Javad Motamedi (Torkan); Esmaeil Sheidai Karkaj; Yaser Ghasemi Aryan
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 17 April 2023
Abstract
The presentation of management models in the natural area is of great importance due to the large extent and inaccessibility of the whole surface. In this regard, Imam Kandi mountain rangelands were targeted for presenting a spatial-ecological model. Homogeneous ecological units were prepared by incorporating ...
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The presentation of management models in the natural area is of great importance due to the large extent and inaccessibility of the whole surface. In this regard, Imam Kandi mountain rangelands were targeted for presenting a spatial-ecological model. Homogeneous ecological units were prepared by incorporating layers of elevation, slope, geographical orientation and plant types. Considering the ecological and environmental characteristics of each homogeneous ecological unit and considering the criteria and index for evaluating rangeland utilization, we evaluated the power and suitability of using rangelands. According to the range condition and trend of the rangeland, the rangeland method and grazing systems were presented for each of the classes. Based on the results of 23 homogeneous ecological units, it was identified that many of them belong to rangeland lands with grades 1 to 3. Accordingly, equilibrium range management was considered in 26.9% (244.4 ha) of rangelands with good condition and class 1 power. In 37.4% (346.4 hectares) with moderate condition and class 2 power, natural range management was recommended. Artificial range management or range improvement were recommended for 35.7% (329.9 ha) of poor and class 3 land. In order to prevent erosion and increase forage production, artificial range management was recommended for abandoned fields. The results indicate that application of spatial-ecological model and consequently identification of ecological homogeneous zones as management and planning units at macro level as a cost-effective method, in addition to assessing rangelands power, can enable rangeland management in proposing the rangeland method and grazing systems and assist in localization of range improvement operations.
Elham Fakhimi; Javad Motamedi (Torkan); Zeinab Gholipour
Volume 30, Issue 1 , April 2023, , Pages 60-93
morteza Khodagholi; Razieh Saboohi; Mina Bayat; Parvaneh Ashouri; Javad Motamedi (Torkan)
Volume 29, Issue 4 , January 2023, , Pages 530-541
Abstract
Understanding the environmental factors affecting the establishment of vegetation, can help in the proper management of rangeland ecosystems. Optimal habitat has a beneficial effect on the survival and reproduction of species. With the advancement of statistical science and GIS, it has become possible ...
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Understanding the environmental factors affecting the establishment of vegetation, can help in the proper management of rangeland ecosystems. Optimal habitat has a beneficial effect on the survival and reproduction of species. With the advancement of statistical science and GIS, it has become possible to predict the habitat of plant species using modeling methods. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of preparing a forecast map of B. tomentellus habitats based on the climate forecast model in South Zagros (Fars province). First, using 29 synoptic stations inside and adjacent areas, a database including variables of precipitation, night temperature, daily temperature and average temperature was formed and 19 climatic measures were calculated. Also, using a digital height model with an accuracy of 30 meters, three physiographic variables including slope, direction and height were prepared. Then, using updated maps of ecological zones and field visits, the presence and absence points of B. tomentellus were identified. Using logistic regression, the growth behavior of this species in the South Zagros region was determined and the model map and the corresponding equations were calculated in the current conditions. Using current equations and placement of data extracted from the Worldclime database, the future distribution map of B. tomentellus for 2050 was generated under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios. The results showed that B. tomentellus species will migrate to higher altitudes of 170 and 260 m, respectively, in the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Also, the area of suitable habitat areas, from 26.8% of the area of South Zagros rangeland habitats in the current conditions, to 8.5% under the RCP4.5 scenario and 1.7% under the pessimistic scenario (RCP8.5) in 2050 Will be reduced.
Amir Ghorbankhani; Hossein Arzani; Ali Tavili; Javad Motamedi
Volume 29, Issue 1 , February 2022, , Pages 1-10
Abstract
Salsola laricina is one of the main elements of vegetation communities in the steppe rangelands of the dryland region, which protects it from disturbances and provides conditions that can preserve its ability to rehabilitate after chest, is one of the basic requirements of rangeland management in such ...
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Salsola laricina is one of the main elements of vegetation communities in the steppe rangelands of the dryland region, which protects it from disturbances and provides conditions that can preserve its ability to rehabilitate after chest, is one of the basic requirements of rangeland management in such fields. Therefore, in the present study, the variability of structural and functional traits and morphological characteristics and seed germination were tested under supportive grazing. For this purpose, by establishing a sampling system inside and outside of the 10 year old Khoshkerood detention, the vegetation cover and structural and functional traits of Salsola laricina species, such as crown cover, density and forage production in the field were measured. Seed of healthy and healthy rootstocks, morphological characteristics and seed germination, such as; 1000 seed weight, germination percentage, germination rate, root length, stem, seedling, and finally vigor index (straw) Seed) was measured in laboratory conditions. The results showed that the values of structural and functional traits, inside the enclosure, are more than outside the enclosure. In this regard, the percentage of crown cover, density, and amount of production of Salsola laricina species were respectively in the enclosure relative to the outcrop, 5.46 and 3.6%, 21600 and 17000 bases per hectare and 161.4 and 12.71 kg respectively hectare. The average of morphological and germination characteristics of the seeds collected from the intruder was also greater than the outside grazing. So that the highest index of seed vigor as a sum of outcomes of morphological and germinating properties in inoculated and outcroped seeds is 389.88 and 1037.37, respectively. The increase of these values in the enclosure relative to the outcrop; indicates the effect of supportive grazing on the improvement of structural and functional characteristics and the morphological and seed germination characteristics of rangeland species in vulnerable ecosystems in arid areas.
Hasan Eslami; Javad Motamedi (Torkan); Habib Nazarnejad; Esmael Sheidaye Karkaj
Volume 26, Issue 3 , September 2019, , Pages 613-628
Abstract
Species diversity is one of the characteristics indicating changes in rangelands. In this regard, the relationship between range condition as a result of managerial measures and species diversity was investigated. Spearman correlation test and one-way analysis of variance were used for ...
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Species diversity is one of the characteristics indicating changes in rangelands. In this regard, the relationship between range condition as a result of managerial measures and species diversity was investigated. Spearman correlation test and one-way analysis of variance were used for testing the variations of Shannon-Wiener diversity index values of plant types with their conditions. Then, by plotting rank-frequency curves and applying the frequency distribution models, the vegetation types with higher diversity were identified and their relationship with range condition was interpreted. The results showed that Shannon-Wiener diversity index had no significant correlation with range condition. Range condition had no significant effect on the amount of diversity and all three categories of condition (good, average, poor) were classified according to the mentioned index. In general, no significant trend was observed between range condition and amount of diversity. The results suggest that the high values of numerical indices of diversity are not the reason for the improvement of range condition, but their species composition and abundance should also be investigated. Drawing rank-frequency curves and matching the frequency distribution models showed that plant types with good and moderate condition, species with less abundance, were less frequently observed and its curve had a mild slope than those with poor condition, so their diversity was higher. In most plant types, the geometric series model was consistent, indicating low plant diversity and poor range condition. In general, concerning the degree of conformity of the results of the frequency distribution models with the condition of the plant types, the results emphasize the need to pay attention to the parametric indices of species diversity in rangeland health assessment.
Morteza Mofidi chelan; hosein Barani; Ahmad Abedi sarvestani; javad Moetamedi; Alireza darban Astane
Volume 24, Issue 2 , July 2017, , Pages 309-324
Abstract
Evaluation of environmental-ecological sustainability is considered as one of the most important tools in sustainable development planning process. Therefore, attention to this issue is inevitable in policy-making and planning. There are no definite indices in relation to assessing environmental-ecological ...
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Evaluation of environmental-ecological sustainability is considered as one of the most important tools in sustainable development planning process. Therefore, attention to this issue is inevitable in policy-making and planning. There are no definite indices in relation to assessing environmental-ecological sustainability in rangelands and range allotments. Consequently, developing and validating of environmental sustainability evaluation indices in order to assessing sustainability in range allotments seem to be necessary. In the present study, 40 assessing indices of environmental-ecological sustainability were studied through exploratory interviews and literature review and then were subjected to the judgment of university professionals, experts and local elites using questionnaires. For validation and consensus, in addition to descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance was used. Indices like animal diversity, visual quality, sonic pollution level and air pollution level received low scores due to lack of suitability with rangeland allotments in regional scale. Among the indices, the highest and lowest scores were related to rangeland area and air pollution level, respectively. In the present study, 16 indices, as six components, were introduces, which could be a start point for developing a national model of evaluating sustainability indices, creating database of sustainability indices and quantifying them for obtaining sustainable development in natural resources, especially rangelands. Also, executive organizations could apply these indices for improving rangelands and beneficiaries’ condition as well as moving toward sustainability.
ali goharnejad; pejman tahmasebi; esmael asadi; javad motamedi
Volume 24, Issue 1 , May 2017, , Pages 1-15
Abstract
In contrast to the taxonomic biodiversity, based only on the relative abundance of species in the community, functional diversity summarizes various aspects of the biological composition and, hence, the role of populations in the community. Functional diversity may be linked directly to the ecosystem ...
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In contrast to the taxonomic biodiversity, based only on the relative abundance of species in the community, functional diversity summarizes various aspects of the biological composition and, hence, the role of populations in the community. Functional diversity may be linked directly to the ecosystem services; the plant biomass encompasses many ecosystem services such as food supply, conservation, tourism, and pollination. In this study, we tested several hypotheses (1) existence of a close relationship between species richness and plant biomass (2) existence of a close relationship between FAD2 (Functional Diversity index) and plant biomass (3) explaining the high percentage of plant biomass variations. The results showed that the species richness in order to predict the plant biomass with a correlation coefficient equal to three does not count as a proper indicator. However, the correlation coefficient of FAD2 Functional Diversity with plant biomass was about 0.4, which is relatively good indicator to estimate the plant biomass because of explaining a significant percentage of the biomass variations. Finally, our results clearly showed that the incorporation of abiotic factors, plant traits and functional diversity (FAD2), containing the parameters of rainfall, leaf length, plant height and FAD2 index, could explain 75% of plant biomass variations and was considered as the most appropriate model predicts plant biomass.
savan shahrokhi; Mahshid Souri; javad moetamedi; Alireza Eftekhari
Volume 24, Issue 1 , May 2017, , Pages 98-109
Abstract
Global warming has devastating effects on the lives of organisms, causing damage to natural ecosystems, floods, droughts and climatic and ecological imbalance. Resonance effects of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of carbon dioxide concentration causes warming, melting polar ice caps, ...
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Global warming has devastating effects on the lives of organisms, causing damage to natural ecosystems, floods, droughts and climatic and ecological imbalance. Resonance effects of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of carbon dioxide concentration causes warming, melting polar ice caps, massive flooding, and deforestation. Biological carbon sequestration is soil and plants' ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in plant and soil. Therefore, it is a method that helps to reduce atmospheric carbon and to mitigate the consequences of climate changes. In this project, the effects of restoration rangeland practices (contour furrow) on carbon sequestration were investigated in Khalifan region of Mahabad. For this purpose, in each study site (contour furrow and control), four 100-m transects were established. Along each transect, five plots spaced 20 m apart were set up systematically. At the beginning and end of each transect, a profile was excavated at two depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). Soil and plant samples were transferred to the laboratory. Plant biomass was measured in all plots by cutting and weighing method. Carbon sequestration rate was determined for each of the samples. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and T-test. The results indicated that the highest rate of carbon sequestration in the study sites belonged to the litter. The results demonstrated that the rate of carbon sequestration in both biomass and soil in contour furrow site was higher in comparison with control site. This can be due to the positive effect of contour furrow practice on the amount of participation storage in soil, run off and erosion control and increasing the vegetation.
Javad Moetamedi; saeedeh Toupchizadegan
Volume 23, Issue 3 , January 2017, , Pages 527-542
Abstract
Determining the allowable use is one of the basic requirements to calculate the grazing capacity in range management plans. In this study, initially, the range condition and trend of vegetation types and the suitability class of soil susceptibility to erosion were determined. Then, the allowable use ...
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Determining the allowable use is one of the basic requirements to calculate the grazing capacity in range management plans. In this study, initially, the range condition and trend of vegetation types and the suitability class of soil susceptibility to erosion were determined. Then, the allowable use was determined for each vegetation type regarding the mentioned indices and that the allowable use in each climate region is recommended differently to maintain rangeland health. The maximum allowable use for the study rangelands, representing mountainous semi-steppe, was calculated to be 40%. The allowable use of other vegetation types was determined regarding the limitations of indices. According to the results, the allowable use was calculated to be 40%, 30%, 25%, and 15% for 21.4%, 13.6%, 19.3%, and 27.6% of the study rangelands, respectively. Around 18.1% of the study rangelands were classified as non-utilizable due to the poor range condition, negative trend and the soil susceptible to erosion. In most areas, poor range condition and negative trend acted as a limiting factor and led to a low estimate of allowable use. Therefore, care must be taken in selecting the indices affecting the allowable use of range habitats and in addition to plant health, range condition and trend as well as ecosystem health should be considered.
Javad Motamedi; Hosein Arzani; Esmaeel Sheidaye Karkaj; Ahmad Alijanpour
Volume 20, Issue 4 , March 2014, , Pages 653-668