Mahnaz Amini; Hosein Bashari; Mohammad Taghi Feizi
Volume 31, Issue 2 , August 2024, , Pages 129-148
Abstract
Background and objectivesVarious environmental and managerial stresses are severely threatening wetland ecosystems in Iran. The Gavkhouni Wetland, one of the largest and most strategically significant wetlands in the central plateau of Iran, faces numerous challenges. Given its unique ecological importance ...
Read More
Background and objectivesVarious environmental and managerial stresses are severely threatening wetland ecosystems in Iran. The Gavkhouni Wetland, one of the largest and most strategically significant wetlands in the central plateau of Iran, faces numerous challenges. Given its unique ecological importance and the diverse plant habitats surrounding it, studying the vegetation in this area is crucial. Understanding the various conditions of the plants, including dominant families, geographical distribution, biological forms, and conservation status, is essential for any conservation, management, or ecological research activities in this region. MethodologyThe study area encompasses the upper reaches of the Zayandehrud River in Isfahan Province, covering 50,000 hectares with elevations ranging from 1,470 to 2,533 meters above sea level. This region has an arid climate characterized by saline soils, including solonchaks, marshy areas, and sandy soils. The average annual temperature at Gavkhuni Wetland is 17.6 degrees Celsius, with total annual precipitation measuring 91 millimeters. According to the Ambrothermic curve, the area experiences a prolonged dry period from April to November. Field surveys were conducted using 1:25,000 scale topographic maps from early October to November 2021. During these surveys, plant samples were collected, pressed, dried, and identified at the herbarium of the Natural Resources Department of Isfahan University of Technology, with consultation from experts and reliable scientific sources. This research resulted in a comprehensive list of plant species, detailing their scientific names, families, genera, life forms, geographical distribution, and conservation statuses. ResultsThe study identified 100 plant species from 16 families and 65 genera in the region, with 27 species possessing medicinal and industrial properties. The Amaranthaceae family, with 31 species, and the Asteraceae family, with 14 species, collectively constitute 45% of the vegetation cover. Other prominent families include Poaceae with 10 species and Fabaceae with 9 species. In terms of life forms, therophytes dominate at 40%, followed by hemicryptophytes at 23%. Geographically, 71% of the identified species belong to the Irano-Turanian floristic region. Despite the ecological challenges faced by the area, its diverse topography and edaphic factors have fostered significant species diversity. ConclusionGavkhuni Wetland's flora is highly sensitive to climate and management practices. Despite facing severe biological constraints, the region exhibits relatively robust plant diversity. Inadequate management of the Zayandehrud watershed, particularly in Gavkhuni Wetland, has resulted in declining groundwater levels and increased aridity, threatening many plant species with drying, pest infestations, shrub encroachment, and overgrazing. Continued adverse conditions, exacerbated by climate change, pose a significant threat to the region's flora.
Hosein Bashari; Amrali Shahmoradi
Volume 11, Issue 3 , August 2019, , Pages 287-308
Seyed Mehrdad Kazemi; Hamidreza karimzadeh; Hosein Bashari; Mostafa Tarkesh Esfahani
Volume 25, Issue 4 , February 2019, , Pages 789-804
Abstract
Considering the role and importance of grazing on vegetation structural changes, thisstudy aimed to assess the effects of various grazing intensities on vegetation parameters in semi-steppe rangelands of Alavigeh, Isfahan. Three rangeland locations with relatively homogeneous ecological conditions ...
Read More
Considering the role and importance of grazing on vegetation structural changes, thisstudy aimed to assess the effects of various grazing intensities on vegetation parameters in semi-steppe rangelands of Alavigeh, Isfahan. Three rangeland locations with relatively homogeneous ecological conditions and various long-term grazing intensities (light, moderate and heavy) were selected. Four perpendicular transects with 100 meters length (two parallel transects and tow transects perpendicular to the general slope of the area) were established in each site and vegetation parameters including vegetation cover, density and palatability class of the species were recorded in 10 plots. The Margalef richness index and Shannon-Vainer diversity and evenness indices of the plots were calculated. A one way ANOVA was used to compare the vegetation parameters in sites with various long term grazing intensities. According to the results, the sites with low and moderate grazing intensities had higher plant density and vegetation cover compared with site grazed heavily and these vegetation indices varied significantly between the sites (P< 0.05). The species composition of the light and moderate grazing areas mainly included class II species with 72% and 54%, respectively. The heavily grazed site was dominated by the species with low grazing palatability (69%). The plant diversity, richness and evenness indices of the sites with low and moderate grazing intensities varied significantly (p < 0.05). The log normal was the best fitted parametric model among species abundance models for the low and moderate grazed sites, indicating a stable vegetation community. Log series were fitted to diversity data in the heavy grazed site, indicating an unstable vegetation community. RDA analysis revealed that there was a distinct grazing gradient and three vegetation zones could be clearly separated with various vegetation compositions. Although vegetation condition is appropriate in the sites with low grazing intensity, also the vegetation regeneration can benefit from moderate grazing intensity. Biological considerations are required in the management of rangeland ecosystems in arid and semi-arid ecosystems due to the fragile nature of these ecosystems.
Seyed Mehrdad Kazemi; Hamidreza Karimzadeh; Mostafa Tarkesh Esfahani; Hosein Bashari
Volume 25, Issue 3 , November 2018, , Pages 536-546
Abstract
Soil serves as an important rangeland ecosystem component and evaluating the effects of management practices on structure and function of range ecosystems can assist managers to select the best option in their reclamation plans. This study aimed to compare the effects of long-term ...
Read More
Soil serves as an important rangeland ecosystem component and evaluating the effects of management practices on structure and function of range ecosystems can assist managers to select the best option in their reclamation plans. This study aimed to compare the effects of long-term exclosure (33 years) and rest-rotation grazing system on some soil physicochemical properties in semi-arid rangelands of Hamzavi research station, Hanna- Semirom in Isfahan province. Six transects were established in each area and three plots of 2m2 were placed along each transect randomly and 72 soil samples were collected from five points of the plot at the soil depth of 0-10 and 10-30 cm. Soil properties such as pH, EC, CaCO3, organic carbon, absorbable phosphor, total nitrogen, K, Ca, Mg, soil saturated percentage, cation exchange capacity, soil clay, silt, sand, and fine sand contents were measured in the soil laboratory. Independent t-test was used to compare soil properties in both areas. Results revealed that soil properties were more appropriate in areas under long-term rest-rotation grazing system compared with exclosure area. According to the results, most soil properties were differed significantly (α = 5%) due to rest-rotation grazing system in both areas, except pH, Mg, soil saturated percentage, silt, sand, and fine sand contents. This study showed that rest-rotational grazing systems can maintain ecosystem health condition in semi-arid area as well as decrease the costs of animal husbandry and is a more appropriate management option for ranchers compared with long-term grazing exclosure.
Atefeh Shahbazi; hamid matin khah; Hosein Bashari; mostafa Tarkesh esfahani
Volume 23, Issue 4 , March 2017, , Pages 823-823
Abstract
Understanding the forage quality of native species is important to identify the valuable species for range improvement and reclamation as well as determining the appropriate grazing time and rangeland grazing capacity. In the present study, plant sampling was performed for Astragalus cyclophyllon and ...
Read More
Understanding the forage quality of native species is important to identify the valuable species for range improvement and reclamation as well as determining the appropriate grazing time and rangeland grazing capacity. In the present study, plant sampling was performed for Astragalus cyclophyllon and Hedysarum criniferum at three phenological stages (vegetative growth, flowering and seeding) in Chadegan- Isfahan. The samples collected were dried, grounded and analyzed to determine the forage quality. Data were analyzed in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with two treatments and three replications. According to the results, the chemical composition and forage quality of the study species varied significantly (p < 0/05). The Crude Protein (CP), Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) and Metabolism Energy (ME) contents in both species showed a decreasing trend with the development of phenological stages. H. criniferum had higher contents of CP, DMD and ME as compared with A. cyclophyllon in all the growth stages. Our results clearly showed that the study species could be classified as desirable species because of their high nutrition values. Conservation of the species such as these two legumes with a low distribution and high nutrition values as compared with alfalfa is critically important. Therefore, domestication of these two species is highly recommended to supply a part of forage for livestock.
Ali Asghar Naghipour borj; Jamaladdin Khaeddin; Hosein Bashari; Majid iravani; Pejman Tahmasebi
Volume 23, Issue 3 , January 2017, , Pages 442-453
Abstract
The structure and composition of plant communities are mainly affected by fire and grazing, especially in arid and semiarid rangelands. This study aimed to investigate the role of fire and grazing on soil seed bank characteristics (density, diversity and species richness) in semi-steppe rangelands of ...
Read More
The structure and composition of plant communities are mainly affected by fire and grazing, especially in arid and semiarid rangelands. This study aimed to investigate the role of fire and grazing on soil seed bank characteristics (density, diversity and species richness) in semi-steppe rangelands of Central Zagros. A stratified random sampling was used to collect the data from 12 sites with one and five years after the last fire, and with long term light and heavy grazing history. Soil samples were collected in the autumn by auger from 0-5 and 5-10 cm from the soil surface, and the samples were cultivated in the greenhouse. All the germinated seeds were identified and counted for a 6-month period. The results showed that the one year after fire treatment under both light and heavy grazing resulted to a significant decrease in density, richness, and diversity of the soil seed bank. The richness and diversity of soil seed bank in the five-year after fire treatment and under light grazing pressure increased significantly compared to its control site. According to the results, the soil seed bank in 5 to 10 cm from the soil surface did not vary statistically under fire and grazing pressure, indicating the role of soil depth in reducing the impact of fire and grazing. Overall, it can be concluded that the grazing management after a fire event has a key role in vegetation restoration through its effects on the soil seed bank.
Hosein Bashari; Mohammadreza Moghaddam; Abbasali Sanadgol; Hamid Amanlou
Volume 9, Issue 2 , September 2001, , Pages 771-790