Wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) in the Hyrcanian relict forests of northern Iran: an overview of current taxonomy, ecology and palaeorecords

Abstract

Due to severe anthropogenic impacts on lowland and submontane zones of the Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran, wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris), a sporadically distributed woody liana, is currently considered an endangered species. Using data from the literature and 34 studied populations, herbarium assessments and nine palynological sites, we provide an overview of its taxonomy, distribution and ecology in the first part of the investigation. The separation of the two subspecies, namely V. sylvestris subsp. anebophylla and V. sylvestris subsp. trichophylla (sensu Flora Iranica), based on their leaf indumentums, could not be confirmed by our examination of herbarium materials and field observations. Indumentum of the leaves is a result of leaf polymorphism in different Vitis specimens and can be strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris grows in a wide range of habitats including wetlands, seasonal stream sides in closed forests, alluvial beds of large rivers, sand dune shrublands and forested wetlands (alder forests). Parrotia persica and Carpinus betulus were the most frequent host species in the studied populations. In the Hyrcanian region, no pollen record of Vitis older than the Mid-or Late-Holocene has yet been established. Despite the intrinsic problem in pollen identification by normal (i.e., light) microscopy of wild from cultivated grapevines, the significant values and persistent occurrence of Vitis pollen since the Mid-Holocene (before the Bronze Age) in the Hyrcanian pollen records may imply the onset of viticulture in low- to mid-elevation sites in the region. This represents an argument to consider the Hyrcanian region as a possible domestication center for V. vinifera. However, the question of wild versus cultivated origin of grapevines in the Hyrcanian pollen records and the possible date of its domestication and/or cultivation will remain open until further palynological studies are undertaken.

Keywords

Domestication / Grapevine / Hyrcanian forests / Pollen / Vitis

References

[1] Akhani H. Plant biodiversity of Golestan National Park, Iran. Stapfia, 1998, 53: 1-411.

[2] Akhani H. The illustrated flora of Golestan National Park, Iran, 2005, Tehran: University of Tehran Publication 1 481

[3] Akhani H, Djamali M, Ghorbanalizade A, Ramezani E. Plant biodiversity of Hyrcanian relict forests, north Iran: an overview of the flora, vegetation, palaeoecology and conservation. Pak J Bot, 2010, special issue 42: 231-258.

[4] Arnold C. Ecologie de la vigne sauvage (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi.) dans les forêts alluviales et colluviales d’Europe. Geobot Helv, 2002, 76: 1-256.

[5] Arnold C, Schnitzler A, Parisot C, Maurin A. Historical reconstruction of a relictual population of wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) in a floodplain forest of the upper Seine valley, France. River Res Appl, 2010, 26: 904-914.

[6] Arrigo N, Arnold C. Naturalised Vitis rootstocks in Europe and consequences to native wild grapevine. PLoS ONE, 2007, 2: e521.

[7] Asri Y, Shrifnia F, Gholami TT. Plant associations in Miankaleh Biosphere reserve, Mazandaran province (N. Iran). Rostaniha, 2007, 8: 1-16. (in Persian)

[8] Assadi M, Maassoumi A, Mozaffarian V (eds) (1988–2014) Flora of Iran, vols. 1–78. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Publication, Tehran (in Persian)

[9] Assadollahi F (1980) Etude phytosociologique et biogéographique des forêts hyrcaniennes. Essai synthétique et application à la région ďAssalem (Iran). Ph.D. thesis. University of Marseille, Marseille, pp 1–127

[10] Behre KE. Bottema S, Entjes-Nieborg G, van Zeist W. Some reflections on anthropogenic indicators and the record of prehistoric occupation phases in pollen diagrams from the Near East. Man’s role in the shaping of the Eastern Mediterranean landscape, 1990, Rotterdam: Balkema Publication 219 229

[11] Bottema S, Woldring H. Bottema S, Entjes-Nieborg G, Van Zeist W. Anthropogenic indicators in the pollen record of the eastern Mediterranean. Man’s role in the shaping of the Mediterranean landscape, 1990, Rotterdam: Balkema Publication 231 264

[12] Browicz K. Chorology of trees and shrubs in south-west Asia and adjacent regions, 1988, Warszawa-Poznán: Polish Scientific Publishers 1 34

[13] Connor SE. A Promethean Legacy: late Quaternary vegetation history of Southern Georgia, the Caucasus. Ancient Near Eastern studies supplement 34, 2011, Louvain: Peeters Publishers 1 421

[14] de Andres MT, Benito A, Perez-Rivera G, Ocete R, Lopez MA, Gaforio L, Munoz G, Cabello J, Martinez-Zapater JM, Arroyo-Garcia A. Genetic diversity of wild grapevine populations in Spain and their genetic relationships with cultivated grapevine. Mol Ecol, 2012, 21: 800-816.

[15] Dinarvand M, Ejtehadi H, Jankju M, Andarzian B. A new record of the genus Vitis (Vitaceae) for the flora of Iran. Iran J Bot, 2015, 21: 100-102.

[16] Djamali M, de Beaulieu JL, Shah-Hosseini M, Andrieu-Ponel V, Ponel P, Amini A, Akhani H, Leroy SA, Stevens L, Lahijani H, Brewer S. A late Pleistocene long pollen record from Lake Urmia, NW Iran. Quat Res, 2008, 69: 413-420.

[17] Djamali M, De Beaulieu JL, Miller NF, Andrieu-Ponel V, Berberian M, Gandouin E, Lahijani H, Ponel P, Salimian M, Guiter F. A late Holocene pollen record from Lake Almalou in NW Iran: evidence for changing land-use in relation to some historical events during the last 3700 years. J Archaeol Sci, 2009, 36: 1346-1375.

[18] Djamali M, Miller NF, Ramezani E, Akhani H, Andrieu-Ponel V, de Beaulieu JL, Berberian M, Guibal F, Lahijani H, Lak R, Ponel P. Notes on the arboricultural and agricultural practices in ancient Iran based on new pollen evidence. Paléorient, 2011, 36: 175-188.

[19] Djamali M, Akhani H, Khoshravesh R, Andrieu-Ponel V, Ponel P, Brewer S. Application of the global bioclimatic classification to Iran: implications for understanding the modern vegetation and biogeography. Ecol Mediterr, 2011, 37: 91-114.

[20] Djazirei MH. Contribution à ľ étude des forêts primaires de la Caspienne. Bull Inst Agron Gembloux, 1965, 33: 36-71.

[21] Domoers M, Kaviani M, Schaefer D. An analysis of regional and intra-annual precipitation variability over Iran using multivariate statistical methods. Theor Appl Climatol, 1998, 61: 151-159.

[22] Dorostkar H. Contribution à ľ étude des forêts du district Hyrcanien oriental (Chaine de Gorgan), 1974, Gembloux: Gembloux 1 202

[23] Doulati-Baneh H, Mohammadi SA, Labra M. Genetic structure and diversity analysis in Vitis vinifera L. cultivars from Iran using SSR markers. Sci Hortic, 2013, 160: 29-36.

[24] Doulati-Baneh H, Seyed Abolghasem M, Labra M, De Mattia F, Bruni I, Mezzasalma V, Abdollahi R. Genetic characterization of some wild grapevine populations (Vitis vinifera supsp. sylvestris) of Zagros Mountains (Iran) to identify a conservation strategy. Plant Genet Resour Charact Util, 2014, 13: 27-33.

[25] Doulaty-Baneh H, Grassi F, Mohammadi A, Nazemieh A, De Mattia F, Imazio S, Labra M. The use of AFLP and morphological markers to study Iranian grapevine germplasm to avoid genetic erosion. J Hortic Sci Biotech, 2007, 82: 745-752.

[26] Ekhvaia J, Akhalkatsi M. Morphological variation and relationships of Georgian populations of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (C.C. Gmel.) Hegi. Flora, 2010, 205: 608-617.

[27] Ekhvaia J, Gurushidze M, Blattner FR, Akhalkatsi M. Genetic diversity of Vitis vinifera in Georgia: relationships between local cultivars and wild grapevine, V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris. Genet Resour Crop Evol, 2014, 61: 1507-1521.

[28] Frey W, Probst W. Kürschner H. A synopsis of the vegetation of Iran. Contribution of the vegetation of southwest Asia, 1986, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert 1 43

[29] Gerwing JJ, Schnitzer SA, Burnham RJ, Bongers F, Chave J, DeWalt S, Ewango CEN, Robin Foster R, Kenfack D, Miguel Martı´nez-Ramos M, Parren MN, Parthasarathy N, Pe´rez-Salicrup DR, Putz FE, Thomas DW. A standard protocol for liana census. Biotropica, 2006, 38: 256-261.

[30] Grassi F, De Mattia F, Zecca G, Sala F, Labra M. Historical isolation and Quaternary range expansion of divergent lineages in wild grapevine. Biol J Linn Soc, 2008, 95: 611-619.

[31] GRIN (2016) National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland [Online Database]. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl. Accessed 08 Oct 2016

[32] Hamzeh’ee B, Naqinezhad A, Attar F, Ghahreman A, Assadi M, Prieditis N. Phytosociological survey of remnant Alnus glutinosa subsp. barbata communities in the lowland Caspian forests of northern Iran. Phytocoenologia, 2008, 38: 17-132.

[33] Hegi G. Band V, Teil I. Vitis. Illustrierte Flora von Mitteleuropa, 1966, Hamburg: Paul Parey Verlag 30 33

[34] Karataş DD, Karataş H, Laucou V, Sarikamiş G, Riahi L, Bacilieri R, This P. Genetic diversity of wild and cultivated grapevine accessions from southeast Turkey. Hereditas, 2014, 151: 73-80.

[35] Kolenati FA. Versuch einer systematischen Anordnung der in Grusinien einheimischen Reben nebst einem oekonomisch-technischen Anhange. Bull Soc Sci Nat Moscou, 1846, 19: 283-371.

[36] Leroy SG, Arpe K. Glacial refugia for summer-green trees in Europe and south-west Asia as proposed by ECHAM3 time-slice atmospheric model simulations. J Biogeogr, 2007, 34: 2115-2128.

[37] Leroy SAG, Roiron P. Final Pliocene macro and micro floras of the palaeovalley of Bernasso (Escandorgue, France). Rev Palaeobot Palyno, 1996, 94: 295-328.

[38] Leroy SAG, Lahijani HAK, Djamali M, Naqinezhad A, Moghadam MV, Arpe K, Shah-Hosseini M, Hosseindoust M, Miller CS, Tavakoli V, Habibi P. Late Little Ice Age palaeoenvironmental records from the Anzali and Amirkola Lagoons (south Caspian Sea): vegetation and sea level changes. Palaeogeogr Palaeoecol, 2011, 302: 415-434.

[39] Maghradze D, Salimov V, Melyan M, Musayev M, Ocete CA, Chipashvili R, Failla O. Ecological and sanitary characteristics status of the Eurasian wild grapevine in the South Caucasian region. Vitis, 2015, 54: 203-215.

[40] Markgraf V. Pollen dispersal in a mountain area. Grana, 1980, 19: 127-146.

[41] McGovern PE. Ancient wine: the search for the origins of viniculture, 2004, Princeton: Princeton University Press 1 392

[42] McGovern PE, Glusker DL, Exner L. Neolithic resinated wine. Nature, 1996, 381: 480-481.

[43] Miller NF. Sweeter than wine? The use of the grapevine in early western Asia. Antiquity, 2008, 82: 937-946.

[44] Moore PD, Stevenson AG. Spooner B, Mani HS. Pollen studies in dry environments with particular reference to Turan. Desertification and development: dryland ecology in social perspective, 1982, London: Academic Press 249 268

[45] Mozaffarian V. Trees and shrubs of Iran, 2005, Tehran: Farhang Moaser Publishers 1 1054

[46] Myles S, Boyko AR, Owens CL, Brown PJ, Grassi F, Aradhya MK, Prins B, Reynolds A, Chia JM, Ware D, Bustamante CD. Genetic structure and domestication history of the grapevine. Proc Natl Acad Sci, 2011, 108: 3530-3535.

[47] Naqinezhad A, Hamzeh’ee B, Attar F. Vegetation–environment relationships in the alderwood communities of Caspian lowlands, N. Iran (toward an ecological classification). Flora, 2008, 203: 567-577.

[48] Naqinezhad A, Bahari SH, Gholizadeh H, Esmaei R, Hamzeh’ee B, Djamali M, Moradi H. A phytosociological survey of two lowland Caspian (Hyrcanian) remnant forests, Northern Iran, for validation of some forest syntaxa. Phytol Balc, 2012, 18: 173-186.

[49] Naqinezhad A, Zare-Maivan H, Gholizadeh H. A floristic survey of the Hyrcanian forests in Northern Iran, using two lowland-mountain transects. J Forest Res, 2015, 26: 187-199.

[50] Ramezani E. Palynological reconstruction of late-Holocene vegetation, climate, and human impact in Kelardasht (Mazandaran Province, N Iran). Iran J For Poplar Res, 2013, 21: 48-62. (in Persian with English abstract)

[51] Ramezani E, Marvie Mohadjer MR, Knapp HD, Ahmadi H, Joosten H. The late-Holocene vegetation history of the Central Caspian (Hyrcanian) forests of northern Iran. Holocene, 2008, 18: 305-319.

[52] Ramezani A, Haddad R, Dorostkar M, Mardi M, Naghavi MR. Evaluation of genetic diversity of Iranian grapevine accessions using microsatellite markers. Vitis, 2009, 48: 151-152.

[53] Ramezani E, Marvie Mohadjer MR, Knapp HD, Theuerkauf M, Manthey M, Joosten H. Pollen-vegetation relationships in the central Caspian (Hyrcanian) forests of northern Iran. Rev Palaeobot Palyno, 2013, 189: 38-49.

[54] Ramezani E, Mrotzek A, Marvie Mohadjer MR, Abdollahi Kakroodi A, Kroonenberg SB, Joosten H. Between the mountains and the sea: late Holocene Caspian Sea level fluctuations and vegetation history of the lowland forests of Northern Iran. Quat Int, 2016, 408: 52-64.

[55] Ramishvili R (1988) Dikorastushchii vinograd Zakavkazia (Wild grape of the South Caucasus). Ganatleba, Tbilisi, Russia

[56] Rechinger KH (1963–2012) Flora Iranica, vols 1–178. Academische Druck Verlagsanstalt, Graz

[57] Rubio RO, Rubio EO, Pérez CO, Izquierdo MAP, Rustioni L, Failla O, Chipashvili R, Maghradze D. Ecological and sanitary characteristics of the Eurasian wild grapevine (Vitisvinifera L. ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi) in Georgia (Caucasian region). Plant Genet Resour, 2012, 10: 155-162.

[58] Ruel JJ, Walker MA. Resistance to Pierce’s disease in Muscadiniarotundifolia and other native grapevine species. Am J Enol Viticult, 2006, 57: 158-165.

[59] Sabeti H. Forests, trees, and shrubs of Iran, 1976, Yazd: University of Yazd Press 1 886 (in Persian)

[60] Schneider A, Boccacci P, Ruffa P, Torello Marinoni D, Cavallo L, Festari I, Rotti G, Raimondi S. Identification and characterization of Vitis vinifera subsp sylvestris populations in north-western Italy. Vitis, 2015, 54: 223-225.

[61] Schnitzer SA, Rutishauser S, Aguilar S. Supplemental protocol for liana censuses. For Ecol Manag, 2008, 255: 1044-1049.

[62] Schnitzler A, Arnold C. Contribution des lianes à la biodiversité méditerranéenne. Ecol Mediterr, 2010, 36: 5-24.

[63] Shumilovskikh LS, Hopper K, Djamali M, Ponel P, Demory F, Rostek F, Tachikawa K, Bittmann F, Golyeva A, Guibal F, Talon B, Wang LC, Nezamabadi M, Bard E, Lahijani H, Nokandeh J, Omrani Rekavandi H, de Beaulieu JL, Sauer E, Andrieu-Ponel V. Landscape evolution and agro-sylvo-pastoral activities on the Gorgan Plain (NE Iran) in the last 6000 years. Holocene, 2016, 26: 1676-1691.

[64] Siadati S, Moradi H, Attar F, Etemad V, Hamzeh’ee B, Naqinezhad A. Botanical diversity of Hyrcanian forests: a case study of a transect in the Kheyrud protected lowland mountain forests in northern Iran. Phytotaxa, 2010, 7: 1-18.

[65] Sosnovskii DI. Komarov VL. Vitacee. Flora of the USSR, 1949, Leningrad: Izdatel’stvo Akademii Nank SSSR, Moscow 674 710

[66] Terral JF, Tabard E, Bouby L, Ivorra S, Pastor T, Figueiral I, Picq S, Chevance JB, Jung C, Fabre L, Tardy C. Evolution and history of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) under domestication: new morphometric perspectives to understand seed domestication syndrome and reveal origins of ancient European cultivars. Ann Bot, 2010, 105: 443-455.

[67] This P, Lacombe T, Thomas MR. Historical origins and genetic diversity of wine grapevines. Trends Genet, 2006, 22: 511-519.

[68] Turner SD, Brown AG. Vitis pollen dispersal in and from organic vineyards: I. Pollen trap and soil pollen data. Rev Palaeobot Palyno, 2004, 129: 117-132.

[69] Van Zeist W, Bottema S. Palynological investigations in western Iran. Palaeohist Bussum, 1977, 19: 19-85.

[70] Vassilczenko LT. Rechinger KH. Vitaceae. Flora Iranica, 1970, Graz: Academische Druck Verlagsanstalt 1 5

[71] Wan Y, Schwanninger H, Li D, Simon CJ, Wang Y, He P. The ecogeographic distribution of wild grapevine germplasm in China. Vitis, 2008, 47: 77-80.

[72] Zecca G, Abbott JR, Sun WB, Spada A, Sala F, Grassi F. The timing and the mode of evolution of wild grapevines (Vitis). Mol Phylogenet Evol, 2012, 62: 736-747.

[73] Zohary M. 1973. Geobotanical foundations of the Middle East. 2 vols. Stuttgart: Fischer, p. 1–739

[74] Zohary D, Hopf M. Domestication of plants in the Old World, 1993, Oxford: Clarendon Press 1 280