Classification of the Hyrcanian forest vegetation, Northern Iran

Researchers have developed the first comprehensive classification of Hyrcanian forest vegetation, identifying 21 associations and seven alliances across Northern Iran. This study, which analyzed 1,597 vegetation plots covering altitudes from -22 to 2,850 meters, revealed that the distribution of these syntaxa is primarily influenced by altitude and mean annual temperature. Notably, this classification scheme links Hyrcanian forests to European temperate forest vegetation, supported by an expert system for automatic plot classification. The findings propose a new syntaxonomic framework, distinguishing between lowland swamp forests, submontane mesic and wet forests, montane beech forests, and upper-montane oak and hornbeam forests.

Gholizadeh, H., Naqinezhad, A., & Chytrý, M. (2020). Classification of the Hyrcanian forest vegetation, Northern Iran. Applied Vegetation Science, 23(1), 107–126. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12469