Reza Erfanzadeh; Mohammad Jafari; Misagh Ghasempour
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of Juniperus sabina (evergreen) and Berberis integerrima (deciduous) and herbaceous patches on some soil properties (pH, EC, aggregate stability, microbial respiration, organic carbon and nitrogen) in their habitats. In June, when maximum growth of the dominant ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effect of Juniperus sabina (evergreen) and Berberis integerrima (deciduous) and herbaceous patches on some soil properties (pH, EC, aggregate stability, microbial respiration, organic carbon and nitrogen) in their habitats. In June, when maximum growth of the dominant plant species in rangelands of central Alborz was occurred, of each plant patch, 10 patches were randomly selected and soil were collected beneath of the canopy species in each from two depths: 10-0 and 20-10 cm (in total 60 soil samples). Then, soil physico-chemical characteristics were measured in the laboratory. In order to examine the differences between each soil characteristics associated with patches and depths, two-way ANOVA using GLM was applied. In addition, one-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests were used to compare soil characteristics between patches, in each depth separately. The results showed different effect of different patches on the soil characteristics. In upper soil layer, the highest contents of organic matter (4.62%) and aggregate stability (36.08) were observed under J. sabina, while the highest total nitrogen was found under B. integerrima. In deeper soil layer, the highest content of organic matter (5.19%) was found under J. sabina. The highest microbial respiration contents in both depths were observed under herbaceous patch. The variation of other soil characteristics were less pronounced by type of patches. In general, the results of this study cleared that different woody plant species have different effects on soil characteristics, should be mentioned in the rangeland development and improvement projects.
Reza Siahmansour; Nadia Kamali
Abstract
Fire is the fastest cause of extensive changes in vegetation. The purpose of this research is to examine some of these changes. SO, after determining key area of four 200m transects and a distance of 100 m from each other, 10 plots 1m2 fixed on each of them, formed sample units in each field. This site ...
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Fire is the fastest cause of extensive changes in vegetation. The purpose of this research is to examine some of these changes. SO, after determining key area of four 200m transects and a distance of 100 m from each other, 10 plots 1m2 fixed on each of them, formed sample units in each field. This site burned in 2011 and 2013, in 2018 and 2019, random-systematic statistical collection was carried out in it. Results showed, in fire treatment the dominance of production and cover is with invader plants. Production of this class 52.05 and 209.1gr/m2 has been preserved in burnt area compared to control. Also, annual grasses have significant average difference in terms of production and canopy compared to other species. However, annual forbs had 1.5 times more production in fire than control. Although the amount of production in burnt area is more than control but, it doesnt mean an increase in the amount of allowable forage. The plant type in the burned fundamental change compared to the control by replacing annuals instead of permanent species. As result production, density and canopy cover of different palatability classes and growing forms also found fundamental changes. Fire is cause of changing in rangeland condition from excellent to average, the trend is positive in both treatments. The management of burnt fields is very specialized, and according to the existing conditions, it is strongly not recommended to create a fire either intentionally or accidentally in this area is vegetation zone form of Iran.
Javad Motamedi; Tayebeh Tofighi azar; Morteza Molaei
Abstract
Functions of a natural resource, including rangeland ecosystems, can be divided into four groups of regulatory, habitat, production and information functions. Therefore, in this study, the economic valuation of forage production function and utilization of rhizome orchid were in terms of performance ...
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Functions of a natural resource, including rangeland ecosystems, can be divided into four groups of regulatory, habitat, production and information functions. Therefore, in this study, the economic valuation of forage production function and utilization of rhizome orchid were in terms of performance and utilization of orchid feed, studied in Trgvr grasslands of Urmia. For this purpose among, the distribution areas of orchids in the grasslands area, six locations with a total area of 120 hectares with different water levels that are representative of a wide range of grassland area, were selected. Then, The production of different vegetation forms and the amount of orchids production was measured in represetive sample, and the economic value was estimated by marketing method according to the results each hectare of grassland area is able to produce 1731.78 kg forage and 4.02 kg orchids in a growing season, whit it's economic value of each hectare of forage production and utilization of orchids in terms of function, respectively equal to 16.88 and 44.72 IRR. The results of the study are useful in determine the acceptable level of damages grassland area and to calculated and green national accounts.
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.