Assessing the status of agrobiodiversity through calculation of species richness index using the method of rarefaction (A case study: Shahre-Rey city located in south of Tehran, Iran)

Biodiversity refers to all forms of living animals, plants and microorganisms and agro-biodiversity is a component of biodiversity that represents diversity in arable lands. The aim of this study was to determine the biodiversity status of agro-ecosystems of Shahr-e-Rey city located in south of Tehran, through calculating species richness index using rarefaction method. To the collect required data, eight villages (Dorsun Abad, Kaiser Abad, Azim Abad, Deh Kheir, Taleb Abad, Qomi Abad, Ibrahim Abad and Khanlouq) of three district (Kahrizak, Ghaleno and Fashafuyeh), were selected as experimental samples. The results showed that the three villages of Ghaleno district (DehKheir, Qomi Abad and Taleb Abad) with species richness index of 14.85, 14.68 and 13.11 respectively, had the highest value of biodiversity in their agro ecosystems, while Azim Abad in Kahrizak district and Khanlouq in Fashafouyeh district with the value of 12.06 and 12.25 species richness index has the lowest levels of biodiversity. Rarefaction method application for calculating species richness diversity indicated that due to low surface area of arable lands, Taleb Abad and Ghomi Abad villages has the lowest number of species in their agro ecosystems. However, these villages had the highest value of equiponderated of species richness index between targeted villages.