Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forestry, The Center for Research and Development of Northern Zagros Forestry, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, I. R. Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Range and Watershed Management, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, I. R. Iran
3 M.Sc.Student of Range Management, Department of Range and Watershed Management, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, I. R. Iran.
Abstract
Different rangeland management measures such as fencing and improvement can provide the potential for their restoration. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a range of rangeland management measures including fencing, remediation, and grazing on some soil properties in the rangelands of Kurdistan province. We established 25 plots of 1×1 m2 each along two transects with 240 m length (120 m perpendicular to the slope and 120 m parallel to the slope). At each plot center, soil samples (0-15 cm depth) were taken, together with other attributes comprising litter, vegetation, bare soil, and gravel percentages. This resulted in 75 soil samples from three study areas. Furthermore, some chemical soil properties were analyzed in the laboratory after drying and preparing the soil samples. We used one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to analyze the data, as well as Pearson correlation to study the relationship between the parameters. Results revealed statistically significant differences in some soil properties amongst the study areas. In addition, the amount of soil carbon (1.94%), nitrogen (0.205%), C/N ratio (9.48), phosphorus (288mg/kg) and potassium (129 mg/kg) showed the highest rates in the improvement area, whereas all those parameters including carbon (1.25%), nitrogen (0.179%), C/N ratio (7), phosphorus (170mg/kg) and potassium (75 mg/kg) showed the lowest rate across the grazing rangeland. Further, pH (8.27) and EC (174 µs/cm) showed the highest levels in the grazing area. The results of the Pearson correlation showed that the percentage of vegetation was significantly and positively related to all soil properties except pH and Ec. In addition, bare soil and gravel percentages indicated a significant negative relationship with soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. We conclude that fencing and rangeland remediation treatments can enable significant positive effects on soil nutrients that are essential for plants.
Keywords
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