Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Desert Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran
2 Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Rangeland Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
4 Ph.D. in Range Science and Research Expert of Natural Disasters Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and objectives
Rangeland management is the science and art of range management and administration, which requires technical and managerial foundations in decision-making and planning to protection, reclamation and sustainably use it, in parallel with each other and in accordance with the range ecological conditions and beneficiary's socio-economic conditions, especially the pastoralists, should be considered. In the technical basics section, there are always several key projects, including planting, plowing, grazing management, Inter Seeding, Seeding, fertilizing, pitting, ripping, and contour furrowing, each of which has criteria and indicators. Has its own characteristics. Considering the vast area and variety of physiography and geomorphology of the rangelands, any tool that can help experts in selecting improvement and restoration projects by combining indicators can be useful. The purpose of this research is to use the geographic information system to locate suitable areas for range improvement and management projects in the Chahtalkh watershed.
Methodology
For this purpose, based on the range condition and range condition trend, a range method was developed for each plant types. For types with excellent to good condition, equilibrium method was recommended, and for types with moderate condition, natural method and consequently grazing systems were recommended. Artificial or improvement range management, were considered for types that were poor and very poor. In the next step, the homogeneous baseline maps were prepared by combining altitude, slope and direction maps. Subsequently, the homogeneous layer was combined with plant types layer and the final homogeneous units. Based on the rangeland condition and suitability yield of plant types, geological maps, soil characteristics, iso-therms, iso-rain and water resources, the characteristics of each homogeneous unit were extracted in GIS environment. Considering effective ecological and environmental criteria and indices to perform range improvement and management operations and to match the characteristics of each homogenous unit, the type of rangeland management and management operations in each homogenous unit was proposed and based on this, a round map was prepared. Finally, by superimposing the map of range improvement and management operations and customary systems, the range management model of the region was presented.
Results
According to the results, a wide range of rangelands have poor and very poor conditions that require artificial range management. The resulting management model showed that in 10.6% of rangelands, contour farro, in 8.3%, pitting and in 5.9%, ripping is recommended. In 29.3% of rangelands, grazing management and in 14.6% prevent livestock from entering (exclosure) are recommended.
Conclusion
The model presented in the Chah Talkh watershed, which was obtained by combining the layers of RANGE condition and range condition trend, suitability yield of plant types, land use, soil texture and depth, elevation class, slope and direction, temperature and rainfall lines, and the map of customary systems, can play a significant role in provide a comprehensive and all-round management. The model enables quick and easy access to all ecological and environmental criteria and environmental parameters for effective range improvement and range management. In this regard, weighting indicators and using multi-variable decision-making tools can play an important role in more precisely choosing suitable places for range improvement and revitalization projects.
Keywords
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