Impact of Some Environmental Factors on Caper (Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew.) in Habitats of Hormozgan Province

This research is carried out in Caper habitats of Khalij-o-Omanian region in south of Iran. Eight sites were chosen and 24 plots each containing at least three Caper trees were established. Some silvicultural characteristics of trees as well as physical and chemical properties of soil were studied within the plots. Totally 67 Caper trees were studied quantitatively. Generally, Caper habitats in Hormozgan province have arid and warm climate, low annual precipitation (141.5 mm), high temperature (maximum 44.8oC) and high relative humidity (>60%). The results showed that Caper tree (Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew.) had a short tree and shrub form with canopy diameter more than its height and numerous suckers in young stage, which changes to tree form (max. 9 meter height) with one trunk (max. 1.8 meter trunk height) and less suckers in old stage. Soil of Caper habitats were loam and silty loam, saline, calcareous and with very little organic matter. Electrical conductivity of the studied soil was 0.6- 22.5 mmohs/cm, pH=7.3-8.1, TNV=19.6-34% and organic carbon=0.2-0.5%. The quantitative datas shows 42-105 tree ha-1 with 12 to 50.6 suckers (coppices) per plot, 3.2-4.5 m height, 9-31.3 cm diameter, 0.03-0.3 m trunk height and 3.7-6.5 m canopy diameter. Caper trees flush (new branches with tiny leaves) with beginning of rainfall (autumn–winter) and leaves abscised later in old branches. Old branches were woody, green and able to photosynthesis (similar to leaves). Considering all soil and silvicultural characteristics, one can conclude that the Jagin site could be distinguished from other sites because of soil richness, highest trees, thickest trunks and coppice stools, widest canopy diameter and less number of root suckers.