Research Institute of Forests & Rangelands, Botany Research Division
Members
Professor Ziba Jamzad (head of the center)
Professor Mostafa Assadi
Professor Ali Asghar Maassoumi
Professor Adel Jalili
Professor Valiollah Mozaffarian
Dr. Younes Asri
Dr. Mohammad Amin Soltanipoor
Dr. Mohammad Reza Hadi
Introduction
Plants have the main role in ecosystem evolution. The knowledge of plants biodiversity and their potential properties help us to know our ecosystem and programming for sustainable development and natural resources management. To achieve this knowledge, it is necessary to gain information on biological sciences and related topics by using classic and modern methods.
The plans of center of excellence for flora of Iran is to provide data on flora of Iran, botany, and related subjects, collections of plant biodiversity, of Iran and neighboring countries, identification and establishing plant collections of Iranian and neighboring countries plants.
General aims of Center of Excellence for Flora of Iran
Comprehensive collection and identification of plant biodiversity of Iran, defining their distribution pattern and conservation status, establishing herbaria and botanic gardens to provide research facilities for students and scientists. By using the facilities and knowledge of Research Institute of Forests & Rangelands and other institutional and academic organizations in the country, the above goals will be achieved.
Preparation of Flora using the data from research.
To supervise thesis research projects to cover part of needs of country on flora and vegetation.
Providing research and scientific services for the promotion of graduate and postgraduate courses in the field of plant sciences.
Provide scientific and consulting services to other centers of excellence.
Development of national and international scientific communication. Carrying out joint research with the collaboration of researchers from academic, research centers inside and outside the country.
Other specific goals
Collection and identification of the flora of Iran
Preservation of genetic reserves of the country in herbaria and botanical gardens.
Seed exchange with botanical gardens of the world.
Using live and dry collections to educate students and for research by students-
Establishment and development of botanical garden gardens in the country.
Planning and coordination of botany research in the country.
Establishing and developing the natural resource gene bank.
Facilities needed to run the program
Equipment and facilities for the implementation of the center of excellence programs are available, but in some cases, the development and completion of the necessary facilities and equipment are needed. Completion of existing software programs and design of new programs will be required in case.
Existing research facilities and laboratories in the Research Institute of Forests and Rangeland which can be used to further to achieve the objectives of the center of excellence programs as follows:
The central herbarium of Iran is about 43 years old with about 160,000 plant specimens collected from different countries.
Herbaria in agricultural and natural resources research centers in various provinces of the country with about 150,000 plant specimens belonging to different provinces.
National Botanical Garden of Iran, a place for botanical research and training.
Having a national network of scientific capacities.
- Natural Resources Gene Bank
- The most equipped botanical library.
Active laboratories are as follows:
Anatomy laboratory
Physiology Laboratory
Biotechnology laboratory
Device analysis laboratory
Scientific publications
The Iranian Journal of Botany (49 volumes)
Flora of Iran (149 volumes).
Colorful illustrated Flora of Iran (27 volumes)
Publication of a series of books on the genus Astragalus
Publication of Red Data Book of Iran
Miscellaneous book titles
Publication of 1100 research papers
How to fund the implementation of the program
-Grant faculty of the members and trustees of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands of
-Contract with executive and research organizations
-Receiving registration fee for attending conferences and training courses
-Income from the provision of scientific services, including the identification of plant samples
-Organizations that use results
-Universities and educational centers.
- Scientific Research Centers.
-Executive organizations
-The center of excellence which their researches are based on scientific identification of plants or studying certain parts of the plant.
-Pharmaceutical and food industries, Standard Institute, in relation to the identification of plants to use them for the extraction of active ingredients or standard identification of plant specimens
Program achievements in accordance with the objectives of the centers of excellence regulations
General achievements
-Access to the country's capacities in the field of flora research
- Increased research capacity of research centers and universities in conducting bio-diversity research in the country
-Use the available facilities to conduct student thesis
To focus on the studies on flora of Iran and to prevent parallel and repetitive works
Exclusive achievements
Identification of flora of Iran
Publication of Flora of Iran
Publication of provincial and regional flora
Discovering new species for the flora of the world
Publication of flora of the country's special habitats
- Determination of the Pattern of distribution of the Iranian endemic species
Detection of rare and endangered species of flora of Iran
Understanding the history of plants and paleobotany of the country