Diversity investigation of pollen and nectar plants in apicultural utilization management of rangelands (Case Study: Ghareh Aghach Watershed)

Existence of pollen and nectar plants in vegetation composition of natural environment is essential for apiculture as one of the utilization types in multiple uses of environmental resources. Therefore، development of this strategy based on indigenous knowledge will increase stakeholder income، which can decrease stocking rate based on range grazing capacity. Due to high dependence of bee to plant flowers، recognition of such plants، studying their phonology and distributed regions is an important issue. Such information can help mangers to classify environmental suitability for bee keeping. The present study investigates the potential of plant species in Ghareh Aghach Watershed in beekeeping. Sample collection was carried out from vegetation species، percentage and composition along two hundred meter transects in three replications and within 30 one square meter quadrates of each Vegetation type. The most import vegetation families utilized by bees in the area were Labiatae، Fabaceae، Asteraceae، Umbelifera، Rosaceae and Cruceferae. Among 114 plant species، 78 species are utilized by bees. These species were not palatable for grazing animals but were dominant in degraded rangelands. Therefore، it is important to define species and flowering time which essential for preparing beekeeping calendar and potential of this utilization type in the area.