Alpine and sub alpine floristic study of Dalakhani Mountain, west of Iran.

Dalakhani Mountain, with an elevation ranging from ۱۸۰۰ to ۳۳۵۰ m a.s.l., is the third-highest massif in Kermanshah Province, following the Parrow and Shahu ranges. It represents an important montane system within the Zagros Mountains. This study aimed to document the vascular plants of Dalakhani Mountain across its alpine and subalpine elevational gradients. The results showed that Dalakhani Mountain has a rich flora with a high plant diversity. In total, ۱۷۳ taxa of vascular plants, belonging to ۱۱۰ genera and ۳۵ families, were recorded. The richest families were Lamiaceae (۳۳ species), Asteraceae (۲۶), Fabaceae (۱۹), Poaceae (۱۸), and Caryophyllaceae (۱۱). Hemicryptophytes (۵۸.۳۸%) and chamaephytes (۱۶.۷۶%) were the dominant life forms. Biogeographically, ۶۷.۰۵% of the species belong to the Irano-Turanian region. The flora includes ۳۲ endemic species to Iran and ۱۸ regional endemics shared with Iraq or Turkey. The most species-rich genera were Astragalus (۱۴ species), Phlomis (۶), Stachys, Euphorbia, and Cousinia (each with ۵ species), and Salvia and Thymus (each with ۴ species). Major environmental threats to the area include climate change and reduced precipitation, wildfires, land-use change, overgrazing, intensive trekking, and the collection of aromatic and medicinal plants. To preserve the biodiversity of Dalakhani Mountain, effective conservation actions, including the designation of protected areas and stricter regulation of human activities, are urgently required.

کلیدواژه ها:

Biodiversity ، conservation ، Endemism ، Floristic study ، Kermanshah