Investigation Of Ecotype Two Species of Quercus (Oak) In The Forest Of Guilan Province

Abstract

research was carried out in order to study

the ecological (elevation of area, slope and

type of climate & soil) and morphological

characters of leave & fruit (length & width of

leave blad, number of dentate, length of

petiol, length & width of cupules) in two

species Q. macrenthera & Q. castaneifolia in

the forests of Guilan Province. In order to

sampling was done on several ecotypes in

studied area. finally the data analyzed by

using Minitab ver. 14 software and PCA

method showed that two Quercus species

separated from each other by the

morphological characters of leave and fruit

completely. Also their ecotypes differed by

some factors and the ecological conditions

can effect on the characters. Moreover the

canopy present is directly dependent on tree

elevation and the tree elevation does not

correlate with tree diameter.

Introduction Material & Method

The family Fagaceae includes nine currently

recognized genera and ca. 1000 species, making

it one of the largest and most economically

important groups within the order Fagales.

There are two clades within the family,

Trigonobalanus sensu lato and a large clade

comprising Quercus and the castaneoid genera.

The genus Quercus (Oak) contains about 500

species that was introduce by Carl von

Linnaeus (1753). Also Rechinger (1971) has

reported 6 species in Iran. Quercus castaneifolia

(Hyrcanian Oak) & Quercus macrenthera are

two species in Hyrcanian forests. We have

undertaken this study to determinate effects of

ecological factors on morphological characters

in two species Q. macrenthera & Q. castaneifolia

and also ecological studies of habitats include

elevation of area, slope and type of climate &

soil.

Discussion

The results of leave and fruit characters

confirm the usefulness of them for

identification of the species .

Present of hair on shoots is a good

character to separate Q. macrenthera

from the Q. castaneifolia. In the other

hand, the ecological characters such as

soil texture & area elevation effect the

plant growth form .

Moreover, in the dry soils & low slopes

trees are shorter than the threes in wet

soils and high slopes.

Because of presence variation of

morphological characters an extended

study is useful to report sub species in

north of Iran.

Sheikh Hassan F.*, Saeidi Mehrvarz S. & Asri Y.

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University

of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Result

In order to research morphological &

ecological characters of two Quercus

species in the Guilan province forests

Samples were collected from 11 ecotypes.

Sampling was done on several ecotypes in

studies area. In each ecotype were

established average of 3-5 plates in 1010

m and in each plat 5-8 samples wereselected

randomly. Also in each ecotype 1-3 soil

sample were collected to investigated the

physiological & chemical factors. Finally the

data were analyzed by using Minitab ver. 14

software and PCA method and based on the

ecotypes were compared with each other.

Fig 2: Fruit of Q. castaneifolia

Fig 3: Inflorescence Q. castaneifolia

Fig 4: Tree of Q. castaneifolia

Fig 5: Leave of Q. macranthera

Fig 6: Fruit of Q. macranthera

Fig 7: Inflorescence of Q. macranthera

Fig 8: Tree of Q. macranthera

Fig 1: leave of Q. castaneifolia

The analysis showed that two Quercus

species (Q. castaneifolia & Q.

macrenthera) were separated from each

other completely by the leave and fruit

factors. Also their ecotypes differed by

some factors and the ecological

conditions can effect the characters.

Moreover, the canopy present is directly

dependent on tree elevation and the tree

elevation dos not correlate with tree

diameter.

In the other hand, the area elevation

may effect in tree elevation, fruits color

& size. Soil factors as well as are

important in tree elevation, diameter and

productivity.