Vegetation structure and floristic composition (Case study: Mala Galeh Protected area, Fars Province, Iran) Struktur vegetasi dan komposisi bunga (Studi kasus: Kawasan Lindung Mala Galeh, Provinsi Fars, Iran)

Corresponding Author: Hasan Pourbabaei  Department of forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan; Email: moradiporleila@gmail.com Abstract. Identifying flora of each region is fundamental for accomplishing other pure and applied researches in biology. Especially, in the ecological conditions of protected area of Male Gale. Data were collected in 96 sampling plots using systematic-random method. The size of sampling plot was (20× 50) m for the tree and shrub species, and (8×8) m for herbaceous species. In this study area, 162 species, 122 genera, and 43 families were identified. The largest families were Asteraceae (26 species) and Fabaceae (25 species). The frequency of Asteraceae may be due to grazing in some areas of the region. The life-form spectrum includes Hemichryptophytes (14/01%), Therophytes (65/4%), Cryptophytes (76/9%), Chamaephytes (7.1%), and Phanerophytes (5.8%). The abundance of Therophytes and Asteraceae family is referred to the destruction of forests in the study area. The highest value of the SIV tree and shrub species layer belong to Quercus brantii species and Ziziphus Mummularia. The highest value of the FIV herbaceous layer belongs to Asteraceae family. The Species Important Value (SIV) of vegetation cover indicated that trees, shrubs species, and herbaceous species had geometric distribution, broken stick model, and lognormal distribution in this area.


INTRODUCTION
Iran with an area of 1648000 km 2 is located in the south west of the continent of Asia (Moradkhani and Milan, 2015). Mountainous status of Iran and environmental factors such as: (climate, topography, soil) caused many species diversities in different regions, so, it has been the attention of researchers. Zagros Mountains is stretched from south-west to northwest of Iran and the altitude is about 1000-4300 m (Moradipour et al., 2018;Noroozi et al., 2008). This ecosystem has been divided into three parts: northern, central and southern Zagros (Valipour et al., 2009). The number of plant species known in Iran is about 7600. The definition of protected areas based on IUCN (1976): Lands which, owing to their strategic value to the conservation of the nation's natural resources, are to be managed in a manner what will prevent degradation or, if already degraded, can be rehabilitated primarily through natural processes. Protection, management and restoration of plant and animal life and the maintenance of the natural state will be afforded the highest priority in providing conditions conducive to the regeneration and amelioration of habitats and species.
Identifying flora of each region is fundamental for accomplishing other pure and applied researches in biology (Rios and Recio, 2005;Heinrich et al., 2004). Identify plants contribute greatly to the conservation and protection of the environment (Vaseghi et al., 2007). Furthermore, with respect to the environmental disturbances like global warming, climate changes and human impact which change the number of plant species, (Parmesan, 2007;Parmesan and Yohe, 2003;Perry et al., 2005;Körner and Basler, 2010). In the protected area of Malé Galle protected unique ecological and climatic conditions make it a remarkable habitat for the floristic studies. So, winter and rural rangelands comprise a large fraction of Male Galeh area. People in this region are highly dependent on rangelands; they use plants as sources for food, medicine, livestock production and etc. (Negahdarsaber et al., 2017). Based on Raunkiaer's life-forms, plant species can be grouped into different life-forms classes based on structural and functional similarities (Smith, 1913;Sarmiento and Monasterio, 1983). Phytochorya study in a region is the base of ecological studies for better management of area (Moradkhani and Milan, 2015). In addition, Floristic survey of an area is an essential tool for conservation of biodiversity (Noroozi et al., 2008).
Nowadays, many studies have been doing about this subjects in Iran and the world, such as: floristic study of Firuzeh watershed in north of khorasan province (Asaadi, 2009), study of life form in Sepidan, Fars Province, Iran (Negahdarsaber et al., 2017). Study of life form and chorology of plants in Jozak -Chaminbid area, north Khorassan Province, Iran (Nadaf et al., 2017). Vegetation basically is described by density, DBH and frequency parameters (Razavi et al., 2012). SIV (Species importance value) as an index covers all of these parameters (frequency, abundance, basal area) together for the determination of distribution and frequency patterns of species as well as judgments about ecological conditions that have more significance and for families FIV (Family Importance Value) used. Researchers proposed some models for the determination of frequency patterns. These distributions included geometric series, normal logarithmic and broken stick methods (Magurran, 2003). The purpose of this research was Study on Floristic Composition, to use SIV and FIV for the assessment of distribution of abundance of species.

Study Area
The present study was carried out in the protected area of Malé Galle forest in the end of Komaresorkhi, Fars Province. This area is located at South Zagros, Fars province. Which is about 300 ha. The study area is located between 29°15'57″-30°36'5″ N latitude and 51°33'37″-52°25'56″ E longitude, in the southwest part of Iran. This region has semiarid temperate climate with the average annual precipitation of 593.4 mm and the mean annual temperature of 15.6 °C. The dry season is started from beginning of May through October (seven months) (Moradipour et al., 2018).

Data Collection and Analysis
Sampling vegetation was conducted in spring 2016. For this purpose, a random-systematic with (150×150) m inventory grid was used to establish 96 plots. The size of sampling plots was 1000 m 2 for the tree and shrub species, and 64 m 2 for herbaceous species. Percent cover of herbaceous and the crown cover of tree species were recorded. Chorotypes and lifeforms of each species were determined (Negahdarsaber et al., 2017). Density, abundance, frequency, basal area and species importance value (SIV) for each species have been calculated. The equations used are given as below (Pourbabaei et al., 2013): SIV for tree layers = relative frequency + relative density + relative dominance Relative frequency = (number of plots containing a species × 100)/total plots Relative density = (number of individuals of a species × 100)/total number of individuals of all species Relative dominance = (basal area of a species × 100)/total basal area of all species SIV for shrub layers = relative frequency + relative density The Family Importance Value (FIV) was calculated as follows: FIV = relative density + relative diversity + relative dominance Relative densit = (number of individuals of the species × 100)/total number of individuals in the sample Relative diversity = (number of species in the family × 100)/total number of species in the sample Relative dominance = (basal area of the family × 100)/total basal area in the sample

Discussion
Land use changes act as a significant factor in the environmental changes in today's world. Unfortunately, for the last decades there has everywhere occurred a planned intrusion ofman into the deserts ecosystems. Floristic studies represent the past and present status in a region, and also play an important role in future predictions. This forest comprised of three storey (over storey: tree layers, middle storey: shrub layers, under storey: herbaceous layers). The results showed that Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the richest families in the present study. Fabaceae plays a role in soil fertility (Taber, 1973). Land use changes act as a significant factor in the environmental changes in today's world. Unfortunately, for the last decades there has everywhere occurred a planned intrusion of man into the deserts ecosystems. Floristic studies represent the past and present status in a region, and also play an important role in future predictions. The results showed that Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the richest families in the present study. Fabaceae plays a role in soil fertility (Taber, 1973) Land use changes act as a significant factor in the environmental changes in today's world. Unfortunately, for the last decades there has everywhere occurred a planned intrusion ofman into the deserts ecosystems. Floristic studies represent the past and present status in a region, and also play an important role in future predictions.
The results showed that Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the richest families in the present study. Fabaceae plays a role in soil fertility (Taber, 1973). The frequency of Asteraceae may be due to damage caused by grazing in some areas of the region which should be considered warning for the area (Negahdarsaber et al., 2017). Among identified species, 28 species have medicinal properties (Niknejad et al., 2014). The dominance of Therophytes and Hemicryptophytes can be referred to the simultaneous effects of climate fluctuations and livestock grazing on the flora of winter and rural rangelands in this area. This plants are the characteristics of the cold climate and mountainous region. High percentage of Trophytes in the region indicates two factors of degradation and drought in the region (Veiskarami et al., 2012). Therefore, this point explains the value of flora of the region. 42.5% of the species belongs to the Irano-Turanian region. High percentage of Irano-Touranian elementes indicated that the area belonged to this phytochorion (Yavari and Shahgolzari, 2010).
The results showed the geometric distribution model in the tree layers. It shows that the plant communities characterized by many low species numbers can be predict an immature plant community with low biodiversity (Magurran, 2003;Pourbabaei, 2010). The presence of 5 trees species with low frequency are confirmed. The highest value for a certain species suggests that the species is dominant in the layers. Quercus brantii community with Amygdalus Scoparia and Pistacia atlantica is a one of the important communities in the Oak forest. Quercus brantii Lindl is the only present species in the Quercus genus, fagaceae family. Quercus genus has significant ecological importance in of tree communities, especially in South Zagros mountainous with one Quercus brantii species. Bischetti et al. (2007) reported that the roots of plants plays an important role in effecting soil stability and slope protection in forests, especially in mountainous areas. The broken stick model indicative a plant community with relatively uniform frequency for all the species, the number of shrubs confirmed that this issue (Magurran, 2003). Acer monspessulanum, Pistacia khinjuk and Pistacia atlantica in tree layers and Cerasus microcarpa, Daphne mucronata and Ziziphus nummularia in shrub layers were introduced as the rare species and sites have remarkable diversity measures thus it is necessary to be considered as protected sites. In particular, shrubs play the role of a nursing tree, In particular, shrubs have the role of protecting seedlings. The normal logarithmic model indicating a plant community with rich diversity where most of the species have intermediate frequency with only a few species having very high or low frequency (Hamilton, 2005;Pourbabaei, 2010). The presence of 154 herbaceous species confirms this issue. In the current research, assessment of the frequency curves in the herbaceous layers showed a normal logarithmic distribution. Destruction has been reducing the diversity of shrub and tree species and increases grass species. It is affected by different factors such as human impact, fire, climate, topography and soil on the establishment of vegetation (herbaceous layers, shrub layers) especially shrub and tree layers (Mohtashamnia et al., 2007). Studies have shown that the development of the tree layer greatly depends on the methods and intensity of forest management and and use changes act (Verburg et al., 2004).

CONCLUSION
According to results of this study, this region is being destroyed as part of Malé Galle protected area. Therefore, plant studies will be high value, and changes are considered as a serious warning. Study on flora and geographical origin of vegetation are one of the most effective methods for conservation and management of biodiversity and sustainable forest management. For example: supporting livelihood in local communities, training programs and raising awareness of local people. In its broadest sense, sustainable forest management encompasses the administrative, legal, technical, economic, social and environmental aspects of preservation. Thus, SIV and FIV are introduced as a one of the most important indexes in forest management and the index can be useful in biodiversity conservation.