Authors

• Reza Yari ¹
• Seyedeh Mahbubeh Mirmiran ¹
• Yaser Ghasemi Aryan ²
• Esfandiar Jahantab ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Khorasan-e-razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Mashhad, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Mashhad, Iran

³ Associate Professor, Department of Range and Watershed Management (Nature Engineering), Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa University, Fasa, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objective
Excessive, unprincipled, and over-capacity use has resulted in the destruction and gradual reduction of rangeland productive capacity. Consequently, the diverse and multi-functional utilization of rangelands reduces livestock pressure, preserves and restores vegetation cover, creates employment opportunities, and increases the income of rangeland users. Beekeeping represents an important aspect of the multi-purpose use of rangelands, which, in addition to producing honey and a variety of other by-products, plays a significant ecological role in pollination and in supporting the survival of agricultural, forest, and rangeland products. It also contributes to increasing beneficiaries' income and improving the overall economic situation of rural residents.
Methodology
This research was conducted to assess the ecological and economic potential of beekeeping within the Jahannama rangelands of Golestan Province. After gathering baseline information, a systematic inventory of plant species was conducted during the entire growing season. The family, scientific name, Persian name, and flowering duration of all identified species were determined using available botanical resources. The research type was applied, and the research approach was quantitative. The data collection instrument consisted of a structured questionnaire, relying on available sources and direct interviews with all beekeepers in the region, numbering 15 individuals. The questionnaire included variables related to inputs consumed, labor (person-days), consumption quantity (kilograms), production input prices (rials), income, production costs, production quantity and price, the number of days and months of rangeland usage, and the beneficiaries’ satisfaction with the vegetation cover of the rangelands for beekeeping purposes. The questionnaire's validity was verified through the opinions of specialists and experienced experts; however, the questionnaire's reliability was estimated using the Cronbach’s alpha method (0.81) in SPSS. Finally, to estimate the profit obtained from rangelands for beekeeping, the indexing method based on the marginal product value approach and the relationship between the number of days of rangeland use, the release of honeybees, and honey production was applied.
Results
Altogether, 134 species of nectar-producing and pollen-producing plants from 80 genera and 31 families were identified in the area. The families Asteraceae (29 species), Lamiaceae (23 species), and Fabaceae (19 species) exhibited the highest abundance. Regarding attractiveness classes, 28, 39, 43, 21, and 3 species were assigned to attractiveness classes 1-5, respectively. More than 64 percent of the identified species were both nectar and pollen producers. Based on regular field observations, the flowering period of plant species ranged from May to September. The majority of plant species (52 species) flowered from June to August, while 20 species flowered from July to August. Therefore, the months of June through August constitute the most suitable period for establishing beehives in these rangelands. The findings revealed that, because the flowering duration of most nectar- and pollen-producing species in the rangelands is 93 days (June–August) and the average number of rangeland utilization days is 74 days, the total economic value of the rangeland—which includes the combined value of all ecosystem services and goods provided by the rangeland system, such as forage, medicinal plants, ecotourism, regulatory services, and other benefits, of which the economic value derived specifically from beekeeping constitutes just one part—was considerable. Therefore, the total value of the rangelands for beekeeping, considering the number of exploitation days and the daily price of honey based on 2023 rates (645,000 Tomans), was calculated to be 13,754,560,500 Rials, and the economic value of beekeeping was estimated as 1,551,438.9 Rials per hectare.
Conclusion
In general, the results demonstrate that these rangelands, due to the presence of numerous plant species, predominantly fall within attractiveness classes I through III, possess suitable and substantial potential for the development of beekeeping activities and for the consequent increase in economic income. This valuable natural resource can be utilized, along with providing forage for livestock, thereby contributing to improved livelihoods and enhanced economic well-being for beneficiaries.

Keywords

• Economic valuation
• multi-purpose utilization
• ecological conditions
• function of honey production
• pollinator