The Structure of Plant Population of Forested Rangeland in Different Legal Definitions (Case Study: Sabzkouh Region, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Province, Iran)

Abstract

There is less published research on ecosystems of forested rangeland in Iran. This research was conducted to investigate the forested rangeland area based on legal definition via comparison of indices species richness, diversity, and morphology of the trees and shrubs in Sabzkouh watershed, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province, Iran. Quantitative characteristics of trees and shrubs were measured by 56 transects using the 'sample line with the fixed tree' method in 2016. In each transect five plots were thrown to measure understory factors. The data was divided into two categories, less and more than 1% and 5%, according to legal definitions of tree canopy cover percentage. In addition, timber volume was divided into two categories, less and more than 20 (m³/ha). Two independent sample analyses (U test and T test) were used to compare between communities and Kappa index method were used check the maps accuracy. In this study, no significant differences were observed in structural changes in two community of 5% crown canopy. The results showed that in habitats, crown canopy more than 1%, and the timber volume less than 20 (m³/ha) based on legal definition were estimated as a common area of forested rangeland. In this range the best crown canopy 0.5 to 4 percent, shrub height up to 2.7 m, the tree density 21 to 156 per ha, the (DBH) 10 cm, timber volume up to 20 m³/ha has been extracted. This area was introduced with an increase in understory species richness. The main associated species of forested rangeland in this area were dominants shrubs. The comparisons of the maps the Kappa index confirmed the introduced area as a wooded rangeland in a good agreement. Hence, to decline a little interfered and to achieve more accurate results, it is suggested to research on native people and expert definition.