Impact of farm operation in forest on the tree, shrub and regeneration in the Zagros forest (Case forest: Oak forest)

Species diversity is one of the most important indices was used to evaluate the sustainability of forest communities. This research was investigated in the Seyefe-Bala village district, Marivan region, Kurdistan Province, Northern Zagros Forest west of Iran. 60 circle sample plots (500 m2) were collected in the each site by randomized-systematic method in the 100×200 Net. In every sample plot the kind of species and number of trees were recorded. In the sample plots the micro plots of 5 m by 5 m (i. e. area of 25 m2) were designed, regeneration and shrub information was recorded then. Species diversity indexes including Shannon Wiener (H׳) and Margaleff (R1) were used to evaluate plant diversity in each sample plot. The means of different between diversity indexes in the two sites were estimated by t-test. Data analyzing was done by SPSS16 and Ecological Methodological software’s. The numbers of 10 and 17 woody species in the farm operation and non-farm operation area. Tree, shrub and seed regeneration diversity in the non-farm operation area has higher means diversity index and differences between vegetation layer diversity indexes in the two areas were statistically significant. Results showed that shrub layer had the higher diversity indices (richness, diversity and evenness). In total farm operation in forest has negative effect in the tree, shrub and coppice regeneration diversity. Therefore, prevention of farm operation in forest in the degraded forest stands can be suggested as a suitable approach for natural restoration and increasing plant diversity.