zhila ghorbani; Kiumars Sefidi; Mahshid Souri; Mehdi Moameri
Volume 28, Issue 3 , October 2021, , Pages 395-409
Abstract
Awareness of the extent and impact of vegetation from livestock grazing disorders can be a solution to develop rangeland ecosystem management strategies to achieve sustainability and continuous production in these ecosystems. In this study, the production of aerial and underground organs of grazable ...
Read More
Awareness of the extent and impact of vegetation from livestock grazing disorders can be a solution to develop rangeland ecosystem management strategies to achieve sustainability and continuous production in these ecosystems. In this study, the production of aerial and underground organs of grazable livestock species in the southeastern rangelands of Sabalan under the influence of different grazing intensities and distance from the village as the focus of the crisis was investigated. In addition, the development and evaluation of ANFIS model was presented in order to predict the production of aerial and underground organs of food species and compare the results with the regression model. For evaluation of regression and ANFIS models the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R2) were used. The results showed that different grazing intensities, distance from village and interaction between them were significant effect on the production of aerial and underground organs of palatability species at (p≤0.01). Also, with increasing grazing intensity, the production of aerial and underground organs of these species decreased. The results of ANFIS section showed that in low grazing intensity and distance of about 400 meters, the highest amount of production of palatable species is observed. The lowest production of these species is predicted to be close to the village (200 meters). Moreover, the highest amount of underground biomass at farther distances (600 meter) and lowest amount of that was observed at 200 meter. In addition, ANFIS model with higher accuracy (R2 = 0.98 and R2 = 0.95) and lower error (RMSE = 0.9792 and RMSE = 1.168) than less accurate regression model (R2 = 0.92 and R2 0.77) which also had more errors (RMSE = 2.2835 and RMSE = 3.8954), predicted the production of aerial and underground organs, respectively.
Samira Hajipour; Hosein Barani; Hasan Yeganeh; Ahmad Abedi Sarvestani
Volume 26, Issue 3 , September 2019, , Pages 531-542
Abstract
Livestock grazing is one of the most important factors effective on soil and vegetation structure and function. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the grazing frequency and intensity in the rangeland in autumn 2015. The statistical population was the heads ...
Read More
Livestock grazing is one of the most important factors effective on soil and vegetation structure and function. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the grazing frequency and intensity in the rangeland in autumn 2015. The statistical population was the heads of tribal families in Kuhdasht city (1038 families), among which 310 heads of households were selected by the Cochran formula in stratified random sampling method. Data were collected by questionnaires and direct interview containing seven open questions and 17 closed questions. The validity and reliability of questionnaires were approved by a panel of experts and calculating the Cronbach alpha coefficient (above 0.85), respectively. Kendal correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant relationship between the grazing frequency with the annual mean income and cost of beneficiaries, annual calving of 10 livestock and distance between summer and winter rangelands. There was also a significant relationship between grazing intensity and the annual calving of 10 livestock. The results of Mann-Whitney test showed that there was a significant difference between the index of grazing frequency and intensity in winter rangeland. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis test also showed that there was no significant difference between index of grazing frequency and intensity with utilization type of rangeland.
zhila ghorbani; Kiomars Sefidi; farshad Keivan Behjou; Mehdi Moameri
Volume 25, Issue 3 , November 2018, , Pages 500-511
Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the effects of different grazing intensities on the biomass amount of Agropyron libanoticum and Festuca ovina in summer rangelands of southern Sabalan, Ardabil province. After determining three sampling areas as different livestock grazing treatments ...
Read More
This study was conducted to assess the effects of different grazing intensities on the biomass amount of Agropyron libanoticum and Festuca ovina in summer rangelands of southern Sabalan, Ardabil province. After determining three sampling areas as different livestock grazing treatments (light, moderate, and heavy grazing), plant sampling was performed by a random-systematic method in 25 plots along 600-m transects. A linear regression was used to determine the relationship between aerial and underground biomass. To assess the effects of different grazing intensities on biomass of these species a one-way ANOVA and Tukey test were used. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between aerial and underground biomass of two species in different treatments. Moreover, increasing the livestock grazing intensity resulted in a significant decrease in the aerial and underground biomass and total biomass of both species. In addition, increasing grazing intensity leads to decreasing aerial biomass in moderate and heavy grazing treatments compared to the light grazing intensity (26.31% and 42.24, , for Festuca ovina, respectively, and 22.04% and 48.76% for Agropyron libanoticum, respectively. Increasing grazing intensity leads to decreasing underground biomass in moderate and heavy grazing treatments compared to the light grazing intensity (25.14% and 42.75 for Festuca ovina, respectively, and 9.39% and 35.30% for Agropyron libanoticum, respectively. Generally, grazing intensity reduced the aerial and underground biomass of Agropyron libanoticum and Festuca ovina.Therefore, grazing control in rangeland management is necessary to prevent the destruction of these species.
Maryam Asadi; Kiomars Sefidi; Mehdi Moameri
Volume 25, Issue 2 , August 2018, , Pages 417-426
Abstract
Livestock grazing is the most common type of rangeland uses that can affect the composition of rangeland vegetation, net primary production, stem to root ratio, and nutrient cycle. This research was conducted to study the impacts of various grazing intensities on nutrient allocation of phosphorus, calcium, ...
Read More
Livestock grazing is the most common type of rangeland uses that can affect the composition of rangeland vegetation, net primary production, stem to root ratio, and nutrient cycle. This research was conducted to study the impacts of various grazing intensities on nutrient allocation of phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and potassium in aerial and underground biomass of Artemisia aucheri in the summer rangelands on the southeast slope of the Sabalan. In this study, a systematic-random sampling was employed. Three parallel transects of 200 m length were established in each grazing intensity. Then along each transect, one square meter plots with 50 m intervals were established to collect the aerial and underground biomass. Analysis of variance revealed that the allocation of phosphorus and calcium of the aerial organs were significantly affected by different grazing intensities. In addition, sodium and calcium of underground organs were significantly different at 1% level. The results of this research and the effect of different grazing intensities on nutrient allocation could be used in the identification and management of livestock grazing and rangelands.
Hamidreza Mirdavoudi; Vahid Etemad; Mohammadreza Mohajer; Ghavamoddin Zahedi Amiri
Volume 25, Issue 1 , April 2018, , Pages 116-128
Abstract
Grazing is one of the most important factors in providing environmental conditions for change in species composition, structure and function of ecosystems. West oak woodlands of Iran as a valuable ecosystem are not immune from this threat. Therefore, it is essential to study the various ...
Read More
Grazing is one of the most important factors in providing environmental conditions for change in species composition, structure and function of ecosystems. West oak woodlands of Iran as a valuable ecosystem are not immune from this threat. Therefore, it is essential to study the various aspects of this phenomenon in these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of relative grazing intensity on vegetation characteristics in an oak forest dominated by Quercus brantii. The research was conducted in Dalab Park, located in Ilam province, west of Iran. Information of vegetation, soil and other environmental variables were collected from 53 sample plots (16×16 m) using the random sampling method in various disturbances classes. Two-way indicator species analysis was used for classification of the ecological groups. Indicator species analysis was used to determine indicator species in each class and canonical correspondence analysis to identify the relationship between factors and the plant groups studied. The results showed that the grazing as well as soil, topographic factors and the light reaching to the forest floor was identified as the most influential factors on plant composition. Grazing explained the highest percentage of variance (11.2%) in floristic composition and caused an increased frequency of non-palatable species and resistant species to grazing and soil compaction as well as increasing of annuals including Bromus tectorum, Picnomon acarna, Minuartia picta, Rochelia disperma, Holesteum umbellatum, Lophocloa phlorides, and Valerianella vesicaria. These species were identified as invasive species based on density, abundance, and available resources. On the other hand, it seems that the spread of palatable species such as Vicia sativa,Trifolium physodes, Lens cyanea, and Lathyrus inconspicaus in the moderate grazing site indicates the role of balanced livestock grazing in maintaining the proper species composition in rangelands.
Robab Bagherian; Kiomars Sefidi; Farshad Keivan Behjou; Ali Ashraf Soltani; Behzad Behtari
Volume 25, Issue 1 , April 2018, , Pages 183-190
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of grazing on some physical and chemical properties of soil, in the summer rangelands of southern slopes of Sabalan, three regions with different grazing intensity were selected after field observation and 27 soil samples were randomly taken along three 200-m transects. Soil samples ...
Read More
To evaluate the effects of grazing on some physical and chemical properties of soil, in the summer rangelands of southern slopes of Sabalan, three regions with different grazing intensity were selected after field observation and 27 soil samples were randomly taken along three 200-m transects. Soil samples were taken from the depths of 15-0, 30-15 and 45-30 cm and transported to laboratory and soil properties such as texture, organic matter, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, EC and pH were measured. Analysis of variance and mean comparison were made using Duncan's test. Results showed that no significant difference was found for soil pH and phosphorus among the grazing intensity treatments and soil depths; however, significant differences were observed for other variables. The results showed that organic matter content decreased with increasing of grazing intensity and the lowest content was recorded for the 30-45 cm soil depth in the heavy grazing area. According to the results of this research it can be concluded that soil structure is degraded with increased grazing intensity; therefore, a balanced grazing need to be taken into account in summer rangelands to prevent soil degradation.
Ardavan ghorbani; Ardashir Pournemati; Amin Pourali; mekaiel Badrzadeh; Ali Teimour zadeh
Volume 24, Issue 3 , October 2017, , Pages 581-595
Hamzeh Ali Shirmardi; Atosa Mojiri; Mostafa Saeedfar; Mohamadreza Tatian; Parviz Gholami
Volume 23, Issue 1 , June 2016, , Pages 138-149
Abstract
Livestock grazing can lead to changes in plant composition. In this study, the effect of four grazing intensities including heavy, moderate, light and no grazing (exclosure) were studied on vegetation indices in order to improve management practices and proper planning for sustainable use of rangelands ...
Read More
Livestock grazing can lead to changes in plant composition. In this study, the effect of four grazing intensities including heavy, moderate, light and no grazing (exclosure) were studied on vegetation indices in order to improve management practices and proper planning for sustainable use of rangelands in Karsanak and Bardeh area in Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province of Iran. Therefore, vegetation sampling was done to record canopy cover percentage and vegetation composition under four grazing intensities. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, t-test,andordination method (CCA) to assess vegetation changes under different grazing intensities. Results showed that plant species such as Agropyron repens, Bromus tomentellus, Astragalus effuses and Poa bulbosa were more found in exclosure and light grazing area.The major species found in heavy grazing area were Boissiera squarrosa, Echinops leiopolyceras, Sisymbrium irio and Euphorbia heteradenia. Due to the vegetation damage and reduction of palatable species, a moderate grazing is recommended in the study rangeland.
Parvez Gholami; Jamshid Ghorbani; Maryam Shokri
Volume 18, Issue 4 , September 2012, , Pages 662-675
Abstract
Overgrazing can alter rangeland vegetation in different ways. In this study, we used diversity, species richness and plant functional groups as the alternative to assess the vegetation response to different grazing intensities. This was done under three grazing intensities (long-term exclosure as reference ...
Read More
Overgrazing can alter rangeland vegetation in different ways. In this study, we used diversity, species richness and plant functional groups as the alternative to assess the vegetation response to different grazing intensities. This was done under three grazing intensities (long-term exclosure as reference area, key area, and critical area) in rangelands of Mahoor Mamasani in Fars province. Vegetation sampling was carried out by random-systematic method and measuring the cover of plant species. The results showed that species diversity and richness significantly decreased with an increase in grazing intensity. Also, the cover percentage of Gramineae، Papilionaceae، Primulaceae، Umbelliferae and Valerianaceae significantly showed a negative response to grazing intensity while a positive response was found for Cruciferae، Labiatae، Plantaginaceae and Malvaceae. Moreover, some functional groups such as annuals, therophytes and Gramineae were significantly reduced from reference area to key area. The other finding of this study showed that decreaser plants significantly had less cover in critical area whereas increaser plants had greater cover in critical area. Species with storage of seeds in soil seed bank significantly had greater cover in aboveground vegetation in reference area than those species absent from soil seed bank. Due to the damage of some vegetation indices under overgrazing, it is recommended to make some changes in rangeland management and utilization in order to restore vegetation
Maryam Heidarian Aghakhani; Ali asghar Naghipour Borj; Hosein Tavakoli
Volume 17, Issue 2 , September 2010, , Pages 243-255
Abstract
It is important to know soil propoerties, particulary its chemical aspects, for the proper management of rangeland ecosystems. The aim of this study is to find the impact of grazing on vegetation and some soil chemical properties, in three areas, the key, reference, and critical, Sisab rangelands, Bojnord. ...
Read More
It is important to know soil propoerties, particulary its chemical aspects, for the proper management of rangeland ecosystems. The aim of this study is to find the impact of grazing on vegetation and some soil chemical properties, in three areas, the key, reference, and critical, Sisab rangelands, Bojnord. The vegetation cover data was collected from 30, 1m2 quadrats in each area through random –systematic method. The soil data was sampled from two depths 0-15, 15-30 cm and five composite samples were collected (each sample was mixed of six samples) from each depth in the each area. Some factors such as the organic carbon, the percentage of soil organic matters, total nitrogen, absorbable phosphorus, pH and EC were measured. The results showed that carbon, nitrogen, soil organic matters, phosphorus, and EC were been decreased by grazing, but pH was increased. According to results, forbs were the dominant life form in the reference site. Shrubs cover percentages were been increased as grazing increased. In addition, reference site had species that are more palatable and invaders were more abundant in critical area. It was concluded that heavy grazing intensity cause to decrease of vegetaton and conversion of composition of the species cause to negative conversion in alimentary mineral of soil, sustainable of ecosystem would be endangered.
Reza Bagheri; Mohammad reza Chaichi; Mohsen Mohseni Saravi
Volume 17, Issue 2 , September 2010, , Pages 301-316
Abstract
This research was studied in order to determining grazing intensity effects on soil moisture and vegetation in Khabr region of Kerman province for two years. Natural sites under three grazing pressures (heavy, moderate and non grazed) with same ecological factors were selected from Khabr National Park ...
Read More
This research was studied in order to determining grazing intensity effects on soil moisture and vegetation in Khabr region of Kerman province for two years. Natural sites under three grazing pressures (heavy, moderate and non grazed) with same ecological factors were selected from Khabr National Park and near rangelands. After determining sampling area, soil moisture factor was investigated monthly (on grazing period) in 0-15 and 15-30 centimeters depth of each site with 5 replication and canopy cover sampling was conducted in three temporal stages (before, middle and after grazing) using line transect method in three replication for each site. SPSS package was used for statistical analysis. Result showed that heavy grazing reduced total canopy cover, specialy perennial grass and shrubs, than non grazed site in the end of grazing period. Also heavy grazing reduced the soil moisture content with decreasing rate as 16.87% and 25.07% , than moderate and non grazed sites , respectively. Harmful effect of drought in 2006 was severly affected on heavy than moderate and non grazed site. According to results, non and moderate grazed sites occure in state condition (due to more canopy cover of Artemisia sieberi and other species such as prennial grass) and heavy grazed site occure in transition to downward state condition (due to one dimentional dominant of Artemisia sieberi and emergence of undesirable species such as Marrobium vulgaris and Peganum harmala) in state and transition model of Iranian Artemisia habitat. Thus, without management plan, we will observe dominance of undesirable species and rangelands degradation.
Aliasghar Naghipour Borj; Ghasemali Dianati Tilak; Hosein Tavakoli; Maryam Haidarian Aghakhani
Volume 16, Issue 3 , December 2009, , Pages 375-385
Abstract
Climate change and increase of global warming is one of the most important challenges in sustainable development, which is due to increase of concentration of greenhouse gasses in atmosphere. CO2 is the main part of greenhouse gasses. In order to mitigate atmospheric CO2 and create balance in greenhouse ...
Read More
Climate change and increase of global warming is one of the most important challenges in sustainable development, which is due to increase of concentration of greenhouse gasses in atmosphere. CO2 is the main part of greenhouse gasses. In order to mitigate atmospheric CO2 and create balance in greenhouse gasses, atmospheric carbon must be absorbed and sequestrated in different forms. Rangelands ecosystems have approximately half of the worldٰs land area and they store over third of trrestrial biospher carbon. In order to evaluate the effect of grazing intensity on content and distribution of soil carbon sequestration and plant biomass, a study was carried out at Sisab semiarid rangelands of North Khorasn province. After survey, three sampling area has been specified (reference, key and critical). The content of above ground and under ground biomass carbon, litter carbon and soil organic carbon (in two depths 0-15, 15-30 cm) was determined in three area. The result showed that the total carbon sequestration in reference area was 39.79 ton/ha, in key area was 28.97 ton/ha and in critical area was 24.43 ton/ha. The results of carbon distribution showed that the soil organic carbon content was >97% of total carbon sequestration, In addition the carbon content in underground biomass was higher than above ground biomass. It was concluded that the grazing intensity cause to decrease of vegetation cover, content of plant biomass and decrease of carbon sequestration in soil and vegetation biomass, and soil is the most impotant sink for organic carbon storage in this rangelands.
Hamid reza Moradi; Khalag Mirnia; Shadi Lahur poor
Volume 15, Issue 3 , January 2008, , Pages 369-378
Abstract
Rangelands have covered the majority of the continents and 43 percent of the all lands round the world cattle; so, they are very important in production and protection of water resource, soil and plant cover. The vast areas of rangelands of Kurdistan province are grazed by cattle. The main objective ...
Read More
Rangelands have covered the majority of the continents and 43 percent of the all lands round the world cattle; so, they are very important in production and protection of water resource, soil and plant cover. The vast areas of rangelands of Kurdistan province are grazed by cattle. The main objective of this study was to determine the cattle grazing intensities effect on the soil of Charandoo rangelands which is located 23 km north of Sanandaj. Three different grazing site of: reference (light grazing) ere chosen as the study area. Forage production and physical soil factors such as bulk density, percent of porosity, water content and aggregate stability were measured by standard methods. Ten replications were used in this experiment. The statistical results show that cattle grazing have a significant effect on the plant cover and production. The soil bulk density increased significant with intensive grazing. The water content, percent of porosity and the proportion of the aggregate stability decreased as the result of intensive grazing. The final results indicate that cattle grazing may cause rather big changes on the physical properties of surface soil. As the project region enjoys suitable yearly rainfall, if the intensity of grazing is in a moderate level, the region will be ale to recompense and to make better tolerance the damages arisen from cattle trampling.
Hosein Arzani; Mahdi Abedi; Ehsan Shahriyari; Mahdi Ghorbani
Volume 14, Issue 1 , January 2007, , Pages 68-79
Abstract
Management activities like grazing intensity and land cultivation effects rangelands characteristic. For sustainable utilization of rangeland, information of changes is required. Soil surface indicators and functional attributes help to judging about management impact. So for investigation on these activities ...
Read More
Management activities like grazing intensity and land cultivation effects rangelands characteristic. For sustainable utilization of rangeland, information of changes is required. Soil surface indicators and functional attributes help to judging about management impact. So for investigation on these activities effects in semi arid rangeland, one vegetation community was selected in Taleghan region. Five cases including: three grazing intensities (heavy, moderate and low), recently cultivated and relict areas that were cultivated in last two decades were assessed. Landscape function analysis (LFA) method was used to evaluate management effects on soil surface characteristics and rangeland functional attributes. In this method for determination of three functional attributes of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycle, 11 soil surface indicators were considered. They are soil surface cover (soil protection from erosion), perennial canopy/basal cover, litter (cover, origin, degree of decomposition), cryptogam cover, crust brokenness, type and severity of erosion, deposited material, soil surface roughness, soil surface resistance to distribution, slake test (soil stability test) and texture. Based on the results, land cultivation reduced functional attributes. By increasing grazing intensity, palatable species are eliminated and in heavy grazing area the dominated vegetation cover are annuals. Vegetation and soil surface layer degradation increased soil erosion, created gully and reduced functional attributes. In relict area because of re-establishing homogenous annuals, soil indicators and functional attribute were improved.
Hosein Tavakoli; Abbas ali Sanadgol; Uosef Garivani
Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2006, , Pages 69-73
Abstract
Russian brome (Bromus tomentellus) is a prennial grass with good adaptability to climatic condition of north Khorasan. So, it has promise for using in range improvement projects. Because threre is no enough local information about mangement of this plant, the present experiment has been conducted in ...
Read More
Russian brome (Bromus tomentellus) is a prennial grass with good adaptability to climatic condition of north Khorasan. So, it has promise for using in range improvement projects. Because threre is no enough local information about mangement of this plant, the present experiment has been conducted in Sisab Reaserch Station (SRS) to evaluate the response of this species to grazing intensities and rest grazing. Four grazing intensities of light (20 to 45% of forage removal), moderate (45- 65% of forage removal), heavy (65- 80% of forage removal) and without grazing as control applied by herd of lamb and sheep for three consequent years from 1999 to 2001. The year of 2002 considered as rest period from grazing. Herbage mass and number of plant per unit area measured as an index response. Herbage mass production decreased by reduction in precipitation. Heavy grazing resulted in significant reduction in herbage production and number of plants per unit area, but one year rest from grazing componsated the negative effect of intensive grazing on herbage mass reduction. Management implication based on this results show that plant can tolerate grazing intensity by 45-65% of herbage removal and indicate on the importance of rest grazing on survivance of this plant.