Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D. student in Range Management, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran
2 Professor, Department of Range management, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Gorgan, Golestan, Iran
Abstract
Knowledge on floristic composition is one of the most important factors in management of rangeland utilization. Improper utilization of rangelands and lack of attention to the ecological potential of range habitats is the main reason for rangeland degradation. In this study, floristic composition and canopy cover of the species of reference area (exclosure), key area (with mid grazing) and critical area (with over grazing) were considered and three areas were compared together. Ranking of the canopy cover percentage was performed through Van-der-Maarel
method and counting the number of the species was carried out using a systematic-random method. According to the obtained results, three relations were obtained as follows: Major biological forms: Therophyte> Hemicriptophyt> Chamophyte> Geophyte> Phanerophyte; Dominant growth form: Herb> shrub> grass> tree; Vegetation ranking based on canopy coverer: reference> key> critical area. In the critical area, due to over grazing and out of grazing season, canopy cover was strongly reduced and plant palatability decreased.
Keywords
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