رقیه ذوالفقاری

The diversity is one of the most important issues in ecological studies, especially in vegetation ecology. This research aims to study plant biodiversity in relation to environmental factors survived in the southeast of Yasouj which is the central forests of Zagros ecosystem.

For this purpose, a region with an area of 308 hectares was selected. Then, 61 plots (15×30 m) and 305 microplots (0.5×2 m) were established using random-systematic sampling method. The plots dimensions were also determined using minimal area method. To evaluate the diversity of plant species the most commonly diversity indices was used. Then, one-way ANOVA was used to examine differences in various classes.

Results showed that elevation factor had a strong effect on species diversity and evenness as higher altitude showed higher amount of diversity and evenness. Aspect had significant effect on richness and marked the highest in the northeast. The results also showed that diversity and evenness were affected by slope and they are higher in 51-70 % of slopes. Also, the results indicated that there was a correlation between biodiversity indices with soil properties such as N, Silt and C/N ratio.

Overall, the results of this research in the region showed that, physiographic factors (altitude, slope and aspect) with soil properties always play a decisive role in the pattern of changes in plant biodiversity. So, of many studies carried out in this subject in Zagros forests, this is a very good one to achieve optimal management.

The regeneration of trees in forests with a long dry season such as Zagros has extreme difficulties. Predicting of water deficit tolerance in the progenies based on the geographic, vegetative and physiologic characteristics such as the performance of photosystem can conducted to increasing the efficiency of plantations.

In this study, the progenies of 40 Persian oak trees derived from 8 populations located in southern Zagros forests were assessed for water deficit tolerance based on their geographic, growth and physiological characteristics such as photosystem II under greenhouse conditions. Also, the percentage of seedling establishment for each mother tree were evaluated by field trial during two years. The corresponding data obtained from these experiments in accompanied by the morphological characteristics of leaves and seeds of mother trees were used to developing of the predictive models of seedling establishment in the field. In this research, greenhouse and forest field experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of Persian oak seedlings to drought stress based on some indicators of stress resistance from photosystem II. Persian oak seedlings from different mother trees were subjected to drought stress by stopping irrigation for one month in the greenhouse conditions. Then, the seedlings were irrigated for one month again and in all stages, the photosystem II, the percentage of leaf yellowing and the percentage of survival of the seedlings were recorded. Also, the establishment of the offspring of mother trees in the forest field was evaluated based on the percentage of survival and the height of the seedlings during two years, and their relationship with the leaf and seed morphological characteristics of the mother trees was investigated.  

The results showed that there is a positive relationship between the percentage of survival, and stress resistance indicators in greenhouse conditions with the percentage of survival and the height of seedlings in the forest field. Also, seedlings from drier seed origin, lower altitudes and latitudes, had higher drought resistance in greenhouse conditions. However, none of the growth and survival parameters in the field was related to the environmental characteristics of population. The relationship between the leaf and seed morphological characteristics of mother trees with stress resistance and the establishment of seedlings showed that the seedlings grown from wider and heavier seeds had better growth characteristics and survival only in the first year. Also, some leaf morphological characteristics of mother trees, such as petiole length, tooth width and number of veins were affecting traits to seedlings successful establishment in the forest field.

The results of this research showed that collecting of larger seeds from mother trees with suitable leaf traits could be effective for reforestation success. In addition, the use of physiological traits in the control condition in greenhouse can help for selecting the resistant progenies from superior populations or mother trees.

Identifying the most suitable Brant`s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) seed origins (provenances) due to the increase in the intensity of summer drought in the Zagros forests is very important for the reforestation issue. In this research, the physiological and biochemical responses of Brant`s oak seedlings from eight provenances located in different altitudes and latitudes of Southern Zagros were investigated under drought stress (with the stopping of irrigation for one month). The data were analyzed in the factorial (2 levels of drought stress treatment and 8 levels of provenance), randomized complete design experiment by examining the simple and interaction effects of them. Also, drought resistance indexes of provenances were calculated and compared with each other by applying the photosystem II value before and after the stress. Results showed that severe drought stress significantly increased electrolyte leakage, osmolyte, Na, and proline contents in seedling leaves for all provenances. Although, the response of different provenances in terms of photosystem II was not similar. The provenances were located in lower altitudes (Basht site in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province and Ghaemiyeh site in Fars province) and had higher resistance and resilience values due to adaptation to high temperature and or low precipitation. Also, Chitab provenance (a cold site with less dryness in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province) became drought tolerant by closing its stomata during the day and thus reducing the photosystem II and improving it in the dark. Consequently, the drought resistance of Brant`s oak seedlings is partly influenced by the seed provenances and climatic conditions. The use of these results can be recommended to managers in the reforestation of the Zagros forests.

Despite the increase in heat waves and the sensitivity of forest ecosystems in desert areas, little information is available about the habitats of the Euphrates poplar in the southern parts of Iran. Characteristics of mother trees and geographical, climatic and soil characteristics of ten Euphrates poplar habitats in Bushehr province were recorded. In November, four trees from each habitat were selected and 14 cuttings were prepared from each mother tree. Seven months after planting, germination, sapling height, and branching were recorded and heat shock was applied at 70°C. Forty days later, traits of revival, sapling height, and resilience were measured. The results showed that, except for revival and resilience, there is a significant difference between the studied provenances. Branching decreased with increasing diameter of mother trees, germination increased with increasing height above sea level, and revival increased with increasing drought risk index. The resilience and height of seedlings showed a direct relationship with annual rainfall and latitude and an inverse relationship with evapotranspiration and latitude. The results of principal component analysis revealed that provenances that originated from relatively hot areas, with heavy soil, and high iron and low manganese contents had a lower germination and a higher revival rate. In addition, the resilience of provenances with high soil phosphorus and potassium contents was higher.

This study investigates the use of seed priming with different materials to induce resistance to charcoal disease and drought in the first year of growth of brant's oak. The seeds were soaked in solutions of salicylic acid, indole butyric acid, and potassium nitrate with three different concentrations, and the seedlings were tested for resistance to oak charcoal and drought. Both water deficit treatment (25 percent field capacity) and inoculation with the pathogenic fungus (Biscogniauxia mediterranea) declined photosystem performance, chlorophyll index, water potential, transpiration, and stomatal conductance in brant’s oak seedlings. The results show that priming of seeds with 150 ppm salicylic acid had the greatest effect on limiting stem lesion in the resulting seedlings and maintained the root potential of the root and stem under conditions of moisture stress. Priming with 100 ppm indole butyric acid showed similar effects in limiting the lesion but showed weaker effects than salicylic acid on plant water relationships and the abundance of ray parenchyma cells. Potassium nitrate (0.5 percent) had no effect on disease resistance and did not alter plant water relations. Overall, the study suggests that seed priming with salicylic acid plays an effective role in inducing systemic resistance of seedlings to charcoal disease and drought in the first year. The findings of this study can offer new insights to achieve improved seedlings.

Systemic induce resistance (SIR) is one of the mechanisms for increasing resistance to pests and pathogens in plants. The plant defense system against environmental stress can increase by some chemical elicitors. For this purpose, we used different concentrations of elicitors including salicylic acid, phosphite potassium, leaf extract of neem, two isolates of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), imidacloprid pesticide. Then, growth inhibition of all treatments were investigated on both fungal (Biscogniauxia mediterranea) and bacterial (Brenneria sp.) pathogens under in vitro conditions. Also, the effect of these elicitors was examined on Quercus brantii trees with declined crown in the forest. After three weeks, some physiological traits of trees such as relative water content and membrane leakage of leaf, chlorophyll and photosystem efficiency were measured. Results of Duncan's mean comparison showed that by increasing elicitors’ concentration, their growth inhibition against fungal and bacterial pathogens was significantly increased. The lowest effect of the growth inhibition was observed for two isolates of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Trees treated with neem extract, phosphite potassium, and imidacloprid pesticides could significantly reduce membrane leakage compared with the control (treated with water), and also the maximum photosystem efficiency of these treatments and salicylic acid were increased. The results indicate that the positive effects of all used natural chemicals in this study in controlling oak decline which can be used against pest and pathogen instead of chemical pesticides such as imidacloprid.

Extensive application of imported poplar clones, can lead to destruction of genetic resources. Determination of intensity and direction of gene flow between population origin, provided important information in order to orienting the improvement and conservation programs. In between, introducing some reliable morphological traits, those are important in clonal differentiation, could accelerate this process considering lower costs in compare with molecular markers.

In present study five clones of black poplar (Populus nigra) in order to investigating the feasibility of clonal differentiation and estimating genetic parameteres like genetic distance and gene flow by means of morphological markers were planted in a complete randomized block design by three replications in selection nursery of Yasouj university and leaf morphological traits of one-year-old saplings were investigated. Morphological traits related with leaf blade, dentation and lobe, vein, petiole, and tip and base shape of leaf was measured in late fall, and the feasibility of clonal differentiation using discriminant functions analysis and cluster analysis was investigated. Finally, by means of an integrating approach consists of predicting models of discriminant functions and cluster analysis of phylogenetic relations, genetic distance, and intensity and direction of gene flow between clones were discussed and investigated.

The results of discriminant analysis revealed that leaf fresh weight, leaf virtual and actual aspect ratio, by 65 percent accuracy, had the highest effects in clonal differentiation of poplar clones. Among the investigated black poplar clones, the Irannian native clone with its small and narrow leavs was distincted from the Turkish native clone, and other clones were in the middle. These variations were in accordance with the geographical location and climatic conditions of these clones. The native and breeded Iranian clones had the lowest and highest amount of plasticity, respectively. Examination of the genetic structure of the clones showed that there was no significant gene flow between most of the studied clones, but significant gene flow was observed between the anonymous native Turkish clone and breeded Iranian clones, and the direction of this flow was more from the Turkish to Iranian clone.

In conclusion, in general, there were few signs of hybrid swarm between Iranian native poplar with the other studied cultivars, but the widespread use of the improved Iranian poplar cultivars increases the need to pay attention to the protection of native genetic resources.

Drought as a primary factor along with other secondary factors such as outbreaks of pests and diseases as well as fires in recent decades in the Zagros forests have destroyed many trees, especially Quercus brantii as dominant tree species in Zagros forests.. So, genetic variability of 51 healthy and declined trees of Quercus brantii in Khaeez forests was evaluated by two molecular markers; 4 and 5 primers of EST-SSR and ISSR markers, and 28 and 15 band fragments were amplified, respectively.  Results of ISSR markers showed that polymorphism percentage and genetic diversity of all Q. brantii trees were 95.83% and 0.40, respectively and genetic diversity value was higher in healthy trees population than declined. Also, only 6.82 of genetic differentiation was observed between two populations of healthy and declined trees based on molecular variance analysis (AMOVA). ISSR1 showed the highest accuracy (83.3%) for distinctive healthy and declined trees compared to other ISSR primers. Results of EST-SSR also showed higher heterozygosity in healthy trees and there was heterozygote deficiency Q. brantii by using all primers. Also, genetic differentiation was very low between healthy and declined trees and FIR031 showed the highest value compare to other primers. In conclusion, results suggest that genetic diversity had an important role in adaptation to drought stress of healthy Q. brantii trees. Moreover, using appropriate markers for identifying mother trees with high genetic value can be considered for improving the reforestation.

Among the different species of Pistacia genus, P. atlantica is more distributed in cold area than P. khinjuk. In this study, in order to illustrate the physiological mechanisms of cold tolerance under acclimation phenomenon, two experiments were established. First experiment was conducted to induction of acclimation on seedlings at two stages and each stage was done for two weeks with different photoperiods. Then chlorophyll and florescence's chlorophyll was measured. For second experiment, leaves and stems of seedlings were exposed to three levels of temperature, +4°C (control), -20°C in one hour and -20°C in two hours. For this purpose, we measure relative water content (RWC) and electrolyte leakage (EL). Results of first experiment showed that 44% electron transport rate and 46% photochemical quenching was significantly reduced. This reduction in P. atlantica was grater by 30% compared to P. khinjuk. Second experiment results revealed that leaf RWC and EL increased during cold acclimation to be 8 and 11%, respectively. In addition, stem EL increased only in P. khinjuk (44%). In fact, P. atlantica due to decreasing of RWC during acclimation was able to maintain the photosystem efficiency and showed more resistance to cold stress. According to our findings, we can identify cold-resistant species or genotypes by measuring the florescence's chlorophyll.

Study on different parameters of vegetation, especially, on ecological groups can help us to understand environmental factors affecting it. In order to studying of biodiversity, life forms and chorology in different ecological groups in protected area of western Dena forests with 600 ha area were done. Then 50 plots of 450 m2 with dimensions 15×30 meters were established by random-systematic method. TWINSPAN analysis results showed that there were four ecological groups, Smyrnieto-Schumanniatum (first group), Phlometum olivieri (second group), Prangoetum ferula (third group) and Junipereto – Ferulagatum (fourth group) in this area from low to high altitudes, respectively. Different parameters of alpha biodiversity between groups were not significant, although richness value of fourth group was lowest. Beta biodiversity results showed that first group and fourth groups had highest and lowest amount. Also results of life form showed that the first and second groups had higher amount of Therophyt, but phanerophyt species of third and fourth groups were higher than other two groups. On the other hand, fourth ecological groups had the lowest Irano- touranian chorotype and the highest Irano- touranian and Euro-Siberian chorotype. In addition, results showed that first group should be conserved in aspect of plant diversity. Also climate of this group is drier than other ecological groups.

One of the defense response strategies of trees against drought and pathogens is phenotypic variations of leaf and stomata. Also a certain mother tree can partly control phenotype of its offspring, and consequently, affect their tolerance to environmental stress. Therefore, in this study the effects of water deficit and bacterial pathogen on leaf and stomatal traits of healthy and dried trees, causing dieback of brant's oak in Kohgilouye and Boyer-Ahmad province, has been investigated.
Seeds of 4 healthy and 4 infected trees were collected from Khaeiz conserved area and planted into 320 pots to assess the effect of mother tree. After growing of seedlings, bacteria of Brenneria quercinia was inoculated to half of seedlings originated from both healthy and infected mother trees. After 40 days, half of the inoculated and non-inoculated seedlings, treated under water deficit for three weeks and the rest of them received full irrigation. Then, leaves of seedlings were harvested in September and leaf and stomata traits were measured by Image j 1.43 software. After that, the experiment was performed in a completely random design analyzed and the treatments were laid out in 2*2*2 (2 levels bacteria, 2 levels irrigation, 2 levels mother trees or genotype) and also the mean comparisons tests were done.
Results showed that the effect of bacteria is not significant on any stomata traits, but stomata width and stomata pore width were smaller in seedlings of water deficit treatment than fully irrigate seedlings. Also seedlings of dried trees had smaller stomata width. Water deficit caused to significant decrease of stomata perimeter and leaf width of half-sibling healthy trees, but number of leaf teeth and vein of half-sibling dried trees were decreased under water deficit treatment that they were not significant for half-sibling healthy trees. The affect of bacteria was not similar on half-sibling of healthy and dried trees, so that perimeter, area and length of stomata and perimeter and base angle of leaf in non-inoculated seedlings of healthy trees were larger but after inoculation stomata area of half-sibling healthy trees were decrease and stomata length increased significantly. Inoculation of bacteria also leads to significant decrease of leaf area in half-sibling dried trees but it did not have any affect on half-sibling healthy trees. Triple interaction of irrigation, bacteria and mother trees was significant for stomata pore width, as so, seedlings of healthy trees showed smaller stomata pore width under water deficit treatment, but bacteria has not negative effect on it. For seedlings of dried mother trees, these differences were not significant at any treatments, but size of it was smaller than seedlings of healthy mother trees.
Results of this study showed that half-sibling healthy trees have larger leaf and stomata traits. It demonstrated that these seedlings have more ability to production and photosynthetic capacity. Also the water deficit had more negative effect than bacteria on decline of oak. Also half-sibling of healthy trees under water deficit condition could reduce evaporation with decreasing size of leaf and stomata traits. This decreasing size of stomata were observed under inoculation of bacteria, in contrary the offspring's of drought affected trees exhibited longer stomata than controls that made them more susceptible to water deficit stress and pathogen agent. Also it has been demonstrated that stomata and leaf characteristics can conducted to identification of drought and bacterial disease resistance genotypes.

Drought is the one of the major environmental stresses that it has a negative effect on plant growth. The Zagros forests with Mediterranean climate are dry forests, So that, for this purpose, the effect of drought stress on growth and physiological traits and nutrient uptake in two species of Quercus (Brantii and Libani) were investigated. øFor doing this experiment, the treatment wase 4 levels includes of control and drought stress. The results showed that drought stress had negative effects on growth, morphological and physiological parameters of two oak species, so that most of parameters decreased but electrolyte leakage rate of organs were increased. Results of nutrient uptake also showed that K uptake rate of root and shoot was increased under drought stress. The results showed that stress tolerance index (STI) of Q. Brantii for all parameters except of fresh and dry weight of leaf were higher than Q. Libani. Overall, these results indicated that the Q. Brantii could show more resistant to drought stress than Q. Libani, which may be due to lower Na uptake rate of leaves and so Na/K ratio and number of leaf.

The bacteria species that have positive effects on plant growth and performance, which is called plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), can help or play a crucial role in reforestation programs. For this purpose, phosphate solubilizing bacteria were isolated from soil of Yasuj forests, Iran in this study. Ten isolates of phosphate solubilizing were extracted from five soil samples. Two out of ten bacteria strains with highest phosphate solubilizing activity were selected. The results of gram staining and other biochemical tests illustrated that those bacteria were identified as Microbacterium aurantiacum and Streptomyces cinereorectus. In order to study the effect of PGPR bacteria on growth performance of Brant’s oak seedlings, an experiment as completely randomized block design was done in greenhouse conditions. Treatments consist of four seedlings groups of non-inoculated (control), inoculated by M. aurantiacum, inoculated by S. cinereorectus and inoculated by a mixture of both strains. The results of analysis of variance of the effect of PGPR bacteria strains on growth performance of oak seedlings revealed that all studied traits with exception of stem length and shoot to root ratio were significantly affected by bacterial treatment. So that, inoculated plants showed better growth performance compared to the control treatment, but plants treated with both strains had lower stem and leaf fresh weights in comparison with pure inoculated plants. It can be concluded that the application of biofertilizers especially M. aurantiacum might be conducted to increase the growth and subsequent establishment of seedlings in the first year resulted in successful reforestation.

To examine morphological variability of leaves and fruits of wild pear (Pyrus glabra) among different populations, leaf and fruit samples of 48 trees from four populations at altitude of 2150 m above sea level (Tange Sorkh), 2250 m (Vezg), 2450 m (Gorgo) and 2550 m (Mahparviz) located in Boyer Ahmad city, Iran, were collected. Then, 16 quantitative and qualitative leaf and fruit morphologic traits were recorded. Analysis of variance showed that among the studied parameters, lamina length, petiole length, lamina width at 0.1 and 0.9 of leaf lengths, maximum width of lamina, relative length of petiole, leaf shape, small and large diameter of fruit showed significant differences among the populations. Results of principal components analysis showed traits such as maximum width of lamina, lamina length, leaf dry weight, leaf tip angle, and leaf specific surface, played the most important role in grouping the genotypes and populations. In addition, leaf tip angle, leaf dry weight, and leaf surface had the highest coefficient of variation. Results of discriminate analysis showed that effective traits in isolation of the populations including leaf shape and fruit large diameter. Finally, leaf base shape, and large diameter of fruit remained unchanged resisting environmental changes (less variability) can be used as good traits to identify and separate genotypes of wild pear.

The effects of lead (PbCl2) increment, under hydroponic conditions up to 15, 45 and 90 mg/l in presence of EDTA, on some physiological and biochemical traits of one year old saplings of P. nigra and P. alba, were investigated. Six weeks after establishing in target concentration, the amount of lead, biomass, water, soluble sugars, proline, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and pigments were assessed in different organs. The results revealed that with increasing lead concentration in culture medium in the studied period, the amount of lead in saplings increased, but no effect was observed on their biomass. In both species the magnitude of lead accumulation in root was higher than leaf. P. nigra had more water and less soluble sugars than P. alba. The concentration of soluble sugars increased up to 1.5 times with lead increment in both species, but proline content increased only in P. nigra up to 2 times and remained constant in P. alba. Elevation of electrolyte leakage in saplings of P. nigra in excess lead treatment was accompanied by no change in malondialdehyde content. Concentrations of pigments were not affected by lead, and only the ratio of chlorophyll a to b in P. nigra increased in high lead concentration. In general both species accumulated high extent of lead in their organs. But it seems that P. nigra, at least with respect of enhancing plasma membrane permeability, increasing proline and the ratio of chlorophyll a to b, was more sensitive to this toxic metal in compare with P. alba.

Plant species with wide geographic ranges, exhibit high tolerance to cold stress. Trees in temperate regions must cope with freezing temperatures, especially in late autumn and winter. One of the mechanisms to tolerate cold stress is through decreasing photoperiod and temperature during acclimation. In addition, provenance of a species could be one of the main factors contributing to cold resistance. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of cold stress on physiological responses of Pistacia atlantica seedlings from three provenances was investigated in southern Zagros to select the most cold-resistant provenance.
Material and Seeds of three provenances, namely Margon, Noor Abad and Yasuj, from southern Zagros, were collected and planted in pots. After germination of seeds, induction of acclimation was carried out at two stages for four weeks. This was accomplished through the simulation of temperature and photoperiod of Yasuj region from September to November. Following that, the indexes of photosystem efficiency and chlorophyll content were measured. After each acclimation stage, leaves and stems of seedlings were exposed to three levels of temperature, +4°C (control), -20°C for one hour, and -20 for two hours. Then, relative water content (RWC) and electrolyte leakage (EL) of stems and leaves were measured. This study was conducted as a factorial with three factors of provenance (three levels), cold treatments (three levels) and acclimation (two levels), adopting a completely random design. The results showed that EL increased with decreases in temperature and this increase was the highest in the case of the Noor Abad provenance. In addition, the stem RWC of Yasuj and Margoon provenances decreased in the second cold acclimation stage. Chlorophyll content, photosystem efficiency and electron transport rate were lower in Noor Abad provenance, compared with other two provenances. Moreover, except the electron transport rate, all fluorescence parameters significantly decreased during the cold acclimation. The results showed that measuring EL and fluorescence parameters could be a useful indicator for identifying cold-tolerant provenances. The seedlings of Noor Abad provenance exhibited the least and Margoon provenance showed the highest resistance to cold stress. This could be due to high altitude and cold climate of Margoon provenance

Concerning the importance of tree and shrub regeneration and its effect on the feature of forests, the present study was designed to evaluate the regeneration of forest species and its relationship with environmental factors in Dena protected area. To this aim, 50 plots of 450 m2 each were selected in a randomly- systematic design based on a 500 × 250 m grid. Then the regeneration of species in three different height classes ( 130 cm) was counted. The results showed that the regeneration of different species was affected by various environmental factors. Among the physiographic factors, height had the greatest impact on regeneration, i.e. increasing the height from sea level leads to reducing the regeneration of Quercus brantii, Cerasus microcarpa, and Daphne mucronata, Whereas Amygdalus reuteri and Lonicera nummulariifolia showedincrease ofregeneration. However, the regeneration of Q. brantii and C. microcarpawas was higher in medium slopes on northern aspects. The results of soil elements also showed positive correlation between that soil nitrogen levels were with C. microcarpa regeneration and negatively correlated between L. nummulariifolia and soil nitrogen levels. On the other hand the correlation results revealed that the association of Q. brantii and C. microcarpa occurs jointly in low altitudes, while association of A. reuteri and L. nummulariifolia jointly occurs across high altitudes. Also regenerations of Pistacia atlantica and A. scoparia were observed to be jointly, similar to those of A. orientalis and L. nummulariifolia. Finally, the anthropogenic and environmental factors as well as the competition between species are concluded to affect the regeneration of variety of forest species.

Morphological characteristics of individuals are due to hereditary and environmental factors. Regarding to the importance of leaf morphology in systematics investigations and bearing up the effects of environmental variations, especially altitudinal variations on these traits, the differentiation feasibility of brant oak in a restricted altitudinal gradient is investigated. A total number of 400 leaves from 40 individual ramets in Armarde, in an altitudinal ranges from 1580 to 1844 meters above sea level were sampled and 29 quantitative and qualitative traits were measured. The results revealed that the number of teeth and the shape of leaf at lower altitudes are lesser than higher altitudes. Also, leaf base angle has a negative and significant correlation with the altitude. In two altitudinal classes, the shape of leaf tip and the angle of midrib and vein, showed the lowest plasticity and coefficient of variation with respect to environmental conditions. Ramets were classified in three different classes based on cluster analysis and the separator traits were the maximum leaf width, leaf area and sinusoidal angle. Considering the fact that the separator traits would not showed any significant association with altitude, it seems that some variations might be likely due to physiological response of leaves to environmental variations. However, it's more likely that the occurrence of inter and intra specific hybridization between brant´s oak species would culminated in separation of the individuals.

Proteins as direct products of genes are considered as the appropriate markers to assess genetic diversity and to identify resistant individuals. For investigation of Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) seed storage protein based on quality activities by using SDS-PAGE method، 40 samples were taken on dried and healthy trees on two altitude classes. Results showed that weight of molecular bands on electrophoretic pattern of protein bands were between 18 and 125 KDa. Results of clustering and discriminant analysis also showed that trees from the two altitude classes could be distinguished by protein bands، but trees with different dried degrees could not be distinguished. Genetic diversity indices such as Shannon index and Nei، polymorphism percentage، showed trees with low and high dried degrees had the highest and lowest degree of the indices، respectively. Also trees from high altitudes had higher genetic diversity than trees from low altitudes. Diversity within the populations in the two altitude classes was more than variation between the populations. Also Genetic variation among altitudes in different populations (FST) was equal to 0. 42. Therefore، results implied that Cypress trees in the studied region contain high genetic diversity، especially at high altitude. Also we could not distinguish dried and healthy trees by using seed storage protein.

Drought is the major environmental stresses that it can have a negative impact on plant growth. The study of gas exchange under drought stress can help to identify factors affecting stress resistant. Due to this fact that Zagros forests has Mediterranean and dry climate, with the aim of this study was to assess the impact of drought on leaf gas exchange in two oak species (Quercus brantii and Quercus libani). Water stress consisted of four levels of water stress (100%, 70%, 50% and 30% FC) in the greenhouse situations. Those seedlings were intended for water stress weren’t irrigated to reach to the desired field capacity (70%, 50% and 30% of field capacity), but control seedlings were irrigated every day in order to soil water content at field capacity shall be kept 100%. Results showed that water stress treatment has a significant reduction of stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, conduct mesophilic, carbon dioxide emission, and transpiration. Also Quercus libani showed higher level of photosynthesis, water use efficiency and transpiration than Quercus branti. Overall, results in both species, showed stomatal and non-stomatal limitation would cause of photosynthesis reduction. Also, due to higher water efficiency and lower gas parameter variations, Quercus libani would gain better mechanism of waster stress and Quercus brantii would gain the use drought avoidance mechanism.

Protection and developing of biodiversity are the most important subjects in forest management. The aim of this study was classification of ecological groups in Vezg forest of Yasouj and evaluation of biodiversity indicators in ecological groups. For this purpose، 52 sample plots 450 m2 were measured with systematically random method for collecting of vegetation. The TWINSPAN method and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used for the definition of ecological species groups and determining the relationship between ecological species groups and biodiversity indices. Also، plant biodiversity were studied based on species abundance data with general biodiversity indices. Also Tukey test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for finding significant differences between the ecological groups، alsodiscriminate analysis was used for determining of significant biodiversity indices and separate of ecological groups. Results showed that، there were four ecological species groups in the study area. The First group including: Anchusa italic-Quercusbrantii، the second group: Heterantheliumpiliferum-Avenaclauda، the third group: Teucriumpolium and the fourth group: Salvia reautreana. The ecological groups were significantly different in terms of all diversity، richness and evenness indices، so that were greater in the third and fourth ecological groups that were in high elevation and north slopes. The second and third ecological groups showedthe highest and lowest beta diversity respectively. Therophytes had the highest life forms spectrum in all of ecological groups and in geographical distribution، the forth group had the highest Irano-Turanian and Cosmopolite species. Results showed that، Shanonweaner diversity and Menhenik richness indicators، were the most important effective factors in separations of ecological groups.

Today، determination of the ecological species groups for current and future situation of forest and its relationship with environmental factors is necessary for forest management. For this purpose، 50 plots were established in altitude range of 2091- 2811 meters above sea level and 600 hectare in protected area of western Dena. Four ecological groups was identified Using Twinspan analysis that altitude، slope and EC were effective in separation of groups. The second group with most grass cover located in low slope that soil conditions of it was best. But fourth group with Juniperus polycarpos، Ferulago angulata indicator species had unsuitable environmental conditions. In the first group، Pistacia atlantica was indicator species and this group had lowest altitude and highest lime and tree cover of oak. Also، results showed that classification of vegetation can up to 80 percent separately habitats accurately. So، these researches can help to identify of ecological niche of species and to understand of habitats situation.

Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L. var. horizontalis) is one of the native conifers in Iran. It is found in Tange Soulak Forest Reserve of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province، Iran. An experiment in a completely randomized design with factorial 4×2×2 was performed to assess the factors affecting Cupressus sempervirens seed germination. Dieback، slope، and altitude were analyzed at four، two، and two levels، respectively. Results showed slope to have the greatest effects on seed characteristics and germination. In fact، all studied parameters including 1000 kernel weight، humidity of the seeds، speed and rate of germination، and the mean number of seeds in a cone decreased with increasing slope. Moreover، tree diameter had a low positive relationship with seed weight. On the other hand، although the seeds collected from trees with high rate of dieback had the lowest mean speed and rate of germination; dieback had significant effects only on the mean germination time. There were significant positive correlations between 1000 kernel weight and all seed and germination parameters. Therefore، it is suggested that for conservation and regeneration of this species in the region، seeds should be collected from mother trees with a larger diameter and heavier seeds located on low-slope lands.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of provenance of Persian oak species on its acorn morphological traits and growth and survival parameters in different latitudes of Zagros region. Mother trees of three sites from northern (Baneh), central (Khoram-Abad) and southern (Yasuj) Zagros region were selected and their acorns planted as a completely randomized design in common garden in Yasuj. Acorn morphological traits and growth parameters of seedlings like height, collar diameter, number of leaves and volume in June and September and survival of seedlings were measured. Analyse of variance showed that all acorn morphological traits except acorn diameter at first one of 0.1 height and number of acorn per kg had difference significant. High latitudes provenance had highest value of width, navel diameter and acorn volume and lowest value of length, length to width ratio. Growth and survival traits of seedlings from three provenances were significantly different so that seedlings originated from Baneh were showed highest value growth and survival traits. Results of correlation showed that width, navel diameter and acorn volume were positively and length, length to width ratio and number of acorn per kg were negatively correlated with latitude and growth traits of seedlings. The highest amount of vitality was belongs to seedlings of southern Zagros. Results of cluster analysis also showed that seedlings germinated from mother trees of Baneh and wide navel diameter of acorn had better primary establishment in Yasuj.