Ruba Hamad*(1), Mahmoud Ali(1) and Ola Merhej(2)
(1). Forestry & Ecology Department- Agriculture Faculty- Tishreen University- Latakia- Syria.
(2). Forestry & Ecology Department- Agriculture Faculty- Tishreen University- Latakia- Syria.
(3). General Organization of Remote Sensing- Department of Coastal Region- Latakia- Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Ruba Hamad, E- Mail: rubaihamad08@gmail.com)
Received: 19/06/2022 Accepted: 22/10/2022
Abstract:
The natural regeneration of Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine), and its accompanying plant biodiversity were studied in Kfardabeel afforestation site in Jableh region (Lattakia) after the severe fire that occurred on the ninth of October 2020, which caused the destruction of the entire area that was covered by Aleppo pine on the site. The cross-line method was used to study the Relative Important Value (RIV) of the plant species that appeared after the fire, and the coefficients of specific richness, and abundance coefficients were used to study the plant biodiversity in the site. The results of the study showed that the most important plant in terms of RIV in the studied site was Calycotome villosa (Vahl.) Link followed by Pinus halepensis Mill. followed by Serratula cerinthifolia (Sm.) Boiss. On the other hand, the results showed a clear effect of fire in increasing the number of deteriorating plant species and species adapted to post-fire conditions, especially a seeder species, in addition to the beginning of the return of a resprouter species to dominate the terrain again. Shannon’s Index recorded a value of (H= 3.29), as for Simpson’s Index, it gave a value of (D= 0.94), which are high values that indicate the presence of a large plant biodiversity in the site after the fire. It was also found that the least number of plant species, especially the least number of seedlings of Aleppo pine, was recorded in the places where the slope reached its highest value, which was (48%).
Keywords: plant biodiversity, fires, natural regeneration, serotiny, Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine), Kfardabeel.
Full paper in Arabic: pdf