Recognition and Introduction of Natural Forest Stands of Tehran province

Natural forests of Tehran province belong to Irano-Turanian vegetation zone. Trees and shrubs of mountain flora of Irano-Turanian zone generally grow in a scattered manner, but in some places, they grow thickly and organize some forest stands or bush woods (Clumped pattern). These stands are special parts of Irano-Turanian zone and they are The habitat of numerous animals and birds. In fact, we should know these stands as special and valuable ecosystems. In this research, we tried to recognize and introduce these ecosystems in Tehran province. So we recognized and introduced more than 70 stands. Forests of Tehran province were divided into 3 types: 1. Conifer stands 2. Tree hardwood stands 3. Shrub hardwood stands; and data were analyzed on the base of this division. In the first group: “Junipers polVycarpus", in the second group "Pistachios mutica" and in the third group "Cotoneaster spp." and "Amygdales licorices" are dominant tree or shrub species. Also, there are some sites with other dominant species: Ulmus sp., Malus orientalis, Salix spp., Populus nigra, Betula pendula, Amygdalus scoparia, Rhus coriaria, Berber is spp. and Rosa canina. The area is variable between 0.5 and 400 ha. Also, in this study, we presented the tree and shrub flora of Tehran province that includes more than 110 species; 37% of the species belong to “Rosaceae" family. As a result, Juniperus polycarpus, Amygdalus lycioides, Berberis spp., Rosa spp., Pistacia mutica, Cotoneaster spp., Rhamnus pallassii, Cerasus microcarpa, Amygdales scoparia, Celtis caucasica, Rhus coriaria and Salix spp. are the main native tree or shrub species of Tehran province. Most species of Tehran province belong to Irano-Turanian biogeographic zone but just in 340 ha, in the north-eastern of the province, we can see hyrcanian zone species such as Juniperus communis and Querqus macranthera.