was 1600-3200 meters above sea level, and the optimal rainfall for this plant was 370 mm. Overall, the results of this study had an acceptable efficiency in determining the ecological needs of the species, which can be considered by natural resource managers in vegetation management and rangeland improvement operations in similar areas.

One approach for medicinal plants cultivation expansion is to sow them in rainfed areas. In recent years, the study of valuable types of medicinal plants, development of cultivation and meeting the needs of the pharmaceutical industry has been one of the goals of scientific and research centers. Savory is a valuable medicinal species in the world. The aerial parts and volatile constituents of Satureja species are commonly used as a medicinal herb and flavoring agents. They can be used as antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmolidic and as a condiment in food industry. Two of the most important species of savory grow wildly in Iran are S. sahendica and S. spicigera. Both of them are native species to semi-arid zones of Iran, and considered as aromatic and medicinal plant. Wheat straw and cow manure are the two most common soil amendments which have been using for improving soil structure and soil fertility. Limited studies have been performed on rainfed cultivation of medicinal species, especially savory. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of planting bed on vegetative characteristics and yield of two savory species in rainfed conditions.

Experiment was carried out for three years (2018-2020) as split plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment was conducted at the Fereidoonshar (32°56’N, 50°06’E and an altitude of 2491 m). Planting bed as main plot consisted of cow manure (30 ton.ha-1), wheat straw (10 ton.ha-1) and control (without manure and straw); species as subplot consisted of S. sahendica and S. spicigera. Morphological traits including plant height, crown diameter, canopy area per plant, canopy area per square meter, and number of stems per plant; and yield traits including total dry weight, leaf dry weight and stem dry weight were thetraits which were measured over the study. The recorded data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference (LSD) on 0.05 probability level for comparison of means using SAS (ver. 8.2) software.

The results of analysis of variance showed that the effects of planting bed, year and their interactions on the measured traits were significant in many cases. Results showed that the highest values of plant height (46 cm), crown diameter (35 cm), canopy area (3980 cm2) and number of stems per plant (23) were seen in S. spicigera. Also, the highest rates of total dry weight and leaf dry weight were seen in S. spicigera, 695 and 470 kg.ha-1, respectively. Wheat straw treatment reduced aerial parts dry weight in two species in the first year, but in the second year it caused an increase. Cow manure made a slight increase in two species growth only in the first year. The highest values of all measured traits in two species were achieved in the last year of measurements, as the values of leaf dry weight for S. spicigera and S. sahendica were 1018 and 855 kg.ha-1, respectively. The highest values of leaf area index and harvest index were observed in the first year of the experiment including 4.59 and 72, respectively.

Cow manure was able to significantly increase the yield of the two species in the first and second years, especially for S. spicigera. Although the use of wheat straw reduced the rates of morphological and yield treatments of the two species of savory in the first year, but increased them in the second year, so It is recommended to cultivate savory after decomposition of wheat straw. The role of increasing vegetative growth and plant yield under the influence of increasing plant age was quite obvious. On the whole, in order to produce savory under dryland conditions similar to this research, cultivation of S. spicigera withouth usng manure or straw could be recommended, although incorporation of these amendments into the lower depth of the soil could be more effective on this species growth and yield.

Understanding the ecological characteristics of plant species and how they respond to environmental factors provides the information needed to manage vegetation and restore rangeland ecosystems. The aim of this study was to determine the environmental factors affecting the habitat of Krascheninnikovia ceratoides (L.) species and its response to changes in ecological factors in the rangelands of Isfahan province. Accordingly, canopy cover and density of K.ceratoides and the associated species were measured in 19 ecological sites using random systematic sampling method. In each site, climate, physiography and soil factors were identified. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Generalized Additive Models (GAM) using CANOC4.5 software were used to investigate the vegetation relationship with environmental factors. The results showed that the response pattern of K. ceratoides along the gradient of absorbable potassium follows the incremental model. Conversely, the response of this species along the gradient of sand percentage, average annual temperature and rock and gravel percentage has followed a decreasing model and with increasing these factors, the percentage of canopy cover has decreased. The response pattern of K. ceratoides along the changes of the amount of absorbed phosphorus, the percentage of gypsum and the altitude of the sea, follows the bell model (Unimodal), and its optimal growth limit for these factors is 10 mg kg-1, 6.4% and and 2250 meters. The study of K. ceratoides species response along the gradient of topographic, soil and climate factors provided valuable information to determine the ecological needs of this species that can be considered in vegetation management and rangeland improvement operations in similar areas.

Gavkhouni wetland located in the center of Iranchr('39')s Plateau is one of the important habitat for native flora and fauna. The present study aimed to evaluate change trend of vegetation types and Soil Moisture Index in Gavkhouni wetland since recent 16 years. Vegetation types were identified via field visitation during 2011-2017 and the maps were generated in ArcGIS 10.5. SMI is derived using a triangle space concept between the land surface temperature and normalized difference vegetation index from MODIS satellite data during 1380 to 1396. 24 vegetation types were identified in the study area. The highest area of the whole study area was allocated to vegetation type named Salsola tomentosa-Artemisia sieberi (89630 ha). Two vegetation types including Astragalus squarosus- Stipagrostis plumosa and Astragalus squarosus covered the lowest area (158 and 296 ha)in 1390 and 1396 respectively. The results showed that major changes in vegetation types occurred from 1390 including deletion of some dominated species such as Phragmites australis and Aeluropus littoralis in the study area which may be attributed to decreasing soil moisture index. The generated maps of SMI indicated that the area with low level of SMI (0-0.2) have increased while the areas with moderate and high levels of SMI (>0.2) have decrease from 2001 to 2017. In order to investigate plant vegetation changes, monitoring of SMI through satellite imagery can serve as an appropriate alternative to direct sampling and field measurement of soil moisture in wetland areas without available soil moisture records. Furthermore, range managers and natural resources and environmental protection authorities can use our findings as basic information in conservation management of endangered plant species and development of restoration and improvement programs.

This study was carried out to compare growth characteristics of three species of Alyssum minus, A. szwitsianum and A. desertorum over two years, 2017 and 2018, in a randomized complete block design with three replication at Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center. Measured traits were yield characteristic including total dry weight, leaf, stem, root and seed dry weight; morphological characteristics including plant height, maximum and minimum plant diameter, plant cover and stem number; and phenolological characteristics including day to flowering, day to seeding and day to seed ripening. The highest biological and seed yield were achieved in A. minus, 1003 and 375 kg/ha respectively, while A. desertorum showed the lowest rates, 559 and 207 kg/ha respectively. Morphological traits analysis represented that A. minus had the highest rates of plant height, stem number, plant diameter and cover. A. minus and A. desertorum with 101 and 95 days to seed ripening were the longest and shortest lifelong species. The highest correlation rates between seed yield with other characteristics were including biological yield (0.90), plant height (0.79), stem number (0.76) and cover (0.75). On the whole, results of this study showed that A. minus showed the highest yield potential among the studied species.

Correlation between vegetation and environmental variables is the most important issue related to the structure and function of rangeland ecosystems. Environmental factors such as climate, topography, and soil can alter the dynamics of plant communities. In this study, the effects of environmental factors on vegetation of some rangeland sites in Semirom region of Isfahan province were evaluated. Sampling was carried out at 52 rangeland sites in a random-systematic way. At each location, 40 plots of one square meter were placed along four transects, and the percentage of vegetation cover in each plot was measured using ocular-estimate method. The grid layers of bioclimatic and topographic variables were prepared in ArcGIS 10.1 and values for each range site were extracted. Soil samples were collected from range sites and some physical and chemical properties of the samples were measured. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to evaluate the relationships between environmental factors and the plant species cover. Cluster analysis was also used to group the studied range sites based on environmental factors. According to the results, annual mean temperature, isothermality, mean temperature of wettest quarter, soil texture, pH, organic matter, and elevation were identified as the most important ecological factors affecting plant species cover.

Two species of Nepeta assurgens Hausskn. & Bornm. and N. eremokosmos Rech., are endemic medicinal plants to Iran. This study was conducted to investigate the vegetative traits, aerial parts yield, the quantity and quality of essential oil, as well as evaluating the relationships between these traits in mentioned species under field conditions in Isfahan. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications over 2017 and 2018. Results showed that the fresh and dry weight of aerial parts in N. assurgens (11353 and 2351 kg ha-1, respectively) was remarkably higher than that of N. eremokosmos (2638 and 527 kg ha-1, respectively). The average content and yield of essential oil in N. assurgens and N. eremokosmos was 1.60 and 0.64%, and 20.16 and 2.21 kg ha-1, respectively. Based on qualitative analysis of essential oil, the total amount of nepetalactone isomers (4aα, 7α, 7aα-nepetalactone, 4aα, 7α, 7aβ-nepetalactone, 4aα, 7β, 7aα-nepetalactone) in N. assurgens and N. eremokosmos was 78.6 and 62.8% on average, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that leaf dry weight, total fresh and dry weight, and large diameter of the plant had the highest correlation with essential oil yield. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that essential oil yield changes were mainly explained by leaf dry weight, essential oil content, total fresh weight, the number of stems and the amount of plant crown cover. In general, according to the results, the superiority of the N. assurgens species was significant and could be recommended as a valuable and high potential yielding plant for pharmaceutical purposes.

Two species of Nepeta genus, N. kotschyi var. persica and N. glomerulosa, are native medicinal plants of Iran, containing medicinal compositions such as Nepetalactones. This study was conducted for plant domestication under field condition during years 2017 and 2018. The experiment was carried out under completely randomized block design with three replications. Morphological and yield traits besides essential oil content and composition were measured. Results showed that total fresh and dry weight in N. kotshyi (9954 and 3152 kg ha-1, respectively), were higher than N. glomerulosa (2858 and 990 kg ha-1, respectively). Essential oil content and yield in N. kotschyi were 2.12% and 48.35 kg ha-1, respectively, while these traits in N. glomerulosa were 1.42% and 7.39 kg ha-1, respectively. Essential oil composition analysis determined that the sum of Nepetalactone isomers in N. kotschyi were higher than N. glomerulosa, 94.57% and 38.68%, respectively. On the whole, according to the aerial parts and essential oil yield, and Nepetalactone content in the oil, the N. kotschyi var. persica showed the higher performance, though, in order to produce Nepetalactone for medicinal industries, N. kotschyi var. persica cultivation is recommended under similar field condition.

Plant species diversity always implies ecosystem stability against environmental and biological disturbances. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of grazing management on diversity indices of plant species in grazed and exclosed rangeland sites of Hanna station- Semirom. Sampling was performed using 30 plots (1 m2) along four transects. Canopy area and density of species were recorded in sampling units, and the floristic list was provided in the whole area. Species richness, heterogeneity and evenness indices were calculated from density data and parametric diversity indices including log normal, geometric, and broken stick were fited in both exclosed and grazed areas. The Chi-Square test was used to examine the significance of measured traits. The results of numerical indices showed a higher species richness, evenness and species diversity indices in grazed than in the ungrazed site. The logarithmic diagram in the exclosed and grazed areas followed the broken stick model, indicating the presence of dominant species. The floristic lists of the study sites showed that the number of specific plant species in the grazed site was higher than that of exclosed site. Overall, the results showed that moderate grazing conditions in Hanna station improved plant species diversity indices and increased climax plant species.

Gavkhooni, registered in the Ramsar International Convention due to its ecological importance, is one of the important wetlands in the country, which is the outlet of Zayanderud basin. This wetland has various environmental functions such as: reducing the consequences of climate change, ecotourism, water and air filtration, ground water recharge, sand dune stabilization, forage production, biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
As a natural ecosystem, Gavkhooni is a fundamental reservoir for plant and animal species. There are 24 vegetation types in Gavkhooni and the largest area belongs to Salsola tomentosa- Artemisia sieberi and Calliganum commusum - Stipagrostis karelinii. This area is also the habitat of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fishes. Changes in quantity and quality of water have caused the dryness of a vast area of Gavkhooni in recent years as well as the loss of many valuable plant and animal species such as eluropuslittoralis, Halocnemumstrobilaceum,PhragmitesaustralisandSalicorniapersica. The conversion of this ecosystem in the central region of the country into the core of wind erosion crisis and dust storms is a threat for the residential and agricultural areas around it.

Range management method (RMM) is an important element of range management especially in the case of revegetation and rehabilitation of vegetation. This study aimed to investigate proper RMM and grazing systems for paddocks of Semirom in Esfahan province and comparing them with programs proposed by the offices of natural resources. For this purpose, 29 paddocks under range management plan were selected and proposed RMM and grazing systems were defined. According to range condition and trend in the mentioned paddocks, RMM and grazing system maps were prepared using standards the defined theoretically. The results showed that in most cases, the proposed range management method in rangelands was consistent with the correct method based on rangeland condition. On the other hand, for 20 range management plans, despite artificial RMM, grazing system was predicted, which was not based on correct range management. Our results clearly showed that the proposed grazing systems were not implemented practically in range management plans of the study area due to technical difficulties in range parceling and controlling. In addition, in these areas, grazing schedule in accordance with grazing system does not have considerable advantages.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on plant species production in some range sites in Isfahan province. Systematic randomized sampling was performed during 10 years (1377-1387). Four and six parallel transects with 400 and 200 meters lengths were established in each of Steppe and semi Steppe sites respectively. Fifteen 1 by 2 meters plots and ten plots with size of 1 by 1 meter were established along each transect in Steppe and semi Steppe regions respectively. The production of plant species were recorded in each plot using double sampling method. Grid layers of bioclimatic and topographic variables were prepared in ArcGIS 10.1 and values for each range site were extracted. Soil samples were collected from range sites and some physical and chemical properties of the collected samples were measured. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to evaluate the relationships between environmental factors with the plant species production. Cluster analysis was also used to group the studied range sites based on environmental factors. According to the results, minimum temperature of coldest month, annual mean temperature, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate and sand percentage in steppe region and precipitation of wettest month, annual precipitation, elevation, organic matter and potassium in semi Steppe region were identified as the most important ecological factors affecting plant species production. Maximum of mean plant species production in Steppe was 64.4kg/ha and semi Steppe 144.1kg/ha. Sixty Steppe was from shrub species while grasses composed 56 percent of production in semi Steppe region.

Kelussiaodoratissima (wild celery) is a plant with medicinal and endemic values in Iran. It has been reported to be present only in some of the provinces of Iran such as Isfahan, and it is endangered due to illegal harvesting. The purpose of this study is the analysis of habitat characteristics of this species by means of plant, topographic, and climatic factors such as precipitation, temperature, the number of freezing and snowy days, relative humidity, and the sunny hours in its habitats in Isfahan province for determining the conditions required for its mass cultivation. First, the distribution boundary of the species was specified using 1:50000 topographic maps and field activities during 2006-2008. Afterwards, the maps of the habitat and climatic-factors were designed by means of twenty-year-period data from climatic stations inside and nearby to the study area, using Arcgis and Surfer software. The results indicated that wild celery grows in regions with 2000 to 3500 height range, and the slope range of 30% to more than 60%, with the average annual precipitation ranging from 719 to 943 mm, the average annual temperature varied from 9 to 12 C, the freezing and snowy days ranging from 104 to 134 and 27 to 40, and the relative moisture and sunny hours varied from 44% to 48% and 2935 to 2981 hours, respectively. Kelussiaodoratissima habitat was classified as a cold humid climate, using Embereget method, and as a very humid climate on the basis of De Martonne method. On the whole, the results of this study may be useful for site selection of appropriate fields for growing Kellusia odoratissima.

This study is focused on investigation of plant species distribution in relation to edaphic and physiographic factors. For this purpose, after the initial visit and selection of the study area, 23 land units were selected from overlaying the maps of slope, aspect and height using geographic information system (GIS). Within each unit, vegetation sampling was performed with randomized-systematic method along three transects of 100 m length. Ten plots (1m2) were established along each transect at 10 meter intervals. Soil samples were taken from 0-30 centimeter in starting, mean and ending points of each transect. Soil factors such as N, P, organic matter, pH, EC and texture were measured. CANOCO software and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to examine the relationship between species and environmental factors. The first axis of RDA showed a significant correlation with slope, aspect, sand, silt, P, pH and litter, while the second axis had just a significant correlation with EC.

This research was aimed to investigate the effects of different amounts of NPK fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative traits of Matricaria chamomilla L. The experiment was conducted during 2007-2008 in Barij Essence Company of Kashan in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments consisted of three levels of N (0، 50، 100 kgha-1)، P2O5 (0، 25، 50 kgha-1) and K2O (0، 25، 50 kgha-1). Plant height، number of flower per plant، number of lateral branches، dry and fresh weight per plant، flower yield/m2، flower diameter، essential oil percentage، and chamazulene were measured. N levels showed significant differences for the number of flower per plant، fresh weight per plant، number of lateral branches، flower yield/m2 and dry and fresh weight of flower (p < 0. 05). Analysis of data showed significant differences for fresh weight per plant under different levels of P2O5 (p < 0. 05). K levels showed no significant differences for all traits. Interaction of N and P2O5 levels revealed significant differences for fresh and dry weight per plant and flower yield/m2 (p < 0. 01). Interaction of N and K2o5 was significant for flower diameter (p < 0. 05). Analysis of mean comparison for flower yield per m2 showed that the highest flower yield was obtained at 50 kg/ha N and 25 kg/ha P2O5، and the lowest flower yield was obtained at 100 kg/ha N and 50 kg/ha P2O5. NPK fertilizers did not affect chamazulene and essential oil. In conclusion، Matricaria chamomilla L. requires few nutrient elements.

Rangeland ecosystems in semi-arid regions are vulnerable systems to climatic changes specially precipitation. In such conditions droughts are predictable. In this study the relationship between rangeland production and spatial and temporal changes of precipitation was investigated. Therefore، rangeland production through 10 years data set (1377-1387) in steppic bioclimatic of Esfahan province (Alavije، Muteh، Kalahrood and Gardaneshadian) using Standard Precipitation Index (SPI)، the relationship between SPI series of 3، 5 and 8 month time scales، and rangeland production of 10 years. Thus Anova and correlation matrix between production and SPI factors were formed. Results indicated that the most severe drought has occurred in 1387 simultaneously، with the least production. A harmony between change trend of production and SPI in the sites showed that in most cases maximum and minimum production have occurred simultaneously with maximum and minimum of SPI series. Also، the production correlated with SPI series of three، five and eight months'' time scales with correlation coefficients more than 63 percent which were significant in 1% and 5% level. Due to efficacy of production from spring precipitation and soil depth less than 30 cm in the sites، it is proposed to use SPI series of three months scale to evaluate drought in similar rangelands.

Assistant Prof. of Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands، Tehran، Z. Jaberolansar، Senior Expert of Esfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center، Esfahan. Asragalus caragana is a perennial forb from Papilionaceae that is found in semiarid regions of Esfahan province. In order to study the best method of cultivation in dry condition، plant seeds were gathered in watershed station of Chadegan from 1383 to 1384. The seeds were planted during autumn with randomized complete blocks design. Treatments were consisted of seed and fruit sowing within furrows and pitting at the 2. 5 to 5 cm depth. Early spring the number of germinated stands was counted in each plot. Regarding to percentage of germinated plants، The results showed significant difference between kind of seed، sowing method، interaction between seed and sowing method and interaction between seed and depth. The percentage of germination in various treatments was seed sowing 59. 5%، pitting 39%، sowing at the 2. 5 cm depth 36%، interaction between seed and pitting 75%، interaction between seed and 2. 5 cm depth 71%، interaction between pitting and 2. 5 cm depth 42%، interaction between seed، pitting and 2. 5 cm depth 82%. As conclusion، sowing seed at the 2. 5 cm depth with pitting is the best way to cultivate As. caragana.