Effect of Temperature on Phenology in Triple-Awned Grass (\u3ci\u3eStipagrostis plumosa\u3c/i\u3e)

Phenology of triple-awned grass in different stages of vegetative growth, flowering and seed falling was investigated. Each phenological stage was related to minimum and maximum air and soil surface temperatures. Soil surface temperature was measured two times per day during different seasons. Climate data were obtained from the nearest weather station. The study was carried out in sand dunes of band-e-rig of Kashan in the central region of Iran. This species is important in terms of wind erosion control and livestock feeding in arid areas. The results showed that air temperatures ranged from –22 oC to 41.5 oC and soil temperature varied from –3 oC to 52 oC during the growth stages

Constituents of flowers essential oils of Smirnovia iranica Sabeti from Iran

Background and aims: Smirnova iranica Sabeti is one of the valuable and adapted shrub native species to the sandy fields of Central Iran and of Fabaceae family that in terms of the production of forage and soil conservation and creating a beautiful landscape and medicinal value is critically important. No study has been conducted on this plant essence in Iran, so far. Methods: In the habitat of the plant, located in Kashan sandy areas, during flowering in the third week of April in each site, flowers were collected and after extraction of essential oils using simultaneous method of distillation and extraction using organic solvents, a chromatography device connected to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS) was used in order to identify the combinations of essential oils. Results: The essence yields were 0.02 and the color of essential oils was yellowish. The important and main combinations of essential oils were Hexadecanoic acid, Tetradecanoic acid and 6,10,14-Trimethyl-2-pentadecanone which consisted more than 10 percent of the composition. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Smirnova iranica sabeti is a versatile plant found in sandy fields of Iran with medicinal, anti-virus, anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties

Variation in the Quality of Forage of Six Rangeland Species in Different Phenological Stages

An understanding of forage quality is fundamental to the measurement of grazing capacity. In addition, knowledge of forage quality is necessary for planning grazing and developing range improvement and development programmes, such as planting and seeding of rangelands. Among the different factors that affect forage quality, phenological stage is particularly important (Cook, 1972; Caballero et al.,2001). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of plant species, phenological stages and life form on forage quality indices

Comparison of soil seed banks of habitats distributed along an altitudinal gradient in northern Iran

International audienceIn this study we investigated the variations in soil seed banks along an altitudinal gradient in the Alborz mountains, Iran, covering three habitats from lower to upper altitudes: forest, forest-subalpine grassland ecotone and subalpine meadow. In each habitat from 1850 to 2400 m, 20 quadrats were established along four transects, and the above-ground vegetation and the germinable seed banks were determined. Results show that the similarity between seed bank and vegetation was lowest in the ecotone located at intermediate altitudes. Together with the contrasting highest density and species diversity of seeds at these altitudes, the ecotonal role of this habitat was confirmed. We found evidence that lower altitudes could act as storage for seeds of some species growing at higher altitudes; the role of the ecotone was more prominent as a reserve for the meadow plant seeds than the role of the forest as a reserve for seeds of the meadow and ecotone habitats. Soil seed banks, particularly from the ecotone, can be used for restoring vegetation in some degraded sites