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Mehri S, Alesheikh AA, Lotfata A. Abiotic factors impact on oak forest decline in Lorestan Province, Western Iran. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3973. [PMID: 38368502 PMCID: PMC10874411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54551-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The Zagros oak forests in Iran are facing a concerning decline due to prolonged and severe drought conditions over several decades, compounded by the simultaneous impact of temperature on oak populations. This study in oak woodlands of central Zagros forests in Lorestan province analyzed abiotic factors such as climate properties, topographic features, land use, and soil properties from 1958 to 2022. We found that higher elevation areas with steeper slopes and diverse topography show significant potential for enhancing oak tree resilience in the face of climate change. Additionally, traditional land use practices like livestock keeping and dryland farming contribute to a widespread decline in oak populations. Preserving forest biodiversity and ensuring ecological sustainability requires immediate attention. Implementing effective land-use management strategies, such as protecting and regulating human-forest interaction, and considering meteorological factors to address this issue is crucial. Collaborative efforts from stakeholders, policymakers, and local communities are essential to oppose destructive suburban sprawl and other developments. Sustainable forestry practices should be implemented to improve the living standards of local communities that rely on forests and traditional livestock keeping, offer forestry-related jobs, and ensure social security. Such efforts are necessary to promote conservation awareness and sustainable practices, safeguarding this unique and vital ecosystem for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Mehri
- Department of Geospatial Information Systems, Faculty of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Alesheikh
- Department of Geospatial Information Systems, Faculty of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Aynaz Lotfata
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
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Maslova NP, Karasev EV, Xu SL, Spicer RA, Liu XY, Kodrul TM, Spicer TEV, Jin JH. Variations in morphological and epidermal features of shade and sun leaves of two species: Quercus bambusifolia and Q. myrsinifolia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:1441-1463. [PMID: 34431508 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Microclimatic differences between the periphery and the interior of tree crowns result in a variety of adaptive leaf macromorphological and anatomical features. Our research was designed to reveal criteria for sun/shade leaf identification in two species of evergreen oaks, applicable to both modern and fossil leaves. We compared our results with those in other species similarly studied. METHODS For both Quercus bambusifolia and Q. myrsinifolia (section Cyclobalanopsis), leaves from single mature trees with well-developed crowns were collected in the South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China. We focus on leaf characters often preserved in fossil material. SVGm software was used for macromorphological measurement. Quantitative analyses were performed and box plots generated using R software with IDE Rstudio. Leaf cuticles were prepared using traditional botanical techniques. RESULTS Principal characters for distinguishing shade and sun leaves in the studied oaks were identified as leaf lamina length to width ratio (L/W), and the degree of development of venation networks. For Q. myrsinifolia, shade and sun leaves differ in tooth morphology and the ratio of toothed lamina length to overall lamina length. The main epidermal characters are ordinary cell size and anticlinal wall outlines. For both species, plasticity within shade leaves exceeds that of sun leaves. CONCLUSIONS Morphological responses to sun and shade in the examined oaks are similar to those in other plant genera, pointing to useful generalizations for recognizing common foliar polymorphisms that must be taken into account when determining the taxonomic position of both modern and fossil plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia P Maslova
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647, Russia
| | - Eugeny V Karasev
- Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647, Russia
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Respublika Tatarstan, 420000, Russia
| | - Sheng-Lan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Robert A Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Xiao-Yan Liu
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Tatiana M Kodrul
- Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119017, Russia
| | - Teresa E V Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Jian-Hua Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
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Alikhani L, Rahmani MS, Shabanian N, Badakhshan H, Khadivi-Khub A. Genetic variability and structure of Quercus brantii assessed by ISSR, IRAP and SCoT markers. Gene 2014; 552:176-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Revised: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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