Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D. Student of College of Natural Resources, Sari Agriculture Science and Natural Resources University Sari, Iran.
2 Associate Prof., College of Natural Resources, Sari Agriculture Science and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran.
3 Ph.D. student of College of Natural Resources, Gorgan Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
Abstract
For the scientific and accurate management of rangeland ecosystems, having information about ecosystem as indicators of ecosystem health and function is needed. The aim of this research is to study the effects of grazing on soil surface indicators and rangeland functional properties by using Landscape Functional Analysis (LFA) method. For this purpose, the present study was conducted in two regions, including the enclosure and outside the enclosure, Donna rangelands of Siah Bisheh watershed. Systematic sampling was carried out by three 100 m transects with 100 m interval. Along each transect, ten 1m2 plots with 10 m interval were placed. In order to compare triple indices including infiltration, stability and nutrient cycling in two regions of the enclosure and outside the enclosure, the independent T test was employed in this study. The results showed that there are significant differences among soil surface indicators except soil surface cover, perennial plants, trees and shrubs canopy, surface roughness and erosion type and severity (P < 0.05). Therefore, there are significant differences among three functional attributes of rangeland in these study regions.
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