hosein arzani; Javad Moetamedi; Firoozeh Moghimi nejad; reza siahmansour
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 607-614
Abstract
In the present study, the forage quality of five range species including Astragalus remotijugus, Hordeum bulbosum, Onobrychis melanotricha, Phlomis persica, and Picris sterigosa were evaluated in 2010. At each phenological stage, three samples and for each sample, at least five species were cut randomly. ...
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In the present study, the forage quality of five range species including Astragalus remotijugus, Hordeum bulbosum, Onobrychis melanotricha, Phlomis persica, and Picris sterigosa were evaluated in 2010. At each phenological stage, three samples and for each sample, at least five species were cut randomly. Then samples were air-dried and grinded. The amount of crude protein (CP) and acid detergent fibers (ADF) was measured in laboratory then dry matter digestibility (DMD) and metabolism energy (ME) was evaluated by the proposed equations.Our results showed that the interaction effect of species and growth stage was significant for the forage quality traits studied (p<0.05) and the forage quality of the species study species varied at different growth stages. The highest amount of crud protein (18.17 %) was related to the vegetative growth stage of Phlomis persica, and the lowest amount was related to the seeding stage of Hordeum bulbosum. The highest level of digestibility (66.44 %) and metabolisable energy (9.30 MJ/KgDM) was measured for the vegetative growth stage of Onobrychis melanotricha, and the lowest amount of digestibility (42.65 %) and metabolisable energy (5.25 MJ/KgDM) was related to the seeding stage of Picris sterigosa. It is concluded that vegetative growth and flowering stages are able to provide the protein requirements and metabolizable energy for the animal unit; however, the final stages of growth is unable to meet the protein requirements, leading to reduced animal performance in the rangeland.. Therefore, the use of supplements in the final stage of growth is recommended for livestock maintenance and the economic efficiency of herd.
Morteza Hoseini |Tavasol; Hosein arzani; manoocher farajzadeh asl; Mohamad Jafari; sasan babayee kafaki; asghar kohandel
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 615-624
Abstract
This research was aimed to monitor the vegetation changes in the rangelands of Alborz province during 2000-2011 using satellite images as well as determining its relationship with climatic factors including average rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity. According to the results, the highest NDVI ...
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This research was aimed to monitor the vegetation changes in the rangelands of Alborz province during 2000-2011 using satellite images as well as determining its relationship with climatic factors including average rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity. According to the results, the highest NDVI was recorded for Taleghan followed by Savojbolagh and Karaj, and then Eshtehard and Karaj with less significant difference. Based on the obtained model, the rainfall of November, December, January, February, and average annual rainfall had the most positive impact on the growth of range plants, while other factors including temperature and relative humidity had no significant relationship with the vegetation of the study period. According to the trend of vegetation changes, the amount of vegetation has been reduced after year 2000 and it has increased again in 2011.
Fateme Aliloo; Farshad Keyvan behjou; javad moetamedi
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 625-638
Abstract
The current study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the production of Artemisia aucheri and Agropyron trichophorum and their morphological features and providing regression models. For this purpose, three rangeland sites were selected in Dizaj Batchi and Ghotor Ranglands of Khoy. Stratified ...
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The current study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the production of Artemisia aucheri and Agropyron trichophorum and their morphological features and providing regression models. For this purpose, three rangeland sites were selected in Dizaj Batchi and Ghotor Ranglands of Khoy. Stratified random sampling was used within one square meter plots at 10-m intervals and along 100-m transects. Various regression models including one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and multiple regression models were applied. Among the significant models, the best model was selected at the species level based on model evaluation criteria. The results showed that each of the features investigated had a significant relationship with production. One-dimensional models demonstrated better results and crown diameter (D1) in both species, and all three range sites was chosen as the most efficient morphological feature in order to estimate production. According to the obtained results, suitable models were recommended for the study rangelands and study species.
Morteza abtahi
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 639-647
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the effect of planting depth and rainwater storage on the establishment of range species including Prangos uloptera- Prangos latiloba-Ferula ovina- Astragalus eriopodus -Onobrychis melanotricha. The study was conducted in autumn using a split plot arrangement in ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the effect of planting depth and rainwater storage on the establishment of range species including Prangos uloptera- Prangos latiloba-Ferula ovina- Astragalus eriopodus -Onobrychis melanotricha. The study was conducted in autumn using a split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments included rainwater storage and seeding at planting depths of 1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm. The survival percentage was evaluated for the study species at the end of growth stage during three years. Data were analyzed in MSTATC and mean comparisons was performed by Duncan's multiple range test. According to the results, the highest survival percentage under rainwater storage treatment was recorded for P.latiloba at planting depths of 1 cm and 2.5 cm (73%), F.ovina at a planting depth of 1 cm (100%), A.eriopodus at a planting depth of 1 cm (80%), and O.melanotricha at a planting depth of 1 cm (53%). However, the rainwater storage treatment was not effective on P.uloptera and a planting depth of 2.5 cm showed the highest survival (73%).
reza erfanzadeh; Azade Alamzadeh Gorji; seyed Hasan zali
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 648-657
Abstract
Plant diversity and composition conservation is an important issue in ecosystem management. Therefore, management recommendations could be offered after a precise evaluation of diversity and composition. This study aimed to compare the results of two different methods namely seed germination and combined ...
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Plant diversity and composition conservation is an important issue in ecosystem management. Therefore, management recommendations could be offered after a precise evaluation of diversity and composition. This study aimed to compare the results of two different methods namely seed germination and combined method for determining the composition of soil seed bank. For this purpose, soil samples were collected from two different depths (0-5 and 5-10cm) within 28 paired plots. The seed bank characteristics were then determined through two different methods. According to the obtained results, totally 68 plant species were identified in the seed bank. In both methods, therophytes had the highest relative abundance. However, geophytes and hemi-cryptophytes were significantly higher in germination method as compared with combined method. The similarity between above-ground vegetation and soil seed bank was totally low and it was higher in germination method as compared with combined method. Since plant composition plays a key role in ecosystem function, in this research it was tried to demonstrate the composition of soil seed bank as an important part of plant composition and an important factor in recovery of vegetation.
Vahideh abdollahi; Farhad zolfaghari; Mitra Jabari; Mohamad rafie dehghan
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 658-672
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the effects of crescent pond structure on soil and vegetation properties in the Saravan rangelands. For this purpose, two treatments including crescent pond and control treatment were determined. For each treatment, the density, canopy cover percentage, and litter ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the effects of crescent pond structure on soil and vegetation properties in the Saravan rangelands. For this purpose, two treatments including crescent pond and control treatment were determined. For each treatment, the density, canopy cover percentage, and litter were estimated by random-systematic sampling using five transects of 100 m and 50 plots. Two soil samples were taken along each transect from 0-30 cm depth and soil physico-chemical properties were measured. Data were analyzed statistically. According to the obtained results, significant differences were found for all vegetation parameters between the crescent structure and control treatment, indicating the positive effect of crescent structure on vegetation parameters. The results of soil properties indicated reduced soil salinity; however, the organic matter, potassium, and pH showed no difference between the two regions. According to the results, due to the climatic conditions of the study area, longer time is needed to achieve better results.
seyed hamidreza habibian; gholamali heshmati
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 673-682
Abstract
Different grazing intensities will cause substantial changes in ecosystem function. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of existing management, monitoring of ecosystem structure and function is essential. This research was aimed to investigate the effects of different grazing intensities on surface ...
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Different grazing intensities will cause substantial changes in ecosystem function. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of existing management, monitoring of ecosystem structure and function is essential. This research was aimed to investigate the effects of different grazing intensities on surface indices and soil quality properties in the semi-arid rangelands of Cheshmeh-Anjir, Fars Province. For this purpose, three sites including under exclosure, light and heavy grazing were studied. Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) method was used to investigate the changes among the study sites. One-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test were used for data analysis in SPSS statistical software. According to the results, soil surface indices showed significant differences among the study sites at p<0.05, so that the values of indices were decreased by increasing grazing intensity. Moreover, ecosystem function properties, including stability, infiltration, and nutrient cycling varied by applying different grazing intensities, so that the exclosure site and heavy grazing site showed the best and worst conditions, respectively. Overall, our results clearly showed that the values of functional indices were decreased in the study area by increasing grazing intensity.
majid dashti; Ali ashraf Jafari; hamed zarif ketabi; farideh saghafi khadem
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 683-694
Abstract
In order to determine the effects of phenological stages and the best harvesting time for yield and quality traits in Elymus hispidus (var. hispidus var. podperae var.villosus), an experiment was conducted in Cisab Research Station, Northern Khorasan, Iran during 2005-2006. The seeds of varieties were ...
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In order to determine the effects of phenological stages and the best harvesting time for yield and quality traits in Elymus hispidus (var. hispidus var. podperae var.villosus), an experiment was conducted in Cisab Research Station, Northern Khorasan, Iran during 2005-2006. The seeds of varieties were sown in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with three replications under dryland farming system. Forage yield was cut at six phenological stages including vegetative, stemmy, ear emergence, milky, soft dough seeds and maturity. Dry matter (DM) yield and five quality traits including Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), Water Soluble Carbohydrates (WSC), Crude Protein (CP), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and total Ash were estimated using Near Infra-Red spectroscopy (NIRS). Data were analyzed using a split-plot in time design. Results showed significant differences for all traits among the phenological stages. DMD, CP, and ash were highest when the plants were immature and tend to drop sharply as the plants go to soft dough stage. In contrast, the average values of ADF and DM yield increased from vegetative to soft dough stage. WSC values were inconsistent over different phenological stages. Var. villosus with average values of 50.3, 16.3, and 10.1 percent for DMD, CP, and WSC, respectively had higher quality as compared with other two varieties. Var. hispidus with average values of 1433 Kg/ha DM yield had higher production as compared with two other varieties. However, its quality was low. The results showed that the highest digestible yield and protein yield were obtained in ear emergence stage for varieties. The results of correlation analysis showed positive and significant relationship between DMD and both CP and ASH. Whereas, ADF and same traits was negatively correlated. The correlation between DM yield and WSC with both DMD and CF was low and inconsistent over six phenological stages.
sadat feiz nia; Faranak pourtayeb; hasan ahmadi; kourosh shirani
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 695-710
Abstract
In determining the source of sediments in the basins, fingerprinting technique has been taken into consideration by researchers mainly because of the many problems in applying traditional methods. In the above-mentioned method, the share of source areas in sediment production is determined using the ...
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In determining the source of sediments in the basins, fingerprinting technique has been taken into consideration by researchers mainly because of the many problems in applying traditional methods. In the above-mentioned method, the share of source areas in sediment production is determined using the right combination of separator properties of sedimentary source. The tracers used in this research included P, Na, Ca, Mg, Pb, Cu, Cd, Co, Se and Mn. Co and Cu were selected as suitable combination using discriminant analysis. Finally using this combination and combined multivariate models, the share of six lithological units including Klsol, Omql, TRn, Murmg, Qcf and Mlgs in the sediment production was calculated to be 43.97, 19.62, 15.94, 11.24, 3.31 and 2.32 %, respectively.
hasan khosravi; Esamaeel Heydari; Gholamreza Zehtabian; Javad Bazrafshan
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 711-720
Abstract
Yazd-Ardakan plain has been faced with significant reduction of groundwater level in recent years. Therefore, it is expected that studying hydro-geological drought can help the right management of this aquifer. Groundwater Resources Index was used to study hydro-geological drought in Yazd-Ardakan plain. ...
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Yazd-Ardakan plain has been faced with significant reduction of groundwater level in recent years. Therefore, it is expected that studying hydro-geological drought can help the right management of this aquifer. Groundwater Resources Index was used to study hydro-geological drought in Yazd-Ardakan plain. At first, 30 piezometric wells with the same 10-year period (2002-2012) were selected. Then, the zonation maps of annual groundwater level, average groundwater level, and standard deviation were provided by ArcGIS9.3. Finally, GRI map was provided using these maps and GRI relation. According to the obtained results, the most serious annual hydro-geological drought occurred in 2011 with an average GRI of 0.79. According to the GRI zonation map, hydro-geological drought severity is high in northern and southern parts of the study area. It can be due to concentration of population, industrial centers, and excessive harvesting of groundwater in these areas. In addition, the GRI temporal changes indicate the deterioration of Yazd-Ardakan aquifer.
vahid Izadi Khajeloo; younes asri; jaber sharifi nayaragh
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 721-729
Abstract
Capparis spinosa is an important plant species in the rangelands ofDashte Moghan. In the current study, the ecological characteristics of the mentioned species were investigated at three representing sites. At each site, 30 plots of 10 m2 were established along transects and systematic random sampling ...
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Capparis spinosa is an important plant species in the rangelands ofDashte Moghan. In the current study, the ecological characteristics of the mentioned species were investigated at three representing sites. At each site, 30 plots of 10 m2 were established along transects and systematic random sampling was applied. Within the plots, density, coverage, height, length of longest stem, biomass, leaf length and width, and regeneration were measured. A number of 3-5 plants were randomly selected at each site and the root length was measured. Three soil samples were also taken from the root mass depth and a few soil physico-chemical properties were measured. The data were analyzed by ANOVA in Minitab software ver.14. Results showed significant differences among the study sites for coverage and biomass at p<0.05 and density and regeneration at p<0.01. However, no significant differences were recorded for height, length of longest stem, and leaf length and width. According to the results of PCA, soil texture, rainfall, and altitude were the most important factors affecting the density, distribution, and abundance of the species studied. Capparis spinosa L. prefers deep to semi-deep soils with an EC of 2.3 ds/m and a pH of 7.9 for growth and establishment.
Fateme Hadian; reza jafari; hosein bashari
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 730-744
Abstract
Urbanization has been a major factor of natural resource degradation in the Semirom region of Isfahan province. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of urban development through land cover/ land use changes over a 37-year period using Landsat 1976 MSS and 2013 TM images and population data. First, ...
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Urbanization has been a major factor of natural resource degradation in the Semirom region of Isfahan province. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of urban development through land cover/ land use changes over a 37-year period using Landsat 1976 MSS and 2013 TM images and population data. First, necessary processing (geometric, radiometric, and topographic) was applied on images. Then, by using field assessment and GoogleEarth software, sample points were selected. The land use/ cover maps of the region and their changes were extracted by maximum likelihood classifier and post classification methods and their accuracy were assessed through overall accuracy and Kappa statistics. The accuracy assessment showed that the accuracy of maps in 1976 and 2013 was about (overall accuracy) 80% and 92%, respectively. The population was increased during three decades from 41973 to 65047 persons, which has led to an increase of 0.90 and 0.26 in the urban, and agriculture area and a 3 percent decrease of rangeland area. The 2.5 fold increase in bare land area in 2013 in comparison with 1976 indicated the severity of land degradation in the study area. Overall, drought and urban area attractions have facilitated the migration of people from villages to the city and had considerable negative effects in natural resources. Therefore, the region requires a holistic approach in all economic, social, and environmental developments.
sedighe zarekia; hosein arzani; mohamad jafari; noloufar zare
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 745-756
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the effects of different grazing systems and intensities on soil and vegetation properties. Initially, the canopy cover percentage, density, and species height were measured using systematic random sampling. To investigate the changes in soil parameters in ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the effects of different grazing systems and intensities on soil and vegetation properties. Initially, the canopy cover percentage, density, and species height were measured using systematic random sampling. To investigate the changes in soil parameters in each area, 15 soil profiles were taken from 0 to 20 cm depth by systematic random sampling method. Data were analyzed in a completely randomized design. Also, continuous and heavy grazing during the year led to the removal of key species and changes in species composition. According to the results, continuous and heavy grazing resulted in increased soil potassium and phosphorous content. However, pH in none of the study sites was not statistically significant. Nitrogen and organic matter content did not differ significantly among the study sites. In addition, no grazing at exclosure increased the soil permeability. Although exclosure and rotation grazing at a moderate grazing intensity could desirably increase the vegetation cover, it had no significant effect on soil chemical properties. Generally, since arid regions are fragile ecosystems, the management of these areasshould include economic and biological considerations.
jasem yousefi; jamshid ghorbani; maryam shokri; seyed hasan zali
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 757-767
Abstract
Seed production and dispersal are important topics in grassland management as they influence the vegetation structure and dynamics. To understand and better interpretation of changes in vegetation, it needs to identify the species composition in other sources such as the soil seed bank and seed rain. ...
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Seed production and dispersal are important topics in grassland management as they influence the vegetation structure and dynamics. To understand and better interpretation of changes in vegetation, it needs to identify the species composition in other sources such as the soil seed bank and seed rain. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential of seed production and seed dispersal in Sorkh-Abad grassland in SavadKoh, Mazandaran province. During growing season, mature seeds of the plants were collected and then identified and counted in laboratory. For these seeds, some properties were determined such as seed shape, seed weight, and germination percentage and seed color. Seed dispersal (seed rain) was sampled in seed traps, made by small plastic pots. During growing season, in three times, these seed traps were collected and all seeds were identified and counted. Results showed that18 species were in seed production and 17 species in seeds dispersal. The average amount of seed production was 296 seeds per square meter of which 25% belonged to Germaineae. The potential of seed dispersal was 275 seeds per square meter. Most collected seeds were light and small with elongated shape and bright colors. Stachys byzanthina, Marrubium vulgare, Descurainia sophia and Medicago lupulina comprise45% of the seed production. Similarly, the 46% of the seed dispersal was made by Stachys byzanthina, Plantago lanceolata, Descurainia sophia and Medicago lupulina. Small numbers of species in standing vegetation were found in seed production and seed rain of this grassland.
hosein Mirzaee nodoushan; Hasan rouhipour; zeynab zare; fereshte asadi korom; salman zare
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 768-777
Abstract
The research was conducted based on genetic variation of a black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) plant population to find possible differences between the genotypes of the population, confronting various levels of water stress. A great number of progenies of four genotypes of the species were studied under ...
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The research was conducted based on genetic variation of a black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) plant population to find possible differences between the genotypes of the population, confronting various levels of water stress. A great number of progenies of four genotypes of the species were studied under four levels of water stress, field capacity, 20, 50, and 80% of available water by the plant, using a factorial statistical model based on randomized complete block design. Branch number and length, main-stem and crown diameter, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf osmotic potential were recorded during and at the end of growing season. Studies on genotype and water stress factors revealed, although there were significant differences between the genotypes based on the studied characters, water stress levels were not significantly different based on the short duration of the research. Species such as Haloxylon, which is not fast growing species, would not respond to the stress levels during a short period of time. The genotypes were significantly different based on leaf chlorophyll content. Correlation coefficients between the morphologic characteristics were also noticeable. Negative significant correlation between leaf chlorophyll with branch number and trunk diameter implied that desert plant species such as the species under study would take advantage of light color of less chlorophyll content to cope with high temperature and sun light of their habitats.
naser baghestani; mohamad taghi zare; kazem dashtakian; mohamadreza ahmadi
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 778-786
Abstract
Proper distribution of water resources in rangelands causes uniform grazing and optimal use of rangeland. Knowledge of the present status of water resources in rangeland is important to achieve this goal. For this purpose, the drinking water resources for livestock in the steppe rangelands of Nodoushan, ...
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Proper distribution of water resources in rangelands causes uniform grazing and optimal use of rangeland. Knowledge of the present status of water resources in rangeland is important to achieve this goal. For this purpose, the drinking water resources for livestock in the steppe rangelands of Nodoushan, Yazd Province with an area of 114836 hectares were studied in 2013. During the field visits, the location of water resources was determined with GPS device. The base maps of available wells-springs and water reservoirs were produced in ArcGIS 9.3 software using these data. Then, the maps of grazing territory within the wells-springs and water reservoirs were produced. The areas which were not suitable for grazing, due to the water resources limitations, were determined by matching these two maps. According to the results, the area of available springs-wells and water reservoirs was calculated to be 75692 ha and 65259 ha, respectively. However, an area equal to 16703 ha of the study area is located far from water resources that is not currently available for grazing. In the study area, 33 water reserviors have been already established and 13 others are still needed to cover the whole are of rangeland for livestock grazing. Whereas, by a proper site selection, 20 water reserviors would be enough to cover the whole area and it should be taken into account for the development of water resources in rangelands.
javad motamedi; saeedeh toupchizadegan
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 787-801
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the ecological capability of Hendovan rangelands, located in Khoy, for animal grazing using systemic module in Arc GIS 9.3. Initially, the map of environmental units was integrated with the maps of geology, soil, geomorphology, isohyet, isothermal and water resources, ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the ecological capability of Hendovan rangelands, located in Khoy, for animal grazing using systemic module in Arc GIS 9.3. Initially, the map of environmental units was integrated with the maps of geology, soil, geomorphology, isohyet, isothermal and water resources, and then the characteristics of each homogeneous units were extracted. Finally, given the ecological and environmental characteristics of each homogeneous unit and the criteria of evaluating rangeland capability for livestock grazing in semi-arid areas, the spatial plan for the management of rangelands was provided. According to the obtained results, 25 environmental units were detected at a scale of 1: 25,000 in the region of which large parts have low capability in terms of livestock grazing. In this regard, 8.21% of the land is considered as a protected ecosystem, mainly due to the geological structure especially sharp slope.The results of this study could be used to locate the range improvement programs as well as rangeland classification in terms of range management method. It is suggested that the suitability of each of the classes for livestock and wildlife grazing is determined considering the criteria affecting land suitability.
masoud masoudi; maryam vahedi; alireza nematollahi; seyed rashid fallah shamsi
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 802-820
Abstract
This research was aimed to present a new model to determine the areas with higher degradation risk through considering various indicators of land degradation and desertification aspects or criteria, namely, natural, human and trend of degradation. For this purpose, two areas were selected in the north ...
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This research was aimed to present a new model to determine the areas with higher degradation risk through considering various indicators of land degradation and desertification aspects or criteria, namely, natural, human and trend of degradation. For this purpose, two areas were selected in the north (Sepidan) and south of the province (Lamerd). These two areas were selected because of their differences in climatic conditions. The final land degradation risk map was produced by overlaying all three natural, human and trend of degradation layers in comparison with the current status of degradation in GIS. The areas under risk were classified into subclasses with different probability level to show a statistical picture of risk in future. In this study, the percentage of risk probability was evaluated according to the trend and potential of degradation. The results showed that the dominant risk class in Sepidan was moderate, in Lamerd the dominant risk class of natural factors was moderate, and in other cases, the dominant risk class was low or no risk. In addition, the comparison of risk assessment in both areas based on the weighted average indicates that the degradation risk of human factors, current degradation trend and finally land degradation risk in Sepidan is sever as compared with Lamerd. In general, degradation risk in Sepidan with a semi humid to humid climate condition is more sever than that of Lamerd with a dry climate.
seyed akbar javadi; sonia khatibi baneh; hosein arzani; kazem saedi
Volume 22, Issue 4 , March 2015, Pages 821-829
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the soil function indices in an exclosure region in comparison with non-exclosure. Then, using random plots as a control method, vegetation cover, stones and gravel, and litter were measured. Our results showed that the exclosure region (Saral Research Station) ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the soil function indices in an exclosure region in comparison with non-exclosure. Then, using random plots as a control method, vegetation cover, stones and gravel, and litter were measured. Our results showed that the exclosure region (Saral Research Station) had better condition in terms of function indices in comparison with non-exclosure regions, indicating the positive impact of no livestock grazing for a long time. Northern slope of the exclosure region and the southern slope of non-exclosure region were identified as the most stable (60.26) and unstable (52.8) in the study area. The highest infiltration was recorded for the southern slope of the exclosure region (58.7), and the northern slope of the exclosure region had the highest nutrient cycling (45.63). The western slope of the exclosure region represented the longest inter patch in the whole landscape and the northern slope of exclosure had the largest area and number of ecological patches. Considering the area and number of patches helps the range manager detect the effect of exterior and interior factors on rangeland easier. Overall, long-term exclosure in the Saral region could be mentioned as a suitable method to reduce the runoff, soil erosion, and sediment production.