Bund flora in the traditional rice paddy terraces in some foothill landscapes of Guilan Province, N. Iran, towards conservation of phytodiversity in agroecosystems

One of the most important drivers of floristic biodiversity in the agricultural landscapes is semi-natural edge habitats. Rice paddy terraces are mostly found in the foothills and sub-montane parts of Iran's northern provinces, whereas rice is mostly farmed in the country's lowlands. The present study provides information on the floristic distribution of rice-terraced paddy bunds in the foothill areas of northern Iran. A total of 121 species, representing 29 families of vascular plants were recorded. Therophytes (50.4%) were the most frequent life forms, indicating typical ruderal vegetation and environmental disturbances. The most dominant chorotypes of recorded species were pluri-regional (53.7%) and cosmopolitan (15.7%) elements. In terms of conservation status, there are five species on the IUCN Red List that are mainly classified in the "least concern" category. Alien species are estimated to comprise 19.8 % of the flora. The results of the current study can be used as a scientific backbone for developing agricultural landscape management and conservation plans in Iran.