Somar Mariam * ¹,  Zuheir Shater ¹ and Talal Amin¹

1 Department of Forestry and Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture Engineering, University of Latakia, Latakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Somar Mariam, E.mail:mariamsomar80@yahoo.com).

Received: 5/ 04/ 2025                 Accepted: 29/ 09/ 2025

Abstract

This research aimed to assess the taxonomic and functional diversity of plant species in Latakia Governorate, and to contribute to understanding the effect of altitude on this diversity.The study was conducted during 2022 and 2023 in 67 samples area of 400 m2 each, distributed over four elevation zones (0-299, 300-599, 600-899, >900 m). In each sample, site data were collected and plant surveys were conducted using Braun-Planquet method. Taxonomic diversity indicators (Species Richness, Shannon index) were calculated in samples, and Sorenson index of similarity was used to calculate the percentage of vegetation similarity between the altitudinal belts. Functional diversity was studied through five elements, directly or indirectly related to ecosystem functions (sexual system, pollination pattern, life form, dispersion pattern and chorotype). Averages of species distribution ratios by functional characteristics were compared using Mann-Whitney test at 0.05 level, and Spearman coefficient was used to measure the correlation between biodiversity characteristics and altitude using the statistical software SPSS. The results showed a significant correlation between altitude and species richness (rSpearman = 0.28, p=0.02), also, many functional features were significantly associated with altitude. In addition, there was a clear difference in vegetation composition, between altitudinal zoness, through decreasing of Sorenson index values with altitude. The highest similarity was between the first and second zoness (39%), and the lowest similarity was between the first and fourth zones (31%), while the correlation between altitude and Shannon index was not significant (p>0.05). On the other hand, comparison of taxonomic diversity values between the altitudinal zones showed non-significant differences (p>0.05), while most of the significant differences in the ratios of functional traits between the zones, were between the first and fourth zones, such as differences in the proportion of dioecious species, hydrogams species, geophytes, and autochores. The study also showed a great diversity in geographic affiliation, as 26 different Chorotypes were recorded, and the distribution of these patterns was strongly associated with altitude, as European, Eurasian, Orophyte, Holarctic, Circumboreal and Oriental Mediterranean species prevailed at higher altitudes, while the rest of the Mediterranean species (Mediterranean, Central and Occidental Mediterranean), Irano-Turanian, Tropical and subtropical species prevailed at lower altitudes.

Keywords: taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, altitude, Chorotype.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf