Flora, Life Form and Chorology of Winter and Rural Range Plants in the Northern Khorasan Province, Iran

Abstract

Floristic studies are fundamental for the applied sciences such as rangeland<br />management and conservation. Unique ecological and climatic conditions in the Northern<br />Khorasan Province (NKP) make it a remarkable habitat for the floristic studies. Plant species<br />were collected from 50 field sites, representing major habitats of winter and rural rangelands.<br />Surveys were conducted during active growth periods in 2007 and 2008. Plant species were<br />identified and their chorology and life form determined through laboratory examinations and<br />by using reference books. Floristic surveys resulted in identification of 534 plant species,<br />belonged to 315 genus and 68 families. Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae were respectively<br />the most abundant plant families. Among the life forms, Hemicryptophytes, Therophytes,<br />Chamaephytes, Phanerophytes and Geophytes included 45, 32, 9, 7 and 7% of the total<br />species, respectively. Irano-Turanian was the most dominant (65%) Chorotypes. The<br />dominance of Hemicryptophytes and Therophytes, as well as vast distribution of<br />Chamaephytes, can be referred to the simultaneous effects of climate fluctuations and<br />livestock grazing on the flora of winter and rural rangelands in NKP.