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Ecol Iran For 2025, 13(2): 1-11 |
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Hosseini S A O, Babaei Ahmadabad A, Pouya H, Hadizadeh S J. (2025). Evaluation and Comparison of the Growth Status of Plant Species in the Landslide and Control Areas in the 4th Series of the
Neka Chub Forestry Plan. Ecol Iran For. 13(2), 1-11. doi:10.61882/ifej.2025.550
URL: http://ifej.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-550-en.html
URL: http://ifej.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-550-en.html
1- Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (878 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Forests are considered the national capital of every country, and double importance should be given to their management, protection, and development in Iran due to being located on the dry belt of the earth. In forest management based on sustainability, regeneration of forests and natural habitats is crucial to achieve the goals of sustainable forests. Therefore, forest managers and foresters should consider revitalization and restoration of the forest's tree-grass cover in a natural way and with minimal human intervention after exploitation or disturbances resulting from natural disasters, such as mass movements and landslides or fire. Landslides are one of the most common and important disturbances. The occurrence of landslides can be affected by topography, geological structure, soil depth, and the integrity of roots. Researchers have found that it is possible and preventable to deal with landslides by increasing soil strength and developing plant roots and vegetation. It has also been determined that the probability of landslides is higher in grasslands and pastures than in forests, and tree cover is essential in areas prone to landslides. Thick roots act like nails in the soil on the slope, and the arrangement of thin roots connects these roots to each other. For this reason, slopes can be stabilized and soil hydrological conditions can be improved with suitable root tissue of all types of plants and surface vegetation. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the natural revitalization of vegetation in areas where shallow landslides have occurred.
Methods: Two shallow sliding areas, called sliding areas A and B in this research, located in Section 4 of Series 4 of Mazandaran's Nika Wood Forest in Plot 25, consisting of beech, alder, alder, oak, shirdar, van and walnut tree species, and had landslides of about 6 and 8 years with a size of 700 and 1200 m2 in the direction of the northwest slope at a height of 486 and 610 m above the sea level, were selected for the research purpose. A control was considered at a distance of 10 A m in the adjacent area, parallel to the same sliding areas. Moreover, 24 sample pieces (including 12 sample pieces in two sliding areas A and B and 12 control sample pieces) with a 1 m2 quadrate were randomly selected to examine the type and number of plants. The plants were first identified and then their number was counted in each sample plot. Then, according to the harvested plants, the floristic list of plants to identify and categorize the species, family, chorotype, and biological form of each plant was specified and entered in a floristic table. The number of established plants separated from the sliding and control areas, their belonging to wood-tree and herbaceous species, and their abundance were determined using Excel software. Comparisons were done with the independent t-test through SPSS software.
Results: The total number of harvested plants was 351, which is equal to the floristic characteristics of the sampled plants. They belonged to 19 plant families, including four tree families (maple, hemrose, parsnip, and alder) and 15 grass families (five species of which were abundant, namely Jagen, Ferfion, Raspberries, Banafsheh, and Matamati). Of all the sampled plants, 22% and 78% were found in the two sliding areas and the control areas, respectively. The plants harvested in the landslide areas were 87 pieces, all of which were herbaceous plants, and there were no woody species among them. According to the findings of paired comparisons regarding the difference in the growth status of plant species between the sliding areas A and B with the control and adjacent area, the number of species and the abundance of plants were strongly affected by the disturbance caused by the sliding movement. They had a decreasing trend compared to the control areas, and the results were statistically significant at the 95% level.
Conclusion: The creation of disturbances, such as shallow landslides, causes a significant decrease in the number and diversity of plant species, so that native plants are not established and restored in the landslide area according to the model of the control area. Besides, 10 herbaceous species, such as cyclamen, primrose, sedum, fern, zebrina, etc., were not observed after the landslide. Considering the absence of tree species in the landslide area, the negative impact of the disturbance caused by the landslide on woody species is quite clear despite the passage of 6 and 8 years since the landslide occurrence. The grass of this establishment is being restored naturally, although in a small way (compared to the control area). It is noteworthy that fast-growing herbaceous species, such as jagen, farfion, and raspberry, were established earlier than the other species in the two studied areas. The manner of competition, seed distribution, germination, number of seeds, physiology, ecophysiology, and other characteristics of these species may have been effective in their success in occupying the landslide areas. It was also found that about half of the plants in the area (before the landslide) did not return to the area, especially woody plants, at least in the short term, according to the observations of the control areas.
Background: Forests are considered the national capital of every country, and double importance should be given to their management, protection, and development in Iran due to being located on the dry belt of the earth. In forest management based on sustainability, regeneration of forests and natural habitats is crucial to achieve the goals of sustainable forests. Therefore, forest managers and foresters should consider revitalization and restoration of the forest's tree-grass cover in a natural way and with minimal human intervention after exploitation or disturbances resulting from natural disasters, such as mass movements and landslides or fire. Landslides are one of the most common and important disturbances. The occurrence of landslides can be affected by topography, geological structure, soil depth, and the integrity of roots. Researchers have found that it is possible and preventable to deal with landslides by increasing soil strength and developing plant roots and vegetation. It has also been determined that the probability of landslides is higher in grasslands and pastures than in forests, and tree cover is essential in areas prone to landslides. Thick roots act like nails in the soil on the slope, and the arrangement of thin roots connects these roots to each other. For this reason, slopes can be stabilized and soil hydrological conditions can be improved with suitable root tissue of all types of plants and surface vegetation. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the natural revitalization of vegetation in areas where shallow landslides have occurred.
Methods: Two shallow sliding areas, called sliding areas A and B in this research, located in Section 4 of Series 4 of Mazandaran's Nika Wood Forest in Plot 25, consisting of beech, alder, alder, oak, shirdar, van and walnut tree species, and had landslides of about 6 and 8 years with a size of 700 and 1200 m2 in the direction of the northwest slope at a height of 486 and 610 m above the sea level, were selected for the research purpose. A control was considered at a distance of 10 A m in the adjacent area, parallel to the same sliding areas. Moreover, 24 sample pieces (including 12 sample pieces in two sliding areas A and B and 12 control sample pieces) with a 1 m2 quadrate were randomly selected to examine the type and number of plants. The plants were first identified and then their number was counted in each sample plot. Then, according to the harvested plants, the floristic list of plants to identify and categorize the species, family, chorotype, and biological form of each plant was specified and entered in a floristic table. The number of established plants separated from the sliding and control areas, their belonging to wood-tree and herbaceous species, and their abundance were determined using Excel software. Comparisons were done with the independent t-test through SPSS software.
Results: The total number of harvested plants was 351, which is equal to the floristic characteristics of the sampled plants. They belonged to 19 plant families, including four tree families (maple, hemrose, parsnip, and alder) and 15 grass families (five species of which were abundant, namely Jagen, Ferfion, Raspberries, Banafsheh, and Matamati). Of all the sampled plants, 22% and 78% were found in the two sliding areas and the control areas, respectively. The plants harvested in the landslide areas were 87 pieces, all of which were herbaceous plants, and there were no woody species among them. According to the findings of paired comparisons regarding the difference in the growth status of plant species between the sliding areas A and B with the control and adjacent area, the number of species and the abundance of plants were strongly affected by the disturbance caused by the sliding movement. They had a decreasing trend compared to the control areas, and the results were statistically significant at the 95% level.
Conclusion: The creation of disturbances, such as shallow landslides, causes a significant decrease in the number and diversity of plant species, so that native plants are not established and restored in the landslide area according to the model of the control area. Besides, 10 herbaceous species, such as cyclamen, primrose, sedum, fern, zebrina, etc., were not observed after the landslide. Considering the absence of tree species in the landslide area, the negative impact of the disturbance caused by the landslide on woody species is quite clear despite the passage of 6 and 8 years since the landslide occurrence. The grass of this establishment is being restored naturally, although in a small way (compared to the control area). It is noteworthy that fast-growing herbaceous species, such as jagen, farfion, and raspberry, were established earlier than the other species in the two studied areas. The manner of competition, seed distribution, germination, number of seeds, physiology, ecophysiology, and other characteristics of these species may have been effective in their success in occupying the landslide areas. It was also found that about half of the plants in the area (before the landslide) did not return to the area, especially woody plants, at least in the short term, according to the observations of the control areas.
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