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Journal of Arid Land  2019, Vol. 11 Issue (1): 43-57    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-018-0024-z
Orginal Article     
Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran
MEHDI Heydari1,*(), FATEMEH Aazami1, MARZBAN Faramarzi2, REZA Omidipour3, MASOUD Bazgir4, DAVID Pothier5, BERNARD Prévosto6
1 Department of Forest Science, College of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam 6939177111, Iran
2 Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, College of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam 6939177111, Iran
3 Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, College of Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord 14536-33143, Iran
4 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam 6939177111, Iran
5 Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Centre for Forest Research, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
6 Irstea-National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture, Aix-en-Provence 13128, France
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Abstract  

This study aimed to investigate the interaction between regions with different climatic conditions (arid vs. semi-arid) and management (protected vs. unprotected) on the turnover and nestedness of vegetation in relation to physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in the Ilam Province of Iran. In each of the two regions, we sampled 8 sites (4 managed and 4 unmanaged sites) within each of which we established 4 circular plots (1000 m2) that were used to investigate woody species, while two micro-plots (1 m×1 m) were established in each 1000-m2 plot to analyze herbaceous species. In each sample unit, we also extracted three soil samples (0-20 cm depth) for measuring soil properties. The results indicated that the interaction between region and conservational management significantly affected the percent of canopy cover of Persian oak (Quercus brantii Linddl), soil respiration, substrate-induced respiration, as well as beta and gamma diversities and turnover of plant species. The percent of oak canopy cover was positively correlated with soil silt, electrical conductivity, available potassium, and alpha diversity, whereas it was negatively correlated with plant turnover. In addition, plant turnover was positively related to available phosphorus, while nestedness of species was positively related to organic carbon and total nitrogen. According to these results, we concluded that physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of limited ecological niche generally influenced plant diversity. Also, this study demonstrated the major contribution of the beta diversity on gamma diversity, especially in semi-arid region, because of the higher heterogeneity of vegetation in this area.



Key wordsclimatic conditions      conservation management      beta diversity      oak forests     
Received: 14 November 2017      Published: 10 February 2019
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Cite this article:

MEHDI Heydari, FATEMEH Aazami, MARZBAN Faramarzi, REZA Omidipour, MASOUD Bazgir, DAVID Pothier, BERNARD Prévosto. Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran. Journal of Arid Land, 2019, 11(1): 43-57.

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http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-018-0024-z     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2019/V11/I1/43

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