Role of nurse plants in ecological restoration of nature of southern Iran

Plant reproduction is highly sensitive to stressors caused by both biotic and abiotic factors in nature. The success of plant establishment in the wild depends on various factors such as drought, grazing, availability of water and soil resources, and the mutual interactions among individuals, especially during the seedling stage. The concept of nurse plants, their effects, competition, facilitation, and the facilitative role in land restoration were explained using scientific sources. Through forest surveys and scientific resources, nurse plants and target plants in southern Iran were identified, and the role of each was examined with available scientific references. For this purpose, along the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, accessible pathways were chosen to investigate vegetation cover up to an altitude of 1250 meters above sea level in sample plots of one hectare (100 * 100 meters). Sampling was conducted beneath the canopy of other trees or shrubs, and the plants were identified using scientific sources. The results of this study revealed that nine species belonging to eight genera and six families were identified as nurse plants, and seven species belonging to six genera and six families were identified as target plants. Among the nurse plant group, the genus Ziziphus Mill. from the family Rhamnaceae was the most diverse. Among the target plant group, the most diverse genus was Pistacia L. belonging to the family Anacardiaceae. Further research is recommended to explore the facilitative effects of nurse plant species and suitable methods for their use in the ecological restoration of dry areas in southern Iran in relation to the implementation of restoration and forest development projects.