Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Rangeland Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University; Noor city, Iran.
2 Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3 Rangeland Management Department,, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor city, Iran
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 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.
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