Investigating the most important environmental factors affecting on distribution of medicinal plants in the rangeland of Olang, Golestan province

The present research was implemented to determine the effect of some soil and topographic factors on the distribution of medicinal plants in the rangeland of Olang, Golestan province. In the study area, random_systematic method using 100 one meter square plots had been done. Plant parameters such as density, abundance, and canopy cover were measured in each plot, respectively. In order to measure some physical and chemical properties of soil, soil sampling was implemented in 0-30 cm in some plots. Cononical corespondence analysis (CCA) was used to determine the correlation between the environmental factors and medicinal plant species, inter-relation between environmental factors and determining the most important ecological factor affecting on distribution of selected medicinal plants. The results showed that the most important soil characteristics effecting on distribution of medicinal plants in this area, were potassium, nitrogen, stones and pebbles, phosphorus, temperature and topographic factors had the significant effect on setteling of these plants, were aspect, slope and altitude.