Investigating changes in vegetation and soil of grasslands in semi-humid areas of Mazandaran province in the years 1396-1400- Asbcher site

Ghelichnia, Hasan; Eftekhari, Alireza

doi:10.22092/ijrdr.2024.131462

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Associate Prof. Forest and Rangeland Research Department.mazandaran Agriculture and natural resources Research and education Cnter,AREEO,Sari,Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Rangeland Research Department. Research institute of forests and rangelands, AREEO, Tehran, Iran.

10.22092/ijrdr.2024.131462

Abstract

Abstract
Background and objective: The monitoring and evaluation rangelands provides the necessary information for the essential planning of rangeland management. As a result, it prevents the destruction of rangelands and water and soil conservation. This research aims to prepare a continuous database of vegetation and soil indicators in rangelands and monitor their changes, determine the relationship between vegetation indicators and climatic factors, determine the trend and intensity of changes in different managements, and provide information for calculating the long-term capacity of rangelands.
Methodology: For this study, the Asbchar site was selected in the rangelands of the Baladeh region in Mazandaran province and was evaluated and monitored for five years (2017-2021). In order to evaluate the indicators of vegetation cover, three transects of 100 meters were placed at a distance of 50 meters from each other. Vegetation and soil factors were measured. Vegetation factors included canopy cover, density and production of plant species, litter, rangeland condition and trend. Soil factors include pH, E.C., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, soil bulk density and soil texture. Ten plots of 1m2 were placed in each transect, and a total of 30 plots were placed in exclosure and grazed areas. The crown cover of any plant species with the method of measuring the crown surface, the density by counting the number of species, the production by cutting and weighing, and the percentage of stone and gravel cover, litter, and bare soil were also measured in the plots. Data testing was done in Minitab16 software.
Results:
The analysis of variance results has shown a significant difference between most vegetation and soil factors in different years. The comparison of the averages of vegetation and soil factors investigated in different years shows that the highest average percentage of the total cover was related to the exclosure region. The highest average value was related to 2010, 2021 and 2019, respectively, and the lowest was the year 2017. The correlation between the total cover of the exclosure region with the total production, the percentage of nitrogen inside and outside the plant, the amount of potassium outside the plant, the annual rainfall, the rainfall of the growing season and the rainfall of autumn and winter seasons in exclosure region is significant. Also, the correlation between total production and annual rainfall, rainfall in the growing season and rainfall in autumn and winter seasons is significant. The correlation between total cover with total production, nitrogen percentage under plants, annual rainfall, growing season rainfall and autumn and winter rainfall in the grazed area is significant. Also, the correlation between total production with rainfall in the growing season and rainfall in the autumn and winter seasons is significant. The step-by-step regression results showed that climatic factors such as growing season rainfall, total fall and winter rainfall, and soil factors such as E.C., pH, % O.M. and %N were used to predict the total cover and production.
Conclusion: The results of this research show a significant difference between the total crown cover, production and density of species during five years. Also, there is a significant difference between the exclosure and grazed areas in terms of all the factors examined in this research. The percentage of coverage, production and density of the perennial grasses and forbs in the exclosure region was higher than in the grazed region. The research results over five years showed that when autumn and winter rainfall and total rainfall and rainfall in the growing season were greater, an increasing trend was also seen in vegetation characteristics.

Keywords

References

Abdelrahim, A., Elbalola, A., Ibrahim, S., Yousef, B., Ahmed, A. and Elshikh. B., 2021. Correlations between Some vegetation attributes and soil physicochemical properties at selected wet season grazing Sites Central Sudan. Journal of rangeland science, 3(11): 310-320. https://oiccpress.com/journal-of-rangeland-science

Abdollahi, J., Arzani, H., Naderi, H., 2013. Stimating of forage production using climatic indicies (Rainfall, temperature and wind velocity), a case study: steppe rangeland, Yazd, Pish-kooh area. Iranian Journal of range and desert research, 20(2): 240-249. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2013.5760

Ahmadi, T., Malekpour, B., Kazemi,S., 2011. Investigating the effect of water on the physical and chemical properties of the soil in the old Lashek Kejur, Mazandaran, Plant ecophysiology, 14 (30: 89-100. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jpec/Article/1084502

Akbarzadeh, M., 2005. Study of vegetation changes in Roudshur exclosure. Iranian journal of range and desert research, 12(2): 165-209.(In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2019.119938

Akbarzadeh, M., Moghadam, M., Jalili, A., Jafari, M. and Arzani, H., 2009. Effect of precipitation on cover and production of rangeland plants in Polour. Natural resources, 4(60): 307-322. (In Persian with English summary). https://www.sid.ir/paper/22973/en

Akhzari, D., Sori, M. and Omidvari, Sh., 2016. Studying the effect of grazing on soil physicochemical properties in a summer rangeland (case study: Zagheh rangeland, Lorestan Province). Range management, 3 (1): 19-32 (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22069/JRM.2017.11754.1227

Arzani, H., Abedi, M., 2015. Rangeland assessment: vegetation measurement. University of Tehran Press, 304p.

Amiri, F., Basiri, M., 2008. Comparison of some characteristics of soil and vegetation of rangelands in two regions of Grazing and ungrazing areas. Rangeland, 2(3): 237-253. (In Persian). https://rangelandsrm.ir

Bai, Y., Wu, J., Xing, Q., Pan, Q., Huang, J., Yang, D. and Han, X., 2008. Primary production and rain use efficiency across a precipitation gradient on the Mongolia plateau. Ecology, 89: 2140-2153. https://doi.org/10.1890/07-0992.1

Baumgardt, J. A., Morrison, M. L., Brennan, L. A., Pierce, B. L. and Campbell, T. A., 2019. Development of multispecies, long-term monitoring programs for resource management. Rangeland ecology and management, 72 (1): 168–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2018.07.010

Bork, E., Thomas, W. T. and Mcdougall, B., 2001, Herbage response to precipitation in central Alberta boreal grasslands. Journal of Range Management, 54:243-248. https://doi.org/ 10.2307/4003241

Boyte, S. P., Wylie, B. K. and Major, D. J., 2019. Validating a time series of annual grass percent cover in the Sagebrush ecosystem, Rangeland ecology and management, 72 (2): 347–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2018.09.004

Chamanpira, R., Siahmansour,R. and Arzani,H., 2020. Investigation the relationship between forage production and canopy of plant species in semi-steppe rangelands of Zagheh, Lorestan. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research 2(27): 204-214. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2020.121970.1729

Comstock, J. P. and Ehleringer, J. R., 1992. Plant adaptation in the Great basin and Colorado Plateau. Great basin naturalist, 52, 195-215. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol52/iss3/1/

Cook, J. G. and Irwin, L. L., 1992 . Climate vegetation relationships between the Grea plains and Great basin. American midland naturalist, 127, 316-326. https://doi.org/10.2307/2426538

Derner, J.D., Hart, RH. 2007. Livestock and vegetation responses to rotational grazing in short-grass steppe.West North Am Nat.;67(3):359-67. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41717615

Epstein, H.E., Lauenroth, W.K. and Burke, I.C., 1997. Effects of temperature and soil texture on ANPP in the US Great Plains. Ecology, 78(8), pp.2628-2631. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Farahani, A., Eftekhari, A., Mirdavoudi, H. and Goudarzi, G., 2022. The effect of exclosure and climate changes on vegetation characteristics in the saline habitats of Meyghan playa margin, Arak. Iranian journal of range and desert research, 3(29): 201-210. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2022.127631

Habibian, M., Eftekhari,A., Khodagholi, M., and Kamali, N., 2021. Investigating the monitoring and changes of plant indices in the semi-steppe rangelands of Khalil Beyg Arsanjan, Fars.Plant ecophysiology, 13(46): 55-69. (In Persian with English summary). 20.1001.1.20085958.1400.13.46.5.9

Hou, Y., Zhou, G., Xu, Z., Liu, T. and Zhang, X., 2013. Interactive effects of warming and increased precipitation on community structure and composition in an annual forb dominated desert steppe. PLoS one, 8(7), p.e70114. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070114

Joneidi, H., Azizi, N., Osati, K. and Bandak, I., 2020. The effects of precipitation variability on the canopy cover of forage species in arid rangelands, Iran. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13, pp.1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05901-x

Jones, M.O., Naugle, D.E., Twidwell, D., Uden, D.R., Maestas, J.D. and Allred, B.W., 2020. Beyond inventories: emergence of a new era in rangeland monitoring. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 73(5), pp.577-583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2020.06.009.

Jongen M., Pereira, JS., Aires, LMI. And Pio, CA., 2011. The effects of drought and timing of precipitation on the inter-annual variation in ecosystem-atmosphere exchange in a Mediterranean grassland. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 151: 595–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2011.01.008

Kachergis, E., Miller, S.W., McCord, S.E., Dickard, M., Savage, S., Reynolds, L.V., Lepak, N., Dietrich, C., Green, A., Nafus, A. and Prentice, K., 2022. Adaptive monitoring for multiscale land management: Lessons learned from the assessment, inventory, and monitoring (AIM) principles. Rangelands, 44(1), pp.50-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.08.006

Lauenroth,W.K., Sala, O. E., Long-Term Forage Production of North American Shortgrass Steppe.Ecologiacal applications, 294); 397-403. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Mc Cord, S.E. and Pilliod, D.S., 2022. Adaptive monitoring in support of adaptive management in rangelands. Rangelands, 44(1), pp.1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.07.003

Mirzaii Mosivand, A., Tarnian, F., 2020. Comparison of vegetation and soil characteristics in two tracts of rangeland, grazed and non-grazed (Case study: Northeast of Delfan County -Lorestan). Rangeland, 14 (2): 71-83. http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-899-1-en.html.

Mirzaii Mosivan, A., 2022. The Impact of Livestock Grazing Intensity on the Quantity and Quality of Bromus Tomentellus Boiss Aerial Organs (Case Study: Northeast of Delfan County), Plant ecosystem conservation, 10(21): 57-67, (In Persian with English summary). http://pec.gonbad.ac.ir/article-1-849-fa.html

Motamedi, J., Jalili, A., Arzani, H. and Khodagholi, M., 2021. Causes of rangeland degradation in the country and solutions to get out of the current situation. Journal of Iran nature, 4(5): 21-44. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/ 10.22092/IRN.2020.122530

Motamedi,J., 2022. Measurement and monitoring of vegetation of saline habitats on the western shore of Lake Urmia, Journal of range and watershed management, 75(3): 449-470. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/ 10.22059/jrwm.2022.341008.1653

Naseri, S., Arastoo, B. and Parvaneh, T., 2021. Influence of climatic factors on forage production and vegetation cover of Iran's upland rangeland (Jashloobar Rangeland, Semnan Province). Journal of Rangeland Science, 4(11): 386-401. (In Persian with English summary).https:// doi.org /680710

Pei, S., Fu, H. and Wan, C., 2008. Changes in soil properties and vegetation following exclosure and grazing in degraded Alxa desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 124(1-2), pp.33-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2007.08.008

Rahmani, E., Jalili, A., Pourhashemi, M., eftekhari, A., Farashtiani, M. and Sefidkon, F., 2022. Monitoring of Iran nature . Journal of Iran nature. 7(7): 67-89. (In Persian with English summary). https:// doi.org /10.22092/IRN.2022.126100

Rashtian, A., Karimipour, Z., Ghasemi, S., 2021. The impact of utilization of rangelands on soil carbon mineralization kinetics ( Case study: Saderabad of Nodoushan steppe (rangelands in Yazd province). Forest and range protection research. 19(1); 19-30. (In Persian). https://doi/22092/IJFRPR.2021.351502.1437

Rivas-Arancibia, SP., Montaña, C., Velasco Hernández, JX. and Zavala-Hurtado, JA., 2006. Germination responses of annual plants to substrate type, rainfall, and temperature in a semi-arid inter-tropical region in Mexico. Arid Environment, 67: 416–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.03.005

Salarian, F., Ghorbani, J. and Safaeian, N., 2013. Vegetation changes under exclosure and livestock grazing in Chahar Bagh rangelands in Golestan province. Iranian Journal of range and desert research,1(20): 115-129. (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2013.2987

Salve, R., Sudderth E.A., Clair, SB. and Torn, M.S., 2011. Effect of grassland vegetation type on the responses of hydrological processes to seasonal precipitation patterns. Hydrology, 410: 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.09.003

Samadi Khangah, S., Ghorbani, A., Choukali, M., Moameri, M., Badrzadeh, M. and Motamedi, J., 2021. Effect of grazing exclosure on vegetation characteristics and soil properties in the Mahabad Sabzepoush rangelands, Iran. Ecopersia, 9(2), pp.139-152. http:// doi:10.1023/A:1017529816140

Sharifi, J., Shahmoradi, A., Nori, A. and Mohammadi, D., 2016. Vegetation monitoring of semi-steppe rangelands in Ardabil province (Case study: Aqdagh pastures in Khalkhal region). Rangeland, 3 (11): 283-293. (In Persian with English summary). http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-503-fa.html

Sheidai Karkaj,E., Jafari Fotami, I. and Niknahad Gharmakher, H., 2016. The importance of climate in determining the effect of rangeland enclosure on change some soil characteristics of rangelands, Desert ecosystem engineering 5(13): 39-56. (In Persian with English summary). https://deej.kashanu.ac.ir/article_112591.html?lang=fa

Sori, M., Bayat, M., Arzani, H. and Khodagholi, M., 2019. Estimation of long-term forage production of Fars steppe rangelands based on climatic parameters. Jouranal of range and watershed, 4 (72): 995-1009. . (In Persian with English summary). https://doi.org/10.22059/jrwm.2020.287255.1408

Xia, Y., Moore, D.I., Collins, S.L. and Muldavin, E.H., 2010. Aboveground production and species richness of annuals in Chihuahuan Desert grassland and shrubland plant communities. Arid Environment, 74: 378–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2009.08.016

Yalcin, E., 2018. The Rlationship among aboveground biomaa, primary productivity , precipitation and temperature in grazed and ungrazed temperature grassland from northern Turkey. Black Sea Journal of Engineering and Science, 1(3): 107-113. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/bsengineering/issue/38628

Yan, H., Liang, C., Li, Z., Liu, Z., Miao, B., He, C. and Sheng, L., 2015. Impact of precipitation patterns on biomass and species richness of annuals in a dry steppe. PLoS One, 10(4). ttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0125300

Zhang, B., Cao J., Bai, Y., Zhou, X., Ning, Z. and Yang, S., 2013. Effects of rainfall amount and frequency on vegetation growth in a Tibetan alpine meadow. Climatic change. 2013; 118: 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106629

Zhao, H., Cui, J. and Zhou, R., 2007. Soil properties, crop productivity and irrigation effects on five croplands of Inner Mongolia. Soil and tillage research, 93: 346–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2006.05.009

Investigating changes in vegetation and soil of grasslands in semi-humid areas of Mazandaran province in the years 1396-1400- Asbcher site

References

References

Volume 31, Issue 1June 2024Pages 28-52

Volume 31, Issue 1
June 2024
Pages 28-52