Evaluating plant species diversity in urban parks of Kio and Shariati in Khorramabad county

Abstract

In this study, plant species diversity in two urban parks of Kio and Shariati in Khorramabad County were compared. A number of 30 sample plots were sampled from each park using systematic random sampling technique and in each sample plot characteristics of plant species, number of species, diameter at breast height of all trees, height of all trees and shrubs as well as large and small diameters of crown were measured. Simpson's diversity and evenness indices as well as Shannon Hill, and Brillouin diversity indices were used to assess plant diversity. Species richness was calculated using the number of species in each sample plot. Species diversity indices were calculated using the software Metadology Ecologycal and the t test was used to assess the significance of differences of these two indexes between the Kio and Shariati Parks. The results show that Kio Park had the higher average Shannon (1.514), Simpson (0.695), Hill (2.854) and Briloin (1.061) diversity indices indicating higher species diversity than Shariati Park. Also this park also has the higher Simpson evenness index (0.792) and the species richness (3.633), which indicates a better distribution and abundance of species in the park. The difference between averages of diversity indices at confidence level of 1% and the difference between averages of the evenness index at 5% were significant.