1 2476-3128 784 General Estimating Rangeland Vegetation Frequency & Density Using Low-altitude Aerial Photographs Royan M. b Sepehry A. c Salman Mahiny A. d b Gorgan Univ. of Agric. Sci. and Natur. Resour., Gorgan, Iran. c Gorgan Univ. of Agric. Sci. and Natur. Resour., Gorgan, Iran. d Gorgan Univ. of Agric. Sci. and Natur. Resour., Gorgan, Iran. 1 12 2016 5 17 1 10 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 Remote sensing and aerial photography are means of exploring, studying and estimating vegetation variables such as species frequency and density in forests and rangelands. Common remote sensing images usually offer general information about vegetation parameters. For detailed information about vegetation (e.g. estimation of vegetation density and/or frequency), larger scale images are needed. The present research was conducted to estimate the density of rangeland vegetation in Inche Boroon area, north of Gorgan city. Using aerial photographs acquired from digital camera mounted on a tittered balloon in different flight altitudes, density and frequency of the main shrub species of the studied region, Halocnemum strobilaceum, were estimated on photographs at different scales (from 1:50 – to 1:1000) and were compared with field measurements. Results showed no significant difference between the field and image estimation of density below 1:600 (heights lower than 75 m) but at lower scales the difference was significant. No significant difference between field and image estimation of shrub frequency was also observed up to the scale of 1:1000. Due to the wider field of view of photographs at smaller scales, flight heights of 75 m and 130 m are thus suggested as the appropriate heights to estimate Halocnemum strobilaceum density and frequency respectively in the study area.
785 General Assessment of the Conservation Status and Habitat Suitability of Critically Endangered Lorestan Newt (Neurergus Kaiseri) in Lorestan and Khuzestan Provinces Tondravan Zangene M. e Fakheran Esfahani1 S. f Poormanafi S. g Senn J. h e Isfahan univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. f Isfahan univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. g Isfahan univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. h Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLCH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland. 1 12 2016 5 17 11 24 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 Lorestan newt (Neurergus kaiseri) is an endemic species which has restricted dispersal in southern Zagros Mountains in Iran, and it is listed as critically endangered in IUCN red list. Today the populations of this species are decreasing and facing serious threats. In this study, habitat suitability of Neurergus kaiseri was evaluated using a MaxEnt modelling approach according to environmental and climatic parameters (thermal and precipitation). Based on the results derived from the MaxEnt model, the most important parameters were related to annual and seasonality precipitation, annual mean temperature, elevation and land cover, respectively. Also, assessment of the conservation status of this species with species distribution areas and adapting them with protection networks revealed that currently, none of the suitable habitats of Lorestan newt are protected and there is no legal support for conserving these sites that the issue makes this critically endangered species even more vulnerable. 786 General The Effect of Twenty Years of Exclosure on Parametric and Non-parametric Diversity Indices in Chadegan Rangelands- Isfahan Sheikhzadeh A. i Bashari H. j Matinkhah S. H. k Tarkesh Esfahani M. l i Isf. Univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. j Isf. Univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. k Isf. Univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. l Isf. Univ. of Technol., Isfahan, Iran. 1 12 2016 5 17 25 36 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 Exclosure is considered as a management method to improve vegetation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of exclosure on species diversity in Zayanderod dam station in Chadegan, Isfahan. The study area was stratified based on the various management types and slope directions, and samples were collected randomly in each layer. Four perpendicular transects, 500m in length were established along the gradients. Fifteen plots (1×1.5m) were established along each transect. The cover percentage, density and scientific name of the perennial species and the management condition were recorded in each plot. Diversity index of Simpson and Shannon, richness indices of Margalef and Menhinick, Simpson evenness indice, and Parametric methods (curve of frequency) were calculated in the two grazed and ungrazed areas. Independent t-test was used to compare the diversity indices. CCA Analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between species and management factors with the diversity indices. The results showed that although the diversity, richness and evenness indices in the exclosure area were more than the grazed area, there was no significant difference between the diversity and evenness indices in the areas. The log-normal was the significant fitted graph in the study area which represents relatively stable societies. The ordination results showed that grazing area and exclosure area are well separated from each other and confirmed the higher richness in the exclosure site. 788 General Evaluating the Effects of Study Scale on Spatial Patterns of three Range Plant Species Using Quadrate Indices and Point Pattern Analysis in Chaharmahal- Bakhtirai Province Rangelands Safaei M. m Bashari H. n Shirmardi H. A. o m Isfahan Univ. of Technol., Isfahan. Iran. n Isfahan Univ. of Technol., Isfahan. Iran. o Research and Education Center, Agric. Res. Educ. and Extn Organization (AREEO), Shahr-e-kord, Iran.Education Center, Agric. Res. Educ. and Extn Organization (AREEO), Shahr-e-kord, Iran. 1 12 2016 5 17 37 49 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 This study aimed to investigate the spatial patterns of Acanthophyllum microcephalum Boiss, Nepeta glomerulosa Boiss and Hertia angustifolia and evaluate the effects of study scale on spatial patterns of three range plant species in Ghale-Gharak research-station located in Shahr-e-Kord. 40 points with a distance of five meters from each other were selected for sampling of vegetation along four 50 m transects using a random-systematic approach. The species spatial patterns were measured by 6 different distance-based methods including Hopkines, Johnson-and-Zimer, Eberhardt, Holgate, Hines and T-Square-index. A 100 m2 reference site (10 by 10 m) was selected to record the species co-ordinates and conduct point pattern analysis. The spatial patterns of the species were determined in 3 scales of 10×10, 5×10 and 5×5 meters to highlight the effects of scale on spatial patterns of vegetation. According to the results, H. angustifolia showed randomized spatial patterns due to its seed dispersal ability. N. glomerulosa and A. microcephalum showed a clustered spatial pattern beacuse their seed are in achene form and fall next to these species. All the 3 species had a clustered pattern when the scale of point pattern analysis was decreased. Identifying these plant spatial patterns and their controlling factors) such as seed dispersal mechanisms of the species and sampling scale) are required to select the best sampling strategy in rangeland assessment programs. 789 General Study of Plant Species Richness in Habitats with Different Grazing Intensities at Golestan National Park and Surrounding Area Bagheri A. p Ghorbani R. Bannayan Aval M. Shafner O. p Razi Univ., Kermanshah, Iran. Ferdowsi Univ. of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. Ferdowsi Univ. of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), Switzerland. 1 12 2016 5 17 51 64 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 Considering the importance of plant diversity and to evaluate the effect of grazing pressure on species richness and structure of plant communities, this experiment was conducted at Golestan National Park and its surrounding areas in the north east of Iran. Sampling was conducted in intact and abandoned habitats and habitats under seasonal and heavy grazing, using Modified Whitaker Plot in 1, 10,100 and 1000 m2 spatial scales. Results showed that the composition of plant species from different habitats was different. In addition the increasing intensity of grazing increased the importance of therophytes and decreased the role of hemicryptophytes and phanerophytes and also decreasd the amount of species richness. Mean species richness of studied habitat showed a significant difference in all four sampling spatial scales. The results showed that plant species richness decreased in the areas affected by heavy grazing and conservation against grazing plays an important role in maintaining species richness. 790 General Study of Spatial Pattern of Indicator Plant Species in Ecological Species Groups (Case Study: Manesht Protected Area, Ilam Province) Heydari M. Karimikia H. Jafarzadeh A. A. Naderi M. Univ. of Ilam, Ilam, Iran. Univ. of Ilam, Ilam, Iran. Univ. of Ilam, Ilam, Iran. Univ. of Ilam, Ilam, Iran. 1 12 2016 5 17 65 76 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 The key factor in understanding the forest ecosystems is forest structure. Spatial arrangement and location of trees are both one of the main components of forest stand structure. This study was carried out in Manesht protected area, Ilam province. In order to determine the ecological groups and spatial patterns of indicator species, we used fixed-area plots method. For data collection, 125 square sampling plots with an area of 400 m2 were selected based on a systematically random method. The plants were classified using TWINSPAN analysis and then spatial pattern was analyzed by indices of ratio of average to variance, Morisata and standardized Morisata. Four ecological groups were specified and all dispersion indices showed clumped pattern for indicator species of the ecological groups. The results of this study could provide useful information to describe the sustainability of this valuable ecosystem and monitoring protective and rehabilitative practices. 792 General The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Distribution of Wintering Populations of Asian Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis Macqueenii in Central Iranian Plateau Pakniat D. Homami M. R. Maleki S. Tohidi M. Isfahan univ. of Technol. Isfahan, Iran. Isfahan univ. of Technol. Isfahan, Iran. Zabol Univ., Zabol, Iran. Department of the Environment, Tehran, Iran. 1 12 2016 5 17 77 89 06 12 2016 06 12 2016 Predicting species’ distribution is a prerequsit for assessing threats, determining conservation status, and planning conservation programs. Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii is one of the most valuable game species threatened by extinction. We estimated the distribution of potential suitable habitats of wintering populations of Asian houbara bustard in central Iranian plateau using maximum entropy approach. Results of the model evaluation using the area under the curve ROC showed that the developed models for the species in both training and test models are better than random prediction. Among physiographic, climatic, land cover and human variables entered into the model, slope and mean temperature of the coldest quarter were the most important variables affecting the distribution of the species. We estimated that about 112,286 Km2 (22%) of the study area is a suitable habitat for wintering populations of houbara in central Iranian Plateau. Within the protected and no hunting areas, an area totaling 22372 Km2 (19.9%) was recognised as a potential suitable habitat for wintering houbaras. However, a significant proportion of favorable habitat of this species (89,914 kilometers) is outside of protected areas that requires conservation planning.