Ali Shahbazi; Farhad Aghajanlou; Fatemeh Einlou; Mamak Ahmadian
Volume 21, Issue 4 , March 2015, , Pages 718-730
Abstract
Determining land capability based on land suitability, climatic characteristics, and soil physical and chemical properties is considered as a method of achieving sustainable management. In this study, FAO model was used to determine land capability. To describe the spatial results, Geographical Information ...
Read More
Determining land capability based on land suitability, climatic characteristics, and soil physical and chemical properties is considered as a method of achieving sustainable management. In this study, FAO model was used to determine land capability. To describe the spatial results, Geographical Information System (GIS) was used. Spatial data, as maps, and descriptive data, as database table, were entered into the GIS environment. The results of current land suitability model for irrigated agriculture and garden land use showed that 64.5% was in N2 class, 17.86% in N1 class, 17% in S3 class and 0.64% in NR class. For dry farming land use, 64.5% was in N2 class, 18.86% in S3 class, 17% in S2 class, and 0.64% in NR class. For rangeland use, 32% was in S3 class, 32.5% in N1 class, and 35.5% in NR class. For forest land use, 64.5% was in N1 class and 35.5% in NR class. From overlaying the current land use map with the current land suitability map, it was found that only 25.5 % of irrigated agriculture land use, 82 % of dry farming land use and 30.3% of rangeland use were consistent with their land suitability map, being exploited properly
Fazel Amiri; Hossein Arzani
Volume 20, Issue 1 , June 2013, , Pages 50-71
Abstract
Range inventory is the recognition and evaluation of potential and actual production in order to take optimal utilization of this valuable natural resource. In this research, range suitability model for common use was determined by FAO (1991) and GIS with consideration of factors that affect the range ...
Read More
Range inventory is the recognition and evaluation of potential and actual production in order to take optimal utilization of this valuable natural resource. In this research, range suitability model for common use was determined by FAO (1991) and GIS with consideration of factors that affect the range suitability for grazing. Sampling was performed in vegetation types randomly through the establishment of three transects of 200 m. Cover percentage and production were measured in quadrates of 1m2. Three criteria of available forage, water resources and erosion sensitivity were integrated to classify range lands suitability for livestock grazing. According to the results, there was no class of S1, however 694.36 hectares (9.7%) of rangeland was classified as class S2 and 5439.35 hectares (75.9%) was classified as class S3 with high limitation. In addition, 1025.81 hectares (14.3%) was not suitable for common grazing (class N). Most important limiting factors in soil erosion models were types of land use and land cover. Generally, there was no serious problem in terms of water resources in the study area. Only, in some parts of the watershed high distances from watering point and slope caused reduction in grazing suitability. Among rangeland characteristics cover and production were most important limiting factors in the study area.
Fazel Amiri; Hosein Arzani
Volume 19, Issue 1 , June 2012, , Pages 159-177
Abstract
Rangeland evaluation is defined as identification and assessmnet of actual and potential production in order tohave a sustainable utilization ofthisvaluable resource. One of the important indirect applications in multiple use of rangelands is Apiculture. In this study, site priority for apiculture was ...
Read More
Rangeland evaluation is defined as identification and assessmnet of actual and potential production in order tohave a sustainable utilization ofthisvaluable resource. One of the important indirect applications in multiple use of rangelands is Apiculture. In this study, site priority for apiculture was investigated in rangelands of Ghareh Aghach at Semirom in order to have a sustainable utilization of these rangelands. Suitability model for apiculture was formed from integration of three criterias of vegetation cover, environmental factors and water resources availability using FAO method (1991) and Geographic Information System. Afterward, priority of the vegetation types for apiculture was determined through AHP method. Samples were randomly collected along threetransects of two hundred meters longin each vegetation type. Presence and absence, cover percentage, diversity and vegetation composition of pollen and nectar plants were measured using 1m2 quadrates. To determine the priority of the factors, question sheets were used. The results of priority indicated that apiculture suitability of the vegetation types was different. According to the results, index weight of vegetation cover factor (0.687) was more than that of environmental factors(0.244) and water resource availability (0.069). As.ad-Ag.tr-Da.mu and Co.ba-As.sp vegetation types with a weight of 0.092 showed the highest priority in terms of apiculturalwhileAg.tr with a weight of 0.028 had the lowest priority among vegetation types. Generally, the results of apiculture model showed that 29% of land units (vegetation type) was classified as high suitable (S1), 59% with moderate suitability (S2), 6% with low suitability (S3) and 6% non suitable for apiculture. Considering the suitability and priority areas for apiculture is very important in improvement of range condition.