تاکسونومی و بیوسیستماتیک (May 2022)
Plant Species of Ponds and Springheads in Lorestan (Iran)
Abstract
AbstractVegetation around springs and ponds causes water to re-infiltrate into the ground and recharge underground reservoirs. In the study of ponds and springs in Lorestan province, 108 species were identified which belong to 35 families and 64 genera. Depending on the habitat and life form, these species constitute emergent 41%, marginal 31%, floating 23%, and submerged 5%. Nuphar lutea were present in the habitat of the springhead of Niloufar and Potamogeton alpinus in the Gahar Lake and the Amir spring. Both habitats have cold and clear water with no contaminants. Typha latifolia is mostly found in Pol-e-Dokhtar tropical wetlands. The genera Carex, Cyprus, Juncus, Phragmites, Mentha, and Veronica were present in almost all wetland habitats and springs. In the springhead of Niloufar, where the pollutants are spread, Sparganium erectum and Sorghum halepense are highly concentrated but Nuphar lutea is very scattered. In most Peatlands, in addition to the marginal species, there was a perennial wild species called Hordeum brevisubulatum, which usually has spreading rhizomes. They were found in saturated and muddy soils. More than 81% of wetland species are present in more than one chorotype. In mountain springs and spring wetlands, endemic species of Rorippa kurdica were present but limited, probably due to dispersal barriers or special habitat conditions. Failure to pay attention to wetlands as storage sponges and water infiltration will lead to species extinction and ecological damage.IntroductionWetlands are responsible for charging underground water sources. Water, plant species, and soil are the main characteristics to determine the type of wetland. Plants of wetland (hydrophytes) must tolerate soil oxygen deficiency, potential waterlogging and drying, nutrient deficiency, low pH, high salinity, and other limiting factors. One of the important benefits provided by wetlands in improving water quality is filtering sediments and nutrients in surface water. The socio-economic values provided by wetlands are significant. Lorestan province is considered one of the poles of the country's water resources due to the diversity of its climate and the capabilities of its mountainous nature. The wetlands of Lorestan province can be divided into five main groups: 1) Ponds, 2) springs and wet meadows, 3) waterfalls, 4) mountainous and snowy wetlands, and 5) wetlands of the rivers of the province. This division in the hydrological rhythm has caused differences in the plant species of these regions. In order to preserve and prevent further destruction, identifying the flora of these wetlands and their environmental value is very important. Materials and MethodsTo prepare the floristic list, the conventional method of taxonomic studies and regional surveys was used. The location of the wetlands was identified and their exact location was recorded, and the geographic coordinates and height above sea level were determined using GPS. During different seasons from 2014 to 2018, plant specimens were collected, identified, pressed, and numbered which are deposited in the herbarium of Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center. Vascular plants of the wetlands are classified according to Sculthorpe's (1967) idea into four groups of marginal, emergent, floating, and submerged. The chorotype of plant species was also determined by referring to different sources. ResultsIn the present study, 108 plant species belonging to 35 families and 64 plant genera were identified in the areas of Sarab-Niloufer, Sarab Amir, Sarab Zaz, Poldakhtar wetlands, Aligudarz, and Gahar Lakes. According to the habitat and type of life, emergent with 45 species (41.66 percent), marginal with 34 species (31.48 percent), submerged aquatic plants with 24 species (22.22 percent), and floating aquatic plants with 5 species (4.62 percent) were present in the study areas. Discussion and ConclusionOn the bases of the findings of the study, plant species of Lorestan wetlands, based on the growth method and physical relationship with water and soil, were categorized into four groups:1) Marginal species, moisture-loving: plants in this range are exposed to water level fluctuations on an intermittent or seasonal basis compared to the range of dryland plants. The following spices can be mentioned from this group: Sonchus maritimus L., Cirsium spectabile DC, Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds., Tussilago farfara L., Arctium lappa L., Equisetum ramosissimum Desf., Bellis perennis L. and Sisymbrium irio L. These species usually grow on the side of springs and meadows.2) Emergent plants: the most common species of this group were present in large monocot families that tend to dominate freshwater marshes. Among these families: Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Typhaceae are worth mentioning.3) A group of floating plants: yellow lotus species (Nuphar lutea (L.) Smith), blue lentil (Lemna spp.), watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.), and amphibious grass (Persicaria amphibia (L.) Gray) are among the floating species identified in the study areas.4) Submerged plants group: in the studied areas, the species of potamogeton alpinus, potamogeton crispus L., Utricularia minor L., hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L.), thousand leaves (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), Ruppia maritima L., and blue sedge (Batrachium trichophyllum (Chaix) Bosch) were identified. These plants are mostly under water. They are rarely seen by the public. Almost all of these plants had roots attached to the substrate. Submerged rooted species obtain the majority of nutrients they need from the bottom sediments.Finally, it was observed that soil erosion has increased in the areas where the springs and ponds have been destroyed, and also the severity of floods caused by seasonal rains is very high. In addition to this, wetlands are among the wealth-producing ecosystems in Lorestan province. Damaging the plant species of wetlands and drying them while removing their benefitscould cause environmental crises including turning them into centers of fine dust and creating dust.
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