Elham Fakhimi; Touraj Mokhtarpour; Javad Moetamedi; Golnaz Taasoli; Hamzeh Ali Shirmardi; Yaghoub Iranmanesh; Mohsen Habibi
Volume 31, Issue 4 , January 2025, , Pages 357-368
Abstract
Background and objectives
Gandoman wetland is one of the top ten wetlands in Iran, Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari province. This wetland is an important system that contains a vast array of plants and animals and help regulate the climate, as well as provide flood and erosion control, while at the same time ...
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Background and objectives
Gandoman wetland is one of the top ten wetlands in Iran, Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari province. This wetland is an important system that contains a vast array of plants and animals and help regulate the climate, as well as provide flood and erosion control, while at the same time storing and recycling nutrients. Unfortunately, in recent years, due to human interventions, climate changes and improper management, many changes have occurred in this wetland. Therefore, in order to economically value their services and functions, and consequently to optimally utilize vegetation cover and achieve a sustainable management plan, these changes must be identified and evaluated. This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating vegetation cover indicators (percentage of canopy cover and biomass of different habitats of Gandoman Wetland.
Material and methods
For this purpose, different types of the vegetation cover of the wetland were identified. Three transects with a length of 100 m were installed in each plant community. Depending on the plant community and the vegetation cover distribution and the distances between plant points were 50 to 100 meters. Each transacts contain three plots 1×1 were identified. Totally, 30 plot 1×1 were installed in each plant community and the percentage of canopy cover, aerial biomass of plant species, bare soil percentage, density and litter were estimated. The double-sampling method and relationship between the percentages of canopy cover with aerial biomass of plant species of plant species were estimated for forage yield.
Results
The results showed that there are five types of plants in the wetland. Phragmites australis-Carex riparia was frequent dominant species in the Gandoman wetland with an area about 52.90 ha. Wetland vegetation cover was 76.02 percentage and total forage yield was equal to 1695.52 grams per square meter. The greatest forage yield was belonged to Phragmites australis species (2986.7 grams per square meter).
Conclusion
In general, considering the significant amount of aerial biomass of plant types, it is recommended, In order to optimally utilize the productive plant cover and also maintain the sustainable balance of the Gandoman Wetland, plant types have been segmented and areas with plants in danger of extinction are fully protected and in areas with high density of vegetation and high susceptibility to fire, balanced, selective, and periodic harvesting methods should be used to create fire suppression, while taking into account environmental considerations.
ELHAM fakhimi; Foroud Salehi; Saeed Naeem Emami
Volume 30, Issue 4 , February 2024, , Pages 505-520
Abstract
Abstract: Background and objectivesChanging the use of natural ecosystems, including dam construction and also the conversion of pasture land to agricultural land, can cause irreparable damage to different parts of the ecosystem. Based on the research results the most destructive of them is the ...
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Abstract: Background and objectivesChanging the use of natural ecosystems, including dam construction and also the conversion of pasture land to agricultural land, can cause irreparable damage to different parts of the ecosystem. Based on the research results the most destructive of them is the reduction of vegetation, the increase of erosion and also the reduction of biodiversity. In the management of natural ecosystems, monitoring vegetation changes is very important. The present research was carried out with the aim of investigating the changes in the vegetation cover indices and species diversity in the plowed and abandoned agricultural lands and the natural cover of the pastures around the Yan Chashmeh underground dam located in Ben city of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. MethodologyTo carry out this research, four sites including natural pastures around the dam, lands upstream of the dam (rain fields under cultivation), lands where the dam reservoir is being built (plowed and abandoned for less than 7 years) and lands downstream of cedars have been planted for more than 15 years) were selected and in each of the sites, three transects with a length of 50 meters parallel to each other and perpendicular to the slope of the area were established at a distance of 50 meters from each other. 15 plots of 2 x 2 square meters were placed on the transects with a distance of ten meters from each other. And then, in each plot, the percentage of canopy cover, biomass, percentage density of leaf litter and bare soil were recorded. The theoretical estimation method was used to determine the level of plant canopy in the plots. The biomass of the species was determined using the cutting and weighing method. In order to check species diversity, Simpson and Shannon-Wiener indices and to compare species richness, Margalf and Menhinik indices were calculated in Past software. Determining the condition of the pasture was done using two modified four-factor and six-factor methods. Results The results showed that plowing and changing the use of pasture land to agricultural land has caused a significant reduction in the crown cover and, as a result, a decrease in the amount of biomass density, and also a decrease in diversity and species richness in the plowed and abandoned lands compared to the sloping pastures of the region. The results showed that in addition to reducing the cover, plowing has caused a change in the species composition and an increase in annual and invasive species and a decrease in shrub species. According to the results of the change of pasture use, the surrounding pastures decreased from average to weak and very weak condition in plowed and cultivated pastures (upstream) with a negative trend. ConclusionThe measures taken to build the dam and then the expansion of agriculture have caused plowing and soil manipulation in the region. Besides, it is possible that in the long term, abandoning agriculture due to the drop in the water level of the underground dam will cause more soil erosion. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor the vegetation changes in the area of dam construction in the coming years.
Elham Fakhimi; Javad Motamedi (Torkan); Zeinab Gholipour
Volume 30, Issue 1 , April 2023, , Pages 60-93
ELHAM fakhimi
Volume 27, Issue 4 , December 2020, , Pages 772-781
Abstract
Mining has increased dramatically in recent years and, destroys natural resources and the environment. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of mining activities on diversity, richness, evenness and structure of vegetation cover in rangelands around copper mine of Dareh Zereshk located ...
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Mining has increased dramatically in recent years and, destroys natural resources and the environment. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of mining activities on diversity, richness, evenness and structure of vegetation cover in rangelands around copper mine of Dareh Zereshk located in Yazd province. Three sampling sites (0-200), (200-500) and (500-1000) meters far from the mine were selected for the study. Then, on each site, 3 transects of 200 m with 50 m apart, Were affected Perpendicular to the slope direction. In each plot, canopy cover percentage and density of plant species of existing species was recorded. The results of variance analysis for different indicators of species diversity, richness and evenness showed that all indicators had significant differences in the three study areas (p <0.05). So that the richness and diversity indices increased with distance from the mine and instead the evenness index was higher near the mine. Also, increasing the distance from the mine significantly increased the percentage of canopy cover of Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Lamiaceae(p <0.05). In addition, some structure of vegetation cover such as geophyte, chamophyte, hemicryptophyte, shrubs, grasses and perennials were significantly reduced near the mine. In general, the results showed that mining operations had a significant effect on the structure of vegetation in the area and reduced plant diversity. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the pasture damage in the rangeland.
Elham Fakhimi Abarghouie; Seyed Akbar Javadi
Volume 21, Issue 1 , June 2014, , Pages 109-118
Abstract
From the perspective of rangeland ecology, awareness of the effects of livestock grazing on the changes of structure, plant vegetation and soil characteristics is essential. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different grazing intensities including heavy (0-200 m distance from water ...
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From the perspective of rangeland ecology, awareness of the effects of livestock grazing on the changes of structure, plant vegetation and soil characteristics is essential. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different grazing intensities including heavy (0-200 m distance from water point), moderate grazing (200- 800 m) and light grazing (800-1200 m) intensities on vegetation indices and soil characteristics in Nodushan region, Yazd province of Iran. For this purpose, plant vegetation cover and composition were recorded under three grazing intensities. Soil was sampled from depths of 0-30 cm. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA, t-testandordination method (CCA) to assess the vegetation response in different grazing intensities. Results showed that plant species such as Astragalus achrochlarus, Salsola arbusculata and Tragopogon sp.were found in light grazing area.Allysum minus, Artemisia sieberi, Poa sinacia, Iris songarica, Lactuca glacifolia and Stipa barbata were identified in moderate grazing area. Eryngium sp., Cousinia desertii, Bromus tectorum and Peganum harmala were the major species in heavy grazing area.Soil properties including N, P, K, OC, EC and pH were measured. According to the results, nitrogen and soil organic matter were decreased by increasing grazing intensities but P, K, EC and pH were increased. Since grazing pressure causes damage to vegetation and some soil properties, a moderate grazing is recommended for sustainable utilization of rangelands.
Elham Fakhimi abarghoie; Mansur Mesdaghi; ghasem ali Dianati tilaki
Volume 18, Issue 2 , September 2011, , Pages 219-230
Abstract
The large scale degradation of rangelands in Iran can be largely attributed to overgrazing. So investigation on the effects of grazing on vegetation parameters is vital to control the rangeland ecosystems degradation. The object of this study is to investigate the effect of heavy, moderate, and ...
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The large scale degradation of rangelands in Iran can be largely attributed to overgrazing. So investigation on the effects of grazing on vegetation parameters is vital to control the rangeland ecosystems degradation. The object of this study is to investigate the effect of heavy, moderate, and light grazing intensity on production, canopy cover, litter, stone, grovel and bare soil in steppe zone of central Iran (Nodushan summer rangelands). For this research, stratified systematic-random sampling was use in a completely randomized block design. On each plot of 2m2, canopy cover percentages and density of plant species, dry matter of palatable species, litter, stone, grovel, and bare soils were estimated. Classification of the sampling site was based on TWINSPAN (Two Ways Indicator Species Analysis). In order to study the effects of grazing intensities on vegetation parameters and their relationships with the distance of watering points, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation were employed. By using of TWINSPAN, the samples were classified in to, 3 groups. Results were shown that canopy cover percentage of palatable plants and production at different grazing pressure were significant (P<0.05). Litter percentage, stone, grovel, and bare soil percentages of heavy grazing was significantly different with moderate and light intensities of grazing (P<0.05). Canopy cover percentage of unpalatable plants and density of plants were not significant at three different grazing pressure (P>0.05).
Elham Fakhimi Abarghoie; Mansoor Mesdaghi; Parviz Gholami; Hosein Naderi Nasrabad
Volume 18, Issue 3 , September 2011, , Pages 408-419
Abstract
One of the main objectives of ecosystem managements is preservation of diversity. By measuring the diversity and evenness of the species, the necessary management recommendations will be presented. In this research, the effect of slope, aspect and elevation on richness and evenness of plant species were ...
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One of the main objectives of ecosystem managements is preservation of diversity. By measuring the diversity and evenness of the species, the necessary management recommendations will be presented. In this research, the effect of slope, aspect and elevation on richness and evenness of plant species were evaluated at steppe rangelands of Nodushan, in Yazd province. Systematic random sampling method was applied and the size of plot was determined by minimal area. The results showed that elevation had significant effects on diversity and frequency of species and moderate elevation ranges of 2400- 2600 had higher richness and evenness. Slope range had also significant effects on diversity and frequency and high slopes (30- 50%), had the highest diversity. Aspects had no significant effects on indices of diversity.