Hamid Niknahad; Abdolbaset Aghtabye; Mousa Akbarlou
Volume 24, Issue 4 , January 2018, , Pages 708-718
Abstract
In view of the increasing adoption of rangeland exclosure in order to rangeland improvement and carbon sequestration, investigation of its effects on the soil properties and calculation of the economic value of sequestered carbon is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate ...
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In view of the increasing adoption of rangeland exclosure in order to rangeland improvement and carbon sequestration, investigation of its effects on the soil properties and calculation of the economic value of sequestered carbon is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in some soil physico-chemical properties, carbon sequestration rate and its economic value following grazing exclosure as compared with open grazing areas in Bozdaghi rangelands in North - Khorasan province, Iran. Therefore, in each area (exclosure and open grazing) three transects of 500 meter length and 200 meter intervals) were set up. Along each transect, five soil samples were taken at the depth of 0–15 cm in a random – systematic method (15 soil samples in each area) and transferred to the laboratory. In the laboratory, some soil physical and chemical properties such as soil texture, bulk density, porosity, saturation percentage, pH , EC , percentage of organic matter, total nitrogen, the amount of cation exchange capacity, exchangeable sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were measured and erodibility index was calculated by using the modified clay ratio relation. Data analysis was performed by using independent t test in SPSS v.16 software. The results demonstrated that establishment of exclosure in Bozdaghi rangelands had significant positive effects on soil physico-chemical properties, and reduced the soil erodability index significantly (P< 0.05). The mean value of sequestered carbon in the soil of exclosure area was significantly higher than that of open grazing area (P< 0.05) and its economic value was estimated to be 4709760 toman per hectare. According to the results, especially the high economic value of sequestered carbon in the soil of exclosure area, establishment of exclosure in the study area is recommended.
Reza Tamartash; Gholamreza Tatian; Bahjat Reihani; Fatemeh Shokrian
Volume 16, Issue 4 , January 2010, , Pages 481-492
Abstract
Investigation on vegetation and soil charactristics of marl lands is important in management programs.The study area was Birjand plain. First, geomorphplogical units were identified using topographic, land usability, lithology maps and aerial photoes. After field controlling, sampling was done on homogenic ...
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Investigation on vegetation and soil charactristics of marl lands is important in management programs.The study area was Birjand plain. First, geomorphplogical units were identified using topographic, land usability, lithology maps and aerial photoes. After field controlling, sampling was done on homogenic units by systematic-randomized method. Size and number of plots were determined by minimal area and statistical methods respectively. Vegetation and soil samples were taken in each plot. Soil parameters such as texture, pH, EC, SAR, lime and gypsum were measuered in the laboratory. Differences between plant communities and reaction to soil variations were determined by analysis of variance and CCA using SPSS and Canoco 4.0 softwares. Results showed that the different plant communities had different reactions to soil charactristics. Suaeda fruticosa, Chenopodium album, Salsola rigida and Aellenia glauca had the highest correlation with SAR but Salsola rigida and Aellenia glauca shown high correlation with EC, silt and gypsum amount. Also, entrance of invador species (Cousinia eryngium) caused to low reaction of plant communities to edaphic factors. Other species had negative reaction to soil salinity and none of them responsed to pH.