Significant achievements of Forests and Rangelands Research Department

 

 

 

The Forests and Rangelands Research Department has completed over 140 research projects, published 19 books and more than 200 papers in reputable scientific journals and conference proceedings on national and international levels, published six reports on natural resources extension, held over 200 workshops and courses about the transfer of research project results, and participated in executive activities at the center. Following are the highlights of these achievements.

 

- Awarded the "Alborz Foundation Prize" to retired faculty member Mr. Hossein Maroofi for being one of Iran's top five scientists in 2019

- Introducing 12 species of trees and shrubs to create a reserve in Kurdistan province

- Solutions for dealing with the consequences of fires in the province's forests

- The identification and registration of indigenous knowledge and technology of local communities in Zagros forests (Kurdistan province)

- Investigation on poplar planting and its distribution in Iran using Sentinel-2 data

- Selection of the best clones of Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall and P. nigra L. for cultivation in Sanandaj city

- Mapping the distribution and types of wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) in Kurdistan province

- Examining the effects of ecological factors on the quality of wild pistachio fruit oils

- Determining optimum conditions for planting wild pistachio

- Range vegetation type mapping of Kurdistan province

- Assessing the preference value of important rangeland species in Kurdistan province

- Evaluation of the forage quality of important rangeland species in Kurdistan province

- Determining livestock grazing behavior using GPS

- Identification of about 15,000 plant specimens in the Kurdistan Herbarium (HKS)

- Introducing 24 new plant species from Iran

- Report of 16 new plant records from Iran

- Preparation of the illustrated flora of Kurdistan province

- Assessing the allowable use of key range species in Kurdistan province

- Studying the best methods for breaking seed dormancy in some rangeland species

- Assessment of production, richness, and consumption of key rangeland species in Kurdistan province

- Introducing the most suitable grazing system in the Saral, Kurdistan province

- Report on the inefficiency of fertilizer application in Kurdistan's rangelands

- Studying the most important soil quality indicators in the Saral rangelands of Kurdistan Province

- Determination of sowing time and seed rate in dryland farming of Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.

- Identifying Onobrychis spp. suitable for low-yield drylands

- Establishment of a Rosa damascena Mill. collection comprising 49 genotypes in Iran

- Introduction of the first cultivar of Rosa damascena Mill. (Kashan 93) in Iran

- Study of Rosa damascena Mill. genotypes with general adaptation to Kurdistan province and specific adaptation to Sanandaj, Saqqez, and Marivan cities

- The cultivation and propagation of 10 Satureja species native to Iran

- Determining five Satureja species adapted to the Sanandaj climate

- Introducing the best Satureja species in Sanandaj city based on the yield and composition of essential oil

- The fertilizer needs of superior Satureja spp. in Sanandaj city

- Investigating the ecological conditions of Thymus spp. habitats in Kurdistan province

- Cultivation of five Thymus species under rainfed conditions and evaluation of their adaptation

- Comparison of essential oil compositions of some Thymus species in cultivated and natural habitats

- Propagation of Tetrataenium lasiopetalum (Boiss.) Manden., locally called "Kashmeh" as an endangered species

- Propagation of Johreniopsis scoparia (Boiss.) Pimenov as an endangered species

- Evaluating the essential oils of three important Achillea species in Kurdistan province

 

Ongoing projects in the Forests and Rangelands Research Department

- Assessment and monitoring of soil physio-chemical characteristics and leaf nutrition with emphasis on oak decline phenomenon in the Zagros forests of Kurdistan province

- Assessment and monitoring of carbon stocks in the Zagros forests of Kurdistan province

- Estimation of some biological indicators of oak forests in the Zagros area of Kurdistan province

- Detection of climate change trends and monitoring of drought and dust in Zagros forest degradation sites

- Assessment and monitoring of oak decline in the Zagros forests of Kurdistan province

- Establishment of a half-hectare collection of medicinal plants in Sanandaj city

- Evaluating the promising populations of five Astragalus species to identify suitable species for the restoration of semi-steppe rangelands in Kurdistan province

- Quality monitoring of Kurdistan's rangelands

- Assessment of climate change impacts on the habitats of some important rangeland species in Iran using a climate forecasting model

- Assessment and monitoring of stand structure in the Zagros forests of Kurdistan province

- Examination and benchmarking of the licensing process for harvesting medicinal plants from natural habitats in Iran

- Examination and benchmarking of the licensing process for range management (livestock grazing) in Iran

- Defining the conservation status of the plant species and ecosystems of Kurdistan province

- Taxonomic applications of flower morphology in the genus Centaurea L.

- Floristic study of Shaho mountain in Iran

- Assessment and monitoring of ground vegetation in the Zagros forest stands of Kurdistan province

 

Following are some of the new plant species from Iran introduced by the Forests and Rangelands Research Department.

 

 

 

Allium sanandajense Maroofi & Fritsch Family: Amaryllidaceae	Crocus danfordiae subsp. kurdistanicus Maroofi & Assadi Family: Iridaceae	Muscari kurdicum Maroofi Family: Liliaceae
Acer iranicum M. Mohtashamian & A. Rastegar Family: Sapindaceae	Allium kurdistanicum Maroofi & Fritsch Family: Amaryllidaceae	Campanula kurdistanica Advay & Maroofi Family: Campanulaceae
Cephalaria kurdistanica Maroofi, Tabad & A. Rastegar Family: Caprifoliaceae	Pentanema kurdistanicum Maroofi & Ghaderi Family: Asteraceae	Ornithogalum sanandajense Maroofi Family: Liliaceae