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The Zagros Mountain Range

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Plant Biogeography and Vegetation of High Mountains of Central and South-West Asia

Part of the book series: Plant and Vegetation ((PAVE,volume 17))

Abstract

The Zagros is the largest mountain range of the Iranian Plateau stretching from northeast Iraq to south Iran. It has high mountain peaks reaching the subnival zone in different parts though mostly in the central and southern Zagros. The climate is continental and the precipitation regime is Mediterranean with cold and wet winters and warm and dry summers. Our database lists 3642 vascular plant species from this mountain range. The Zagros is totally located inside of the Irano-Turanian biogeographical region and the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot. More than 70% of the species are Irano-Turanian elements but widespread species occurring in two or several biogeographical regions are also many. This mountain range is identified as an area of endemism and 21% of the entire flora are Zagros elements. The major vegetation types of the Zagros are oak woodlands, Amygdalus-Pistacia shrublands, montane steppe shrublands, wetlands, chasmophytic habitats, subalpine, alpine and subnival zones. Anthropogenic activities are threatening the unique flora and vegetation types of this mountain range and a strong conservation policy is recommended.

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Abbreviations

ES:

Euro-Siberian

IT:

Irano-Turanian

M:

Mediterranean

SS:

Saharo-Sindian

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Jalil Noroozi

  2. School of Biology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Amir Talebi

  3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

    Moslem Doostmohammadi

  4. Department of Plant and Animal Biology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

    Ali Bagheri

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  1. Jalil Noroozi
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  2. Amir Talebi
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  3. Moslem Doostmohammadi
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  4. Ali Bagheri
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Correspondence to Jalil Noroozi .

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  1. Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Jalil Noroozi

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Noroozi, J., Talebi, A., Doostmohammadi, M., Bagheri, A. (2020). The Zagros Mountain Range. In: Noroozi, J. (eds) Plant Biogeography and Vegetation of High Mountains of Central and South-West Asia. Plant and Vegetation, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45212-4_6

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