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8 - VEGETATION

from PART 1 - THE LAND

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

H. Bobek
Affiliation:
Geography, University of Vienna
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Summary

The extensive Iranian plateau constitutes a clearly defined physiographic and geologic unit; yet from the biogeographical and ecological points of view–that is, as a place to live for plants and animals, including man—the plateau displays marked variation. This is brought out very well by the regional changes in distribution and character of its natural vegetation cover, which in turn may be said to stem from four main factors:

First, climatic situation. Along its length of approximately 2,000 miles the Iranian plateau crosses—very much as a gigantic bridge—the full width of the great desert belt of the Old World; it does so at the point where this belt bends north-east to connect its Saharan-Arabian portion with its Central Asian section. With this geographical location, the Iranian plateau, while highly arid in its large and depressed central part, is exposed to a variety of climatic influences, some of which just touch its edges, while others penetrate or even submerge it for a restricted period. Of this latter kind is a temperate regime, with the westerlies and wandering depressions which in summer just impinge on the north-western fringe of the plateau in Armenia and Transcaucasia, but which become more established during most of the winter half of the year. Also at this season the highly continental, anticyclonic regime of Central Asia and Siberia makes itself felt by sending its icy air masses against and over the plateau. The southern fringe of Iran, however, is exposed to the tropical or subtropical climatic conditions of the southern desert, which in the summer extend over all the lower parts of the plateau.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1968

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References

Adle, A. H.Regions climatiques et vegetation en Iran.” Pub. Univ. de Teheran, no. 626. 1960 (in Persian, with a French summary).Google Scholar
Bobek, H. Die Verbreitung des Regenfeldbaues in Iran. Vienna, 1951.
Bobek, H.Die natürlichen Wälder und Gehölzfluren Irans.” Bonn, geogr. Abb. no. 8. 1951.Google Scholar
Bobek, H.Beiträge zur Klima-ökologischen Gliederung Irans.” Erdkunde Jg. vol. VI. 1952.Google Scholar
Bobek, H.Klima und Landschaft Irans in vor- und frühgeschichtlicher Zeit.” Geogr. Jber. Öst. vol. XXV.
Bobek, H.Vegetationsverwüstung und Bodenerschöpfung in Persien und ihr Zusammenhang mit dem Niedergang älterer Zivilisationen.” Int. Un. Conserv. Nat. nat. Resour., 7th Tech. Meet., vol. 1. Athens, 1958; Brussels, 1959.Google Scholar
Bobek, H.Nature and implications of quaternary climatic changes in Iran.” UNESCO and WMO Symp. on Changes of Climate, Rome 1961. UNESCO, 1963.Google Scholar
Dewan, M. L. Soil map of Iran. 1:2,500,000. Soil Dept. FAO, Tehrān, 1961.
Linchevski, A. J. and Prozorovski, A. V.Basic principles of the distribution of the vegetation of Afghanistan.” Trans. Airy-Shaw, K. . Kew Bull. no. 2. 1949.Google Scholar
Zeist, W. . “Preliminary palynological study of sediments from lake Merivan, S. W. Iran.” (MS courtesy of the author.)
Zohary, M.On the geobotanical structure of Iran.” Bull, of the Research Council of Israel, Sec. D, Botany suppl. to vol. XI, D. 1963.Google Scholar

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  • VEGETATION
    • By H. Bobek, Geography, University of Vienna
  • Edited by W. B. Fisher
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Iran
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521069359.009
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  • VEGETATION
    • By H. Bobek, Geography, University of Vienna
  • Edited by W. B. Fisher
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Iran
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521069359.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • VEGETATION
    • By H. Bobek, Geography, University of Vienna
  • Edited by W. B. Fisher
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Iran
  • Online publication: 28 March 2008
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521069359.009
Available formats
×