Ecological Niche Modelling and Potential Distribution of Artemisia sieberi in the Iranian Steppe Vegetation

Hamidreza Mirdavoudi (), Darush Ghorbanian, Sedigheh Zarekia, Javad Miri Soleiman, Mashaalaah Ghonchepur, Eileen Mac Sweeney and Andrea Mastinu ()
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Hamidreza Mirdavoudi: Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Markazi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Arak 38135, Iran
Darush Ghorbanian: Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Semnan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Semnan 35131, Iran
Sedigheh Zarekia: Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Yazd Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Yazd 89158, Iran
Javad Miri Soleiman: Forests and Rangelands Research Department, North Khorasan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Bojnord 94714, Iran
Mashaalaah Ghonchepur: Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Kerman 78514, Iran
Eileen Mac Sweeney: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Andrea Mastinu: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Artemisia sieberi Besser occurs in many parts of the Irano-Turanian floristic region, which is mostly distributed throughout the Iranian plateau, especially in Iran. This study aimed to identify the effect of the soil and topography variables on A. sieberi distribution. We used canopy cover data to fit models using generalized additive models (GAMs). The results showed that the response pattern of A. sieberi along with the gradient of soil clay, soil saturation moisture, soil nitrogen and soil acidity followed the monotonic increase model, and its canopy cover percentage augmented by increasing the values of the factors. Conversely, the A. sieberi canopy cover percentage decreased by increasing the amount of soil sand, bare soil and the geographic aspect. The A. sieberi responses are in contrast to the niche theory. The relationship between the species response pattern and the gradients of soil silt, soil salinity, lime percentage, organic carbon, altitude, land slope, litter, gravel percentage, stone percentage, mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature followed a unimodal model (consistent with the niche theory). The optimal growth limits for these factors were 32%, 1.75 ds/m, 35%, 1.3%, 2000 m, 43%, 10%, 32%, 250 mm and 15 °C, respectively. Our results highlight that environmental factors, such as soil texture, amount of soil lime, mean annual precipitation, altitude and land slope, had quantifiable effects on the performance of A. sieberi . Our findings could provide useful information for improvement, restoration and conservation programs. However, a further comprehension of the species–environment relationship is needed to predict the effects of climate change on the species habitat.

Keywords: canopy cover; ecological factors; Generalized Additive Models; Irano-Turanian region; optimum growth; species distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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