Mohammad Farzam; Yasamin Fazeli; mohammad Ghorbani
Abstract
Rangeland stockholders are traditionally using their rangeland for producing various livestock productions such as milk, wool and meet (Several Products, SP). However in recent years, meat production as the only product (Meat Production, MP) is implemented in some rangelands of Khorasan Razavi. We compared ...
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Rangeland stockholders are traditionally using their rangeland for producing various livestock productions such as milk, wool and meet (Several Products, SP). However in recent years, meat production as the only product (Meat Production, MP) is implemented in some rangelands of Khorasan Razavi. We compared effects of 7 years rangeland utilization methods (SP or MP) on the rangeland ecology and their economic benefits for the stockholders. By doing field visits, plant canopy cover, productivity, rangeland conditions and trends, and species diversity were measured and then calculated. Moreover, livestock weight, milk and meat productions, the time spent for livestock management, and 24 hours activities of animals in the rangelands were measured and compared between SP and MP methods. Results indicated similar species diversity and plant production for both MP and SP methods. Major differences were found in terms of incomes, total incomes was 17% higher but total expenses were 70% lower in MP method, leading to 24% higher net income. Moreover, rangers had to spend more time for preparing milk products and selling them in cities, by the MP method. In their daily activity, livestock spent hours more for walking and grazing, which had led to higher soil and vegetation deterioration in MP site. In future, higher income and easier livestock management may encourage stockholders towards higher implementation of MP method. Therefore, future studies should consider best MP method that leads to least side effects on the rangeland soil and vegetation.
zahra nikbakht; Mohammad Farzam; Mohammad Khajeh Hosseini; Hamid Ejtehadi
Abstract
The study of soil seed bank provides useful information on management and restoration of natural ecosystems. In the arid environments, some perennial plants may cause accumulation of seed bank under their canopy, thereby protecting them against the livestock herbivory and the other environmental factors. ...
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The study of soil seed bank provides useful information on management and restoration of natural ecosystems. In the arid environments, some perennial plants may cause accumulation of seed bank under their canopy, thereby protecting them against the livestock herbivory and the other environmental factors. This study was conducted with objective to investigate effect of perennial plants on density of soil seeds bank, under different utilization levels in an arid steppe rangeland. Three adjacent rangeland sites were selected, i.e. intense grazing, moderate grazing and no grazing (enclosure), and three line transects were randomly located within each site. Along each transect, soil samples were taken from the depth of 0–5 cm under the canopy of perennial plants or the nearby open space. The seed bank density was determined by the technique for separating seeds from the soil. The density of soil seed bank in the moderate and intensive grazing sites was higher than in the enclosure. In addition, seed bank density under the canopy of perennial plants was significantly higher than in open space, in each of three sites. The highest and lowest seed bank density were observed under the canopy of Rosa persica and Astragalus heratensis, respectively. Generally, the results of this research indicate the key role of perennial range plants in protecting soil seed bank of other plants, under the circumstances of high livestock grazing in the arid steppe rangelands.
Mohammad Jankju; Fariba Noedoost; Fahimeh Rafiei
Abstract
This research was conducted to compare plant functional types (PFT) and traits in an old-field (abandoned for 28 years) and a control site, in the Baharkish rangelands, Quchan, Iran. In the both sites, 40 randomized quadrates were established. Floristic list, frequency, canopy cover and 20 vegetative, ...
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This research was conducted to compare plant functional types (PFT) and traits in an old-field (abandoned for 28 years) and a control site, in the Baharkish rangelands, Quchan, Iran. In the both sites, 40 randomized quadrates were established. Floristic list, frequency, canopy cover and 20 vegetative, phenological and morphological plant traits were measured for all plant species, within each quadrate. According to the Pearson correlation analysis, and by using R software, 9 plant traits including life form, plant canopy, reproduction mode, reserve organ, root type, leaf phenology, growth form, life cycle, and regeneration mode, were known as the major plant functional traits. Data classification and ordination were applied on a matrix of 9 traits ×112 species, by using CANOCO and TWINSPAN softwares. It led to identification of 5 plant functional types. Total canopy cover of two PFT was significantly (70%) reduced and that of three PFT’s were relatively (10-20%) increased in the abandoned field. In conclusions, plants being annual, therophyte, geophytes, and rhizomatus are tolerant, whereas those being perennial (phaneropyte, chemaphyte, hemicryptophyte), having tap root system, and wide canopy cover are known as sensitive to ploughing disturbance.
Reyhane Azimi; Mohammad Jankju; Hamid Reza Asghari
Abstract
Improved pasture establishment in plants, especially in arid and semi-arid is very important Application of biological fertilizers in pasture can be considered as a useful approach. that is one of the sources of the symbiotic fungus.. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possibility ...
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Improved pasture establishment in plants, especially in arid and semi-arid is very important Application of biological fertilizers in pasture can be considered as a useful approach. that is one of the sources of the symbiotic fungus.. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possibility of enhancing seedling establishment and growth rate of Bromus kopetdaghensis under natural habitats by inoculation with mycorrhiza species, Seeds of alfalfa were sown under greenhouse for 20 days and inculcated with two species of Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae. After one month growth, the inoculated seedlings were transplanted into the natural as sub plots as split plot based on RCBD (Randomized complete block design) were evaluated with three replication. Inoculation percent with G.mosseae was 62/7 % and with of G. intraradices 81/3%. Symbiosis increased establishment of alfalfa at the early and late growth stages, with stronger effects G,intra than G.mosseae. Furthermore leaf and root dry matter, total dry matter and the ratio of above ground to underground plant parts was increased in association with G. intraradices, where as such effects were not associated with G.mosseae. In conclusions, it Glomus intraradices can be used as a biological fertilizer for establishment of alfalfa in semiarid rangeland of Bahar Kish rangeland, Quchan.
Tahereh Sadeghi Shahrakht; Mohammad Jankju; Mansour Mesdaghi
Abstract
Rangeland shrubs may provide mechanical facilitation on their understory plants, by protecting themagainst the livestock grazing. However, such a facilitation effect may vary depending on the rangelandutilization rate. In a field research, mechanical facilitation of rangeland shrubs was compared in ahighly ...
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Rangeland shrubs may provide mechanical facilitation on their understory plants, by protecting themagainst the livestock grazing. However, such a facilitation effect may vary depending on the rangelandutilization rate. In a field research, mechanical facilitation of rangeland shrubs was compared in ahighly grazed, a moderately grazed and an enclosure site; in an arid rangeland, Kakhak, Gonabad,Iran, during spring to summer 2011. Twenty line transects were established in various directions andslope aspects. Forage production was measured by clipping method within the paired plots, i.e. underthe canopy of nursing shrubs and their nearby open areas. In the enclosure site, forage production wassimilar under the canopy of shrubs and in open areas, whereas in the highly and moderately grazedsites there were more forage under the canopies. These results indicate increases in mechanicalfacilitation of rangeland shrubs by increasing the grazing intensity. The mechanical facilitation wasalso varied depending on the life forms of understory species. In the enclosure, the greatest facilitationwas on annual forbs, whereas in the highly grazed site it was on perennial grasses. Results of thisstudy show important role of rangeland shrubs on preserving understory forage plant against theintense livestock grazing.
M. Jankju; F. Noedoost
Abstract
Ecological studies on range plants enhance our knowledge on the rangeland ecosystems which are useful for their planning and management. By doing field and laboratory experiments during 2008-2009, ecological conditions were studied in the main habitats of Z. atriplicoides in the rural and winter ...
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Ecological studies on range plants enhance our knowledge on the rangeland ecosystems which are useful for their planning and management. By doing field and laboratory experiments during 2008-2009, ecological conditions were studied in the main habitats of Z. atriplicoides in the rural and winter rangelands of Northern Khorasan province (NKP). Forage quality was also studied at different phonological stages. According to the results, Z. atriplicoides grows in the habitats with mean annual rainfall ranging from 260-380 mm, temperature 8-16 ºC, and altitude 680-1200 meter a.s.l. Topography was as plains and rolling lands, with geologic formations being conglomerate, marl, shale and sandstone. Soil texture was silty loam, weak alkaline, and poor in phosphorus and nitrogen. Vegetative growth and flowering stages were simultaneously occurred at early April till early June, but seed ripening and shedding happened at late June-mid August. Toward the end of growing season, ADF and NDF increased while crude protein decreased, which led to a gradual decrease in forage quality. Ability for growing in different habitats – from cold dry to warm humid- and having protein content and metabolic energy higher than the critical level for rangeland livestock are the relative advantages, whereas significant leaf reduction in response to drought and heat stresses, inability for growing in saline lands and low palatability and preference values are the major disadvantage for Z. atriplicoides in the rangeland of Iran. The most suitable time for livestock grazing and seed collection of Z. atriplicoides in the NKP are May-June and July, respectively.
