Investigation on flora and habitat conditions of wild Fig (Ficus johannis Boiss.) in Shirkuh Mountains, Yazd

• Main Authors: Zahra Karimi, Mohammad Hossein Iran-Nezhad Parizi, Asghar Mosleh Arani, Bahman Kiani
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands of Iran 2014-12-01
• Series: تحقیقات جنگل و صنوبر ایران
• Subjects: Wild fig; Irano-Turanian; site conditions; life form; Shirkooh; endemic species
• Online Access: http://ijfpr.areeo.ac.ir/article_13178_831bf331d54e0f093f1064b1cdf757e6.pdf

In this survey, we investigated the flora and habitat conditions of wild Fig (Ficus johannis Boiss.) in a part of its natural habitat in Yazd province. To obtain climatic information, the required data were obtained from the closest climatologic stations. With average precipitation of 177.4 mm/year and the average annual temperature of 14.4 °C, the study area is a dry temperate region. Physiochemical analyses were conducted on previously-taken soil samples. Floristic investigation was conducted in two subdistricts (Sadegh-Abad and Mazrae-Ghebleh). Moreover, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of trees were recorded via transect sampling. Results of soil analysis indicated that F. johannis grows in the soils featuring a pH ranging between 7.74 and 8.39 with sand-silt texture. Results also showed that there were 27 families, 64 genera and 73 species in the study area. The family of Compositae with 22% (16 species) and Labiatae with 14% (10 species) presented the highest richness among all families. In terms of biological forms, the following composition was indicated: Chaemoephytes with 34% (25 species), Throphytes with 12% (7 species), Hemicryptophytes with 40% (27 species), Microphanerophytes and Nanophanerophytes with 5% (4 species), Geophytes with 6% (5 species) and Mezophanerophytes with 1 % (one species). Among the total 90 species, 15 species were found to be endemic to Iran.  F. johannis was evaluated as a hydrophyte species according to its frequent growth in valley margins which is due to higher moisture content. The transect sampling resulted in calculating the population density and cover in Mazrae-Ghebleh (46 ha-1 and 3.51 %.ha-1) as well as in Sadegh-Abad district (49 ha-1 and 7.76 %.ha-1), respectively. Overall qualitative features of trees were moderate. Partial withering of branches was observed in majority of trees but no damage was observed on stems.