The trend of temporal changes in vegetation in the dust center of South Ahvaz (Case study: Hanitieh area of Karun city)

Measurement of diversity indices and the local vegetation study are often suitable tools for studying the status of forests and rangelands and evaluating them. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trend of vegetation changes in the dust center of Khuzestan province. In this study, the effect of rainfall fluctuations and irrigation of seedlings cultivated in the region on the percentage of cover and the type of native species during four consecutive years and in two seasons in the Hanitiah region was investigated. For this purpose, 5 transects with a length of 100 meters with 50-meter intervals were constructed in a systematic random manner in the study area. A total of 30 fixed plots were installed along transects. In two growing seasons, spring and autumn, from 2017 to 2020, the type and percentage of coverage of native species were recorded. Indices of dominance, uniformity, and species diversity of Simpson and Shannon were measured using PAST software. The results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there is a significant difference between the mean of dominance, Shannon and Simpson indices, percentage of cover, and the number of species in the spring of different harvest years. But in comparing Shannon and Simpson indices and summer coverage, there is no significant difference between July 2019 and 2018. The species in the plots were all short-lived and the measured variability was time-dependent. From the above observations and results from the Hanitiah region, it can be concluded that despite the return of many short-lived species following the irrigation of cultivated seedlings and recent rains, the area is still very sensitive and fragile. Therefore, for complete revival, it still needs complete management, planning, and exclusion.