Investigating Biodiversity of Erysiphales Fungi in the Central and Peripheral Zones of Oshtorankouh Protected Area

Investigating the vegetation of protected areas and its harmful agents such as Erysipelas fungi is an important issue for evaluating such areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biodiversity of Erysipelas fungi and their hosts in the central and peripheral zones of Oshtorankouh Mountain. The analysis could the basis for further studies and provide basic biometric information of plants in terms of infection with pathogens in these areas.

In order to study the biodiversity of these fungi and their host plants, 10 plots in the central zone and the same plot number of peripheral areas in Oshtorankouh Mountain were selected and infected plants and fungal species were identified using their morphological characteristics. Then, the biodiversity indices of Simpson and Shannon, uniformity indices of Eviness, and richness indices of Margalef and Mannheicks were estimated for these species by PAST software. After that, the relative abundance percentages and total abundance of these species were estimated. The correlation between these indices was analyzed using the Leven test.

Eighteen pathogenic fungi species belonging to 6 genera on 40 plant species from 15 genera were identified. The results of the study showed that the highest relative abundance of fungi species belonged to Leveillula the Astreaceae family for plants. There was no significant difference between biodiversity, richness, and uniformity indices of the studied areas. But, there was a difference between the elevation classes in terms of the relative abundance of pathogenic fungi. The correlations between diversity and richness indices of infected plants and between these two indices in pathogenic fungi were also positive and significant (p <0.01).

Most plant species hosts are new records for Iran or even in the world. Damages by such fungi along with other harmful factors and the critical situation of the area occupied by these species threaten the plants of the region.