Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Farhad Aghajanlou ¹
• Peyman AKBARZADEH ²
• alireza eftekhari ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Zanjan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, AREEO, Zanjan, Iran

² researcher at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Zanjan province, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Rangeland Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction
Increasing awareness of the environment and efforts for sustainable management of natural resources require study and monitoring at different timescales and places. Continuous changes should be considered integral to any ecosystem. As natural ecosystems, Rangelands are not exempt from this issue. Therefore, Rangeland monitoring is a necessary part of the continuous investigation of these lands, considering their ecological importance, economic function, and potential for permanent changes.
Research Methodology
In order to monitor the trend and intensity of changes in the vegetation cover and soil indicators of the Rangelands over a 5-year period, ground data were evaluated and monitored at dagestan, a site in Zanjan province. The measurement of ground information includes plant and soil factors. Plant factors include the percentage canopy cover of the plant species, the percentage of leaf litter, the density of plant species (in the areas and species that can be investigated), the production of plant species, the condition of the Rangeland, and the tendency of the Rangeland. Evaluation was performed using an appropriate method with sufficient samples and proper distribution in different plant communities during Rangeland preparation and repetition. Soil factors include acidity, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, apparent specific gravity, and soil texture.
Results and discussion
The results of the statistical analysis of the measurement of vegetation changes and its effect on soil indicators under the influence of two modes of grazing and flood during a 5-year period were evaluated; The results showed a significant difference between most of the indicators, and in this regard, the amount of total crown coverage and the amount of total production of the Rangeland between the studied years and the type of site were significantly different at the 1% and 5% probability levels, respectively. The highest amount of vegetation cover (56%) was in the grazed area in 2018 and the lowest amount was in the Preserve site (30%) in 1400. The highest total production was at the Preserve site (126 grams per square meter) in 2018, whereas the lowest amount (48.7 grams per square meter) was produced at the preserve Site at 1400. The results of the total species density analysis indicated that there were no significant differences between years and site types, but an interaction was observed between site types and years. However, by comparing the average values of the data, we found that the density of shrubs outside preserveWas higher than that of the grass inside the arq, and the difference was significant. Vegetation under the influence of two types of flooding and grazing can influence some parameters related to soil indicators. The study of the soil in the area under the influence of grazing pressure showed that the increase in the intensity of grazing has caused a decrease in the amount of potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, organic carbon and electrical conductivity of the soil surface.
Conclusion
In general, during the 5-year period, changes in vegetation due to grazing were significant, and the reduction in vegetation had a significant effect on the physical and chemical properties of soil. According to the results, the process of vegetation change in the studied area was slow and was influenced by rangeland management methods. As a result, examining the qualitative and quantitative changes in Rangeland vegetation in certain time intervals and being aware of their conditions is an important part of planning and applying Proper management is the exploitation of rangelands.

Keywords

• monitoring
• rangeland evaluation
• rangeland management
• Zanjan province
• Badamestan site