Investigation on some ecological condition of Cerasus Mahaleb (l.) Miller (Rock cherry sp.) in Khouzestan province (county baghmalek forests)

The aim of this study was to investigate the ecological condition of Cerasus mahaleb, in Khouzestan province of Iran. For this 72 square plots (50×50 m) were used. At first 20 lines were allocated between valley and mountain tip at 100 m interval. Then the plots were allocated on each line by random-systematic method at 150 m interval. At each plot the associated plant cover, number of seedlings (natural regeneration of C. maheleb), soil physical and chemical properties, including pH, EC and soil particle distribution (texture) and topographical characteristics, including altitude, aspect and gradient, were studied and recorded. The collected data were analysied by PC-ORD (Nonmetric multidimensional scaling) and SPSS softwares. The results showed that the most frequency of Cerasus mahaleb was between 1950-2450 m above sea level on dry aspects (most in south-west aspect) with 50-70% and 30-50% gradient. The mean value of pH and EC were 7.84 and 13/08 ds⁄m, respectively. Soil texture was clay, clay-loam and sandy-clay-loam. The results of this study also showed thatthe ecological condictions of Cerasus mahaleb were similar o those of Fraxinus rotundifolia, Amygdalus scoparia, Ficus carica, Salix persica, Celtis caucasica, Acer monspessulanum, Crataegus aronia, Lonicera nummularifolia and Juniperus polycarpus and there was least ecological similarity with Daphne mucronata, Quercus persica, Pistacia mutica and Pistacia khinjuk.