University of Tehran Journal of Natural Environment 2008-7764 78 2 2025 09 21 Zoning of damage caused by fungal diseases and semi-parasitic plants in the Jahan Nama Protected Area and Golestan National Park Zoning of damage caused by fungal diseases and semi-parasitic plants in the Jahan Nama Protected Area and Golestan National Park 185 200 104021 10.22059/jne.2025.399266.2827 FA Mohamadreza Kavosi Department of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 0009-0000-6717-410X Jahangir Mohamadi Department of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 0000-0003-4836-3073 Vahideh Payamnoor Department of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 0000-0002-8029-5931 Journal Article 2025 07 27 In Golestan National Park and the Jahan Nama Protected Area, changes in forest habitats and the decline of trees due to diseases and semi-parasitic plants are among the main challenges. This research was conducted with the aim of assessing threats and proposing management solutions over an area of 121,510 hectares. Using the center quarter point method, 655 sample plots were implemented at 1000-meter intervals, and data including the number of diseased and healthy trees, the type and location of damage, the percentage of dieback, and the damage rating were recorded. The results showed that 17 species of pathogenic fungi and two semi-parasitic plants, juniper dwarf mistletoe (<em>Arceuthobium oxycedri</em>) and European mistletoe (<em>Viscum album</em>), are active in the region. Disease risk was zoned into five ratings (from healthy to dead). In Golestan National Park (90,193 hectares), 20.34% of the trees were diseased, 58.3% were completely dead, and 37.35% of the area was infested with European mistletoe. In the Jahan Nama region (31,317 hectares), 50.34% of the area was infested with semi-parasitic plants and 1% of the trees were dead. Overlap of damage from fungal diseases and semi-parasitic plants was observed in the habitats of hornbeam, beech, Persian ironwood, and hawthorn, leading to the creation of gaps and fragmentation in the habitats. If these factors are not controlled, widespread ecosystem degradation and large-scale tree mortality would not be unexpected. This study emphasizes the necessity of developing integrated management policies to prioritize conservation actions. In Golestan National Park and the Jahan Nama Protected Area, changes in forest habitats and the decline of trees due to diseases and semi-parasitic plants are among the main challenges. This research was conducted with the aim of assessing threats and proposing management solutions over an area of 121,510 hectares. Using the center quarter point method, 655 sample plots were implemented at 1000-meter intervals, and data including the number of diseased and healthy trees, the type and location of damage, the percentage of dieback, and the damage rating were recorded. The results showed that 17 species of pathogenic fungi and two semi-parasitic plants, juniper dwarf mistletoe (<em>Arceuthobium oxycedri</em>) and European mistletoe (<em>Viscum album</em>), are active in the region. Disease risk was zoned into five ratings (from healthy to dead). In Golestan National Park (90,193 hectares), 20.34% of the trees were diseased, 58.3% were completely dead, and 37.35% of the area was infested with European mistletoe. In the Jahan Nama region (31,317 hectares), 50.34% of the area was infested with semi-parasitic plants and 1% of the trees were dead. Overlap of damage from fungal diseases and semi-parasitic plants was observed in the habitats of hornbeam, beech, Persian ironwood, and hawthorn, leading to the creation of gaps and fragmentation in the habitats. If these factors are not controlled, widespread ecosystem degradation and large-scale tree mortality would not be unexpected. This study emphasizes the necessity of developing integrated management policies to prioritize conservation actions. https://jne.ut.ac.ir/article_104021_80cde360f679a9b32f70a35062c902d8.pdf