Alpine floristic diversity of Tochal Mountains

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Botany, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization,Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In recent decades, the synergistic effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities have placed numerous plant species, particularly those inhabiting alpine and subalpine zones, as well as endemic and rare taxa, under significant threat of extinction. Safeguarding these species requires detailed habitat investigations and the establishment of long-term monitoring programs to mitigate genetic erosion and biodiversity loss. The present study focuses on the alpine flora of the Tochal Mountains, where plant collections conducted in 2022-2023 documented 225 taxa across 132 genera and 34 families. The most prominent families included Asteraceae (17.3%), Fabaceae and Poaceae (10.2% each), Brassicaceae (8.5%), Caryophyllaceae (7.1%), and Lamiaceae (6.2%). Analysis of life-form composition revealed hemicryptophytes (44.4%), cryptophytes (24.4%), and chamaephytes (19.6%) as the dominant categories. Of these, 187 (83.1%) were restricted to the Irano-Turanian region, comprising 51 endemic and 17 regional endemic taxa in Iran. However, intensive human pressures, including overgrazing, infrastructure development such as cable cars and ski facilities, expansion of resorts and residential complexes, construction of shelters, and the establishment of mountaineering routes, combined with prolonged drought conditions, have inflicted severe and often irreversible damage on the vegetation.

Keywords

Article Title [Persian]

تنوع‌ فلوریستیکی آلپی کوهستان توچال

Authors [Persian]

  • یونس عصری
  • محمد امینی راد
  • مهرنوش پناهی
  • بهنام حمزهء
بخش تحقیقات گیاهشناسی، موسسه تحقیقات جنگلها و مراتع کشور، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران
Abstract [Persian]

در دهه‌های اخیر تغییرات اقلیمی و اثرات مخرب انسانی باعث شده است که گونه‌های گیاهی به‌ویژه گیاهان آلپی، نیمه‌آلپی، اندمیک و نادر در معرض خطر انقراض قرار گیرند. از این رو، بررسی رویشگاه‌های این گونه‌ها و پایش مستمر آنها به‌منظور پیش‌گیری از فرسایش ژنتیکی و انقراض آن‌ها بسیار ضروری است. در مطالعه حاضر فلور آلپی کوهستان توچال مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. براساس جمع‌آوری گیاهان طی سال‌های 1402-1401، تعداد 225 تاکسون تشخیص داده شد که به 132 جنس و 34 تیره تعلق دارند. تیره‌های Asteraceae (3/17 %)، Fabaceae و Poaceae (هر یک با 2/10 %)، Brassicaceae (5/8 %)، Caryophyllaceae (1/7 %) و Lamiaceae (2/6 %) سهم بیشتری را در فلور منطقه داشتند. در میان گیاهان این کوهستان، همی‌کریپتوفیت‌ها، کریپتوفیت‌ها و کامفیت‌ها به‌ترتیب با 4/44، 4/24 و 6/19 درصد، فراوان‌ترین شکل‌های زیستی منطقه بودند. پراکنش 187 گونه (1/83 %) به ناحیه رویشی ایران – تورانی منحصر می‌گردد که از این تعداد 51 گونه اندمیک ایران و 17 گونه ‌اندمیک منطقه‌ای هستند. چرای مفرط دام، احداث مسیرهای تله‌کابین، تله‌اسکی، هتل توچال و مناطق اقامتی، پناهگاه‌ها و مسیرهای مختلف کوهنوردی، و به‌ویژه خشکسالی، ضربات جبران‌ناپذیری را بر پوشش‌گیاهی و تنوع گونه‌ای کوهستان توچال وارد نموده است.

Keywords [Persian]

  • کوهستان البرز
  • اکوسیستم آلپی
  • تغییرات اقلیمی
  • گرادیان ارتفاعی
  • ذخایر ژنتیکی

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  • Receive Date: 01 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 18 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 25 June 2026

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