Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
M.Sc. Graduate, Dept. Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad, Iran
2
Faculty member of the Rangeland and Watershed Management Department - Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources - Gonbad Kavus University
3
Assist. Prof. Dept. Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Qom, Qom, Iran
4
Assoc. prof. Dept. Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad, Iran
10.22092/ijrfpbgr.2025.368950.1473
Abstract
Background and Objective
The use of medicinal plants as by-products of grazing has a long history in Iran. In order to economically exploit the available resources in the field of natural resources, it is essential to accurately identify and define the ecological characteristics of these plants. This study was conducted to understand the ecological and molecular characteristics of Ferula gammusa and F. assa-foetida in North Khorasan province. These plants grow in mountainous and highland areas of Iran and are perennial plants with deep roots. The presence of these species in watersheds is of great importance due to stabilizing soil texture and preventing soil erosion, which consequently prevents the filling of dams with sediment from watersheds. Studying the ecological and molecular characteristics of these species is essential to identify effective conservation methods and prevent their extinction.
Materials and Methods
The study consisted of identifying the habitat areas of these species by recording their geographical locations, recording the vegetative characteristics of the plants, and measuring and taking soil samples at a depth of 0 to 30 cm. Research was also conducted regarding the climatic characteristics, associated plants, and the analysis of the chemical and physical factors of the soil in this habitat. Plant samples collected from the field were carefully studied and identified, and their leaves were used to extract DNA using a kit method. Molecular relationships from both Ferula species along with 9 other species extracted from the genbank were studied by analyzing the molecular relationships of the nuclear and chloroplast nrDNA rpl32-trnL (UAG) ITS sequences.
Results
Ecological results showed that the ground surface is gravel, stone and rocky. Ecological results showed that the soil surface of the study area is gravel, stone and rocky. The soil texture is clay loam and sandy loam with medium to shallow depth and fine to medium angular structure with medium resistance. The analysis between the pH and EC values of soil samples showed that these two variables have a negative correlation with each other. In other words, as soil pH increases, soil EC decreases. The two characteristics of pH and soil electrical conductivity were examined in 10 soil samples from the study area. The soil pH in the sampling area ranges between 7.7 and 8.3. The standard deviation between the data shows that the variability in soil type in terms of pH was low. The results of EC measurements revealed that the EC of soil samples ranges between 1.14 and 1.35 microsiemens per centimeter, and the data dispersion is low. Furthermore, molecular studies showed that all the studied species form a monophyletic group with high support (PP = 1.00, ML BS = 100, MP BS = 100).
Conclusion
Results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of molecular markers in determining taxonomic relationships at the species level, and they can serve as complementary tools for taxonomic identification of F. gummosa and F. assa-foetida. The present study revealed that combining ITS and rpl32-trnL(UAG) sequence data with habitat analysis clearly distinguishes between F. assa-foetida and F. gummosa. The obtained data can significantly contribute to conservation efforts, ecological balance maintenance, and sustainable utilization of these valuable medicinal plants.
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