Hamidreza Mirdavoudi; Ehsan Zandi Esfahan; Gholamreza Goudarzi; Ali Famaheini
Volume 28, Issue 2 , June 2021, , Pages 328-340
Abstract
In this study, the initial assessment of carbon storage in plant communities of Lycium depressum Stocks and Zygophylum fabago L. was done in the Meyghan playa, Arak. Plant sampling was done by the random-systematic method. To determine the aboveground and underground biomass, ...
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In this study, the initial assessment of carbon storage in plant communities of Lycium depressum Stocks and Zygophylum fabago L. was done in the Meyghan playa, Arak. Plant sampling was done by the random-systematic method. To determine the aboveground and underground biomass, a clipping method was used, and these organs were weighed separately. The organic carbon of plant samples was determined by the ash method. Soil studies were performed in each plant type, in the depth of plant rooting, as well as in areas without plants. The data were analyzed by SPSS24 software. The results showed that the soil and plant average carbon sequestration of Z. fabago habitat was 14.61 and 0.18, and in L. depressum type was 13.8 and 0.425 ton/ha. This difference was not significant at the 5% level. Soil carbon sequestration increased significantly in areas covered with studied species (t = - 6.902, p < /em> = 0.001), compared to the areas without any vegetation cover. The carbon conversion coefficient of above and underground organs of the studied plants was significant at the level of 5% and the carbon sequestration of aboveground parts of the plant to underground carbon sequestrated ratio in Z. fabago and L. depressum was 2.43 and 2.08, respectively. Considering the carbon storage capacity of plants studied (in the soil and plant), it can be concluded that these plants can play an important role in carbon sequestration at the least possible cost, and mitigation of climate change consequences in arid regions.
Sedighe Zarekia; Parvaneh Ashouri; Mohammad Fayaz; Mahmood Goudarzi; Niloofar Zare
Volume 21, Issue 4 , March 2015, , Pages 676-684
Abstract
Livestock is one of the components of rangeland ecosystems. Different grazing behaviors would be observed according to the climatic conditions, the type of livestock and vegetation. Knowledge of livestock grazing behavior on rangelands could be useful in the planning and utilization of rangelands. For ...
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Livestock is one of the components of rangeland ecosystems. Different grazing behaviors would be observed according to the climatic conditions, the type of livestock and vegetation. Knowledge of livestock grazing behavior on rangelands could be useful in the planning and utilization of rangelands. For this purpose, in this study, the grazing behavior of sheep in the steppe rangeland of Saveh was investigated. Initially, a three-year-old ewe was selected, then, using a geographic positioning system (GPS), the path of movement, the time of arrival and departure of livestock, time of rest and movement speed were recorded. Data were entered into the GIS and statistically analyzed using two-way analysis of variance. Results showed that, except for the livestock average speed, there was no significant difference among the measured parameters of grazing behavior during the four years of study. The time spent for movement and rest in different months of the grazing seasonshowed significant differences, while the length of the grazing path had no significant difference during different months. The highest time spent for movement and rest was attributed to May, although the grazing distance in May was not significantly different from other months, indicating the presence of more and better forage for grazing in this month. The lowest average speed of livestock was recorded in May. The most covered distance by sheep occurred in slope gradient ranging from 0 to 8% with dominant cover of Artemisia sieberi and Salsola laricina. Generally, it could be concluded that livestock grazing behavior and rangeland management could be better evaluated using GPS technology and GIS.
Hosein Arzani; Farajollah Tarnian; Javad Motamedi; Morteza Khodagholoi
Volume 21, Issue 2 , August 2014, , Pages 198-207
Abstract
Forage quality is one of the most important factors in determination of the rangeland grazing capacity and also indicates the sufficiency of nutritive requirements of grazing animals. In this research, the samples of range species (including; Acantholimon festucaceum, Andrachne fruticulosa, Artemisia ...
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Forage quality is one of the most important factors in determination of the rangeland grazing capacity and also indicates the sufficiency of nutritive requirements of grazing animals. In this research, the samples of range species (including; Acantholimon festucaceum, Andrachne fruticulosa, Artemisia sieberi, Euphorbia decipiens, Noaea mucronata, Scariola orientalis, Stachys inflate, Stipa Arabica and Stipa barbata) in Maime, which were dominant in region, were collected in three phenological stages (vegetative, flowering and seeding) in three replications, and five individual plants were collected in each replication. Then, plant samples were chemically dissolved to measure the nitrogen (N) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). A split plot in a completely randomized design was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that the mean of effective indices on forage quality had considerable changes in phenological stages and it had significant influence on the forage quality. With progress of growth stages, the amount of crude protein (CP), dray mater digestibility (DMD) and metabolism energy (ME) decreased and the amount of acid detergent fiber (ADF) increased. In addition, results showed that crude protein amounts of all studied species in vegetative and flowering stage swere more than critical level (7%) for need of daily animal requirement and in seeding stage was less than animal requirement. Mean value of dray mater digestibility (DMD) in vegetative stage was more than critical level (50%), and in flowering stage and seeding stage were less than its critical level for need of maintenance. The mean value of metabolism energy in all three phenological stages was less than critical level (8 Mj/Kg/DM) for need of maintenance of single animal unit. This suggests that desirable quality of pasture forage at different grazing times is not same and determination of daily animal unit requirement based on forage quality is needed. In general, the studied ranges are desirable in terms of supplying the required daily crude protein for animal units, grazing in rangelands, but in terms of providing metabolism energy are undesirable.
Hamidreza Mirdavoodi
Volume 21, Issue 1 , June 2014, , Pages 165-175
Abstract
In this study, the adaptation of six species was investigated in a split plot design for autumn and spring sowings with three replications. The study was conducted in Khoshkrood Aquifer, located in the northwestern of Saveh for three years (2007-2010). The study area has a mean annual rainfall of 234.8 ...
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In this study, the adaptation of six species was investigated in a split plot design for autumn and spring sowings with three replications. The study was conducted in Khoshkrood Aquifer, located in the northwestern of Saveh for three years (2007-2010). The study area has a mean annual rainfall of 234.8 mm, loamy-textured soil, low soil salinity, a soil alkalinity of 8.1 with an appropriate infiltration and high drainage. The study range species were cultivated in pots with a distance of 2.5 m from each other, in late December and early March. According to the results, the highest and lowest viability were recorded for Kochia prostrate and Atriplex canescens (76.9 and 61.6%, respectively) and Halimion verrucifera (14.4%). In addition, the study species showed different responses during the years of experiment with a significant difference in the years of study. Results showed that the highest and lowest vegetation cover and vitality were recorded for K. prostrate and H. verrucifera, respectively with a significant difference at 1% level.The results of mean comparisons of vegetation and vitality were significant in different years at 1% level. However, the effect of sowing date was not significant on viability, vegetation cover and vitality, although the values of these factors were more in autumn sowing as compared to spring sowing. Overall, K. prostrate, a native species to the region, showed superiority in terms of establishment, vitality and vegetation cover as compared to other study species; therefore, the cultivation of this species is recommended for this region.
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.
Mostafa saeedfar; Mohammad taghi Feyzi; Amr ali Shahmoradi
Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2006, , Pages 116-126
Abstract
To manage renewable natural resources is impossible, without attention to its ecological characteristic. Therefore study of rangeland species autecology is very importance. In this research, the autecology of Salsola orientalis S.G.Gamelin was studied from 1997 to 1999 in Isfahan province (Mouthe). Thus ...
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To manage renewable natural resources is impossible, without attention to its ecological characteristic. Therefore study of rangeland species autecology is very importance. In this research, the autecology of Salsola orientalis S.G.Gamelin was studied from 1997 to 1999 in Isfahan province (Mouthe). Thus several factors as, geographical distribution, botanical characteristics, phenology, reproduction, seed rate, root system, chemical composition, nutrient value, forage production, disease, climate and its effects on this species were surveyed. This species has wide geographic distribution in the arid land of the world and appear in different vegetation types, also it is dominant in some of the sites in steppe region. This specimen has wide range of altitude from 1000 – 2000 m in Iran and 800 – 2000 m. in Esfahan province. This species is a shrub with 30 – 100 cm. high and in certain regions maybe reach to 1.5 m. Its phenological phenomens occur during long time and is different in different years. Chemical composition showed high protein (% 12), total digestible nutrient (TDN) 62%. Forage production is different according in ecological condition. Salsola orientalis was found in different soils (with different structure and texture) and geologic formation. It is resistant to pests and disease and heavy grazing. This species appears in regions up to 150 mm precipitation and with absolute maximum and minimum temperature, respectively +40 and -20 degree centigrade. For escaping from unsuitable condition it removes it's foliage and modifying growth period length and by this method resistant to aridity