Field vegetation sampling
The vegetation cover field data were collected using systematic-random
design at the maximum growing season, April 2019. In each site, four
randomly selected 200 m transects were placed, then 5 quadrates (2 × 2
m) systematically placed at 50-m intervals along the transect lines,
with a total of 20 quadrates in each site. Within each quadrat,
vegetation characteristics such as total percentage of canopy cover
(%), bare soil (%), litter (%) and stone cover (%) were recorded.
Above-ground vegetation biomass also was determined by plant cutting (1
cm above soil surface). In addition, to calculate the species diversity
indices, the cover of each plant species was recorded separately.
Figure 1. The geographical location of the study area in Iran and Ilam
province.