The relationship between physico-chemical characteristics of the soil with Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima L.) Stands

Plant communities’ life and their distribution in a stand is affected by soil, climate and other environmental factrors. The purpose of this research was to investigate the soil condition and vegetation in three dominant stands of Tamarix ramosissima called Abyaneh, Chadegan watershed and Tang-e Bibi Zeinab in Isfahan province. After selecting the stands, sampling of plant was carried out as stratified random 400 m2 plots. According to the area of the studied areas and using the minimum area method, and the canopy cover of T.ramosissima was measured in each plot. 30 and 60 plots of 4m2 was used to calculate the vegetation cover percentage of companion species. Some physical and chemical soil factors including Ca+Mg، Na ،P ،K، SP ،OM ،CaCO3، CaSO4 ، BD، SAR، ESP، gravel and texture were measured. The simple correlation, regression and ordination were used to investigate the correlation between environmental factors and plant parameters. Results of the dendrogram showed that there is at least 60% similarity between the two habitats of Chadegan watershed and Tang-e Bibi Zeinab. Results of Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis showed that the total canopy area of the studied species is positively related with soil salinity factors and the total concentration of dissolved Ca+Mg with correlation coefficients of 0.76 and 0.75, respectively and is negatively related with clay percentage factors and organic matter with the correlation coefficients of 0.9 and 0.91, respectively. The results of ordination analysis diagram between plant parameters and environmental factors also showed that the habitat conditions of Artemisia aucheri are closely related to the habitat conditions of the T. ramosissima.