Response of plant functional groups to some environmental variables i

Functional groups are defined as groups of species exhibiting similar responses to an environmental variables. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of plant functional groups to some environmental variables in Mountain forests of southern Zagros (Khuzsetan province- county baghmalek). Vegetation and environmental factors were sampled by 50 circular plots of 1000 m2 selective-randomly along an elevational gradient from 646 to 3172 m a.s.l. sampled vegetation were identified in terms of different growth Forms to woody (tree and shrub), herb and woody seedling (tree and shrub seedling) functional groups and the changes of these functional groups in relation to environmental variables were analyzed using Canonical Correspondence analysis. The results showed that all the functional groups of forest vegetation showed a statistically strong significant correlation with elevation, soil Electrical conductivity, soil available k and soil pH. Also woody functional group showed a correlation with Microbial biomass carbon, clay percentage, Aspect, Organic matter content, sand percentage, slope and Total of nitrogen, herbs showed a correlation with Soil organic matter, soil available p, Total of nitrogen, sand percentage, clay percentage, basal respiration, Bulk density and slope, while woody seedlings showed a correlation with aspect, Total of nitrogen, sand percentage, slope, Microbial biomass carbon and clay percentage. species diversity of woody functional group to 2350 m a.s.l were hight and then above 2350 m a.s.l were low. while herbs were lower diversity at intermediate elevations (1300-1600 m a.s.l) and above 2350 m a.s.l and seedlings had maximum diversity at intermediate elevations.