Influence of Environmental Factors on Distribution of Plant Species in Nodushan Rangelands of Yazd Province (Iran)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the species-environment relationships in arid and semi arid rangelands of nodushan, yazd. the plant species cover and the environmental variables were measured at 9 sites. soil samples were taken for measurement of 12 attributes in 0-10 cm and 10-80 cm layers. vegetation was classified using twoway indicator species analysis (twinspan). data was analyzed using the ordination method of canonical correspondence analysis (cca). results showed that soil texture, organic matter, gypsum, salinity, c/n ratio, and elevation greatly affected the distribution of vegetation. anabasis aphylla reflected the high salinity and saturation moisture content of soils. ephedra strobilacea reflected a high level of soil gypsum and a high c/n ratio. artemisia aucheri was characterized by a gradient of increasing elevation, high organic matter, and available water. determining the vegetation-environment relationships at these sites facilitates the improvement and reclamation of arid and semi-arid shrubland ecosystems.