Assessment of the Regeneration Sustainability of Key Tree and Shrub Species in the Iran-Turanian Forest Ecosystem: A Case Study of the Shir Misheh Stand in Tarom County

Aghajanlou , Farhad; Akbarzadeh , Peyman

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Volume 13, Issue 27 (3-2026)

PEC 2026, 13(27): 140-156

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Assessment of the Regeneration Sustainability of Key Tree and Shrub Species in the Iran-Turanian Forest Ecosystem: A Case Study of the Shir Misheh Stand in Tarom County

Farhad Aghajanlou ^*

, Peyman Akbarzadeh²

Forest and Rangeland Department, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Zanjan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Zanjan, Iran. , Faghajanloo@yahoo.com
2- Forest and Rangeland Department , Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Zanjan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Zanjan, Iran.

Abstract: (1421 Views)

The Irano-Turanian forest ecosystem, due to its semi-arid and mountainous conditions, serves as a habitat for valuable and resilient species such as pistacia atlantica, Amygdalus lycioides, Berberis integerrima, and Crataegus persica, which play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological stability in the region. This study aimed to assess the regeneration status of key tree and shrub species in the Shir Misheh forest in Tarom. In this research, systematic random sampling was conducted in two one-hectare stands over three consecutive years (2021–2023), evaluating indices such as density, health, size, and origin of regeneration of the species. The results showed that Cerasus microcarpa had the highest abundance and regeneration, with a density of 17 to 19 individuals per 400 square meters and a mixing rate of 44.74% to 52.94%. The average crown diameter of regenerating individuals ranged from 19.8 to 38.6 cm, and their height varied between 27.4 and 83.2 cm. Regeneration occurred predominantly from seed (100%) and mostly without nurse plants. The health of regenerating individuals was stable with an average vigor rating between 1.1 and 1.7, but the decline in young individuals and a trend toward population even-agedness (observed in height-frequency curves) indicate potential threats to the long-term dynamics of the ecosystem. These findings emphasize the necessity of grazing management, protection of young seedlings, and strengthening the role of nurse species. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for conservation planning and restoration of Irano-Turanian semi-arid forests.

Article number: 9

Keywords: Regeneration sustainability, Natural regeneration, Key species, Irano-Turanian ecosystem, Shirmisheh

Full-Text [PDF 1795 kb] (603 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/07/7 | Accepted: 2025/08/26 | Published: 2026/03/11

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Aghajanlou F, Akbarzadeh P. Assessment of the Regeneration Sustainability of Key Tree and Shrub Species in the Iran-Turanian Forest Ecosystem: A Case Study of the Shir Misheh Stand in Tarom County. PEC 2026; 13 (27) : 9
URL: http://pec.gonbad.ac.ir/article-1-1022-en.html

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