RECOVERY OF PLANT SPECIES, RICHNESS AND COMPOSITION IN ABANDONED GRASSLAND IN ARID REGION

摘要

A harsh ecosystem in a semi-arid area is the target of the current study. Restoration pattern was not well understood due to the lack of studies. Botanical surveys were performed over the years 2005 through 2011 in the semi-arid area in Jordan. Our objectives were to identify the vegetative cover types and the extent of restoration. Quantitative and qualitative analysis on plant species were conducted. The potential and pattern of restoration in term of plant species richness and vegetative cover composition were measured. Results showed that 34 different plant species were found to be grown in the study area, and they belonged to 14 plant families and 4 chorotypes. Mediterranean-Irano-Turanian was the dominant. We concluded that the composition ofthe vegetation cover did not recover as similar to the original composition after abandonment. However, further researches are needed to precisely track the effect of abandonment on vegetative cover development and restoration.