Analysis of the environmental gradients in Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori habitat in relation to increasing elevation in southern and southeastern Iran  (A trend and homogeneity based approach)

Piri Sahragard, Hossein; Karami, Peyman

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Volume 12, Issue 25 (3-2025)

PEC 2025, 12(25): 206-222

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Analysis of the environmental gradients in Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori habitat in relation to increasing elevation in southern and southeastern Iran (A trend and homogeneity based approach)

Hossein Piri Sahragard ^*

, Peyman Karami²

Department of Rangeland & Watershed Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran, Department of Rangeland & Watershed Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran , hpirys@gmail.com
2- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and the Environment Sciences, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

Abstract: (2089 Views)

Altitude is considered an important factor in creating environmental gradients by affecting many components of the ecosystem. In the present study, the effect of altitude on some environmental processes—including habitat suitability, the trend of changes, and seasonal fluctuations in land surface temperature (LST), organic carbon density (OCD), and vegetation cover index (NDVI)—was evaluated in areas where Moringa peregrina is present in southern and southeastern Iran, including the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Kerman, and Hormozgan. For this purpose, 61 species presence points were collected during the summer season from 2015 to 2020. LST data were obtained using the MODIS product (MYD11A1) from 2003 to 2023, separated by different seasons, and the trend of its changes was analyzed using the Mann-Kendall (MK) test. LST variability or heterogeneity was calculated using principal component analysis (PCA). Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were extracted from Google Earth Engine (GEE). The 61 presence points were then arranged in order of increasing elevation, and gradients in the mentioned criteria for these points were examined using the non-parametric MK test. Based on the significant gradients identified in the trend analysis, Pettitt's breaking point analysis was performed to group the presence points. Additionally, K-means clustering was used to group the points using all variables. The results showed that habitat suitability in the presence areas does not increase with elevation; this trend was also observed for OCD and NDVI. However, the trend of LST in spring and autumn showed a decreasing trend with increasing elevation. Furthermore, as elevation increased, fluctuations in LST increased significantly across all four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter (p < 0.0001). The results also indicated that elevations above 400 meters above sea level represent a threshold for environmental changes in the studied gradients. Based on the breakpoint analysis, the presence points were divided into northern and southern groups according to fluctuations in environmental gradients. The spatial distribution of these groups was confirmed using K-means clustering. In summary, elevation, due to its influence on climatic parameters (temperature and precipitation) and edaphic characteristics, affects the presence and distribution of M. peregrina in the study area's habitats. Therefore, elevation can be identified as the primary factor influencing the formation of microclimates and the distribution of M. peregrina habitats.

Article number: 14

Keywords: Trend of Changes, Environmental gradients, Temperature, Vegetation cover, Moringa peregrina

Full-Text [PDF 1781 kb] (662 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/09/6 | Accepted: 2024/10/28 | Published: 2025/04/22

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Piri Sahragard H, Karami P. Analysis of the environmental gradients in Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori habitat in relation to increasing elevation in southern and southeastern Iran (A trend and homogeneity based approach). PEC 2025; 12 (25) : 14
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