Botanical diversity of Hyrcanian forests; a case study of a transect in the Kheyrud protected lowland mountain forests in northern Iran

Species diversity in the Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran increases with elevation, particularly above 1000 meters, where hemicryptophytes and geophytes dominate. The study, conducted in the Kheyrud protected area—a lowland mountain forest reserve—analyzed floristic data across three elevational belts (lowland, submountain, and mountain) over two years. Researchers identified 295 plant taxa, including 10% endemic to Iran and 5.5% unique to the Hyrcanian region. Euro-Siberian elements constituted nearly a quarter of the flora. The findings highlight the importance of elevation in shaping botanical diversity and provide insights into life form variations compared to other regions.

Siadati, S., Moradi, H., Attar, F., Etemad, V., Hamzeh’ee, B., & Naqinezhad, A. (2013). Botanical diversity of Hyrcanian forests; a case study of a transect in the Kheyrud protected lowland mountain forests in northern Iran. Phytotaxa, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.7.1.1