Recognition of byproducts and their exploiting economic evaluation is one of basic requirements in documenting prospect of rangelands utilization. In this regard, the present study was performed to estimate the economic indices of exploiting byproducts production in Varnasa rangelands, Naghadeh, Iran. For this purpose, the economic data for calculating economic indices were collected after sampling vegetation and estimating shallot species byproduct and forage production per unit area in 2015. The results showed that the annual economic benefit derived from forage production per household is 71.16 US$ y-1. The generated economic rent was estimated about 98.14 US$ h-1 in year. Average gross income from the exploitation of byproducts in a harvest period per household was estimated around 838.23 US$ from 5.7 hectares that after reducing the explicit costs of utilization (transport), the net income was 761.61 US$ per household. Economic profit per household after reducing the hidden costs (labor) and explicit costs (transport) from gross income was estimated about 720.35 US$ y-1and economic rent of exploiting shallot byproducts is 473.47 US$ h-1 per year. Considering the discount rate of 3%, the expected value per hectare of the studied rangelands for the byproducts and forge production are estimated about 789.12 and 32.71 US$, respectively. Similarly, the expected total value of rangelands for byproducts and forage production is amounting totally to 821.84 US$ that the share of shallot byproduct to total rangeland expected value is 96%. Incomes from the exploiting of byproducts and forage production comprise 27.2 and 1.3% out of the average annual income of households, respectively. In addition, annual employment of shallots byproduct and forage production utilization was estimated 1.44 and 0.16 person’s y-1,respectively which the share of byproduct is about 10% out of the total employment. The results show that the byproducts exploitation plays an important role in the local economy and employment as well as declining the increase of grazing intensity. Overall, the results of this study reveal the need to consider the byproduct incomes in range management schemes and comprehensive management of natural areas تفاصيل المقالة

Knowledge of physiological and environmental factors is important for foragegrass production. Festuca ovina is a grass species adapted to Azerbaijan region climate,Iran. This species is a valuable source for forage production and soil conservation.Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) are three most important plant nutrients.The aims of present study were to investigate the effects of super absorbance polymer andcattle manure on vegetation growth and soil NPK element of Festuca ovina under droughtstress. A split-plot design was used with drought stress as the main plot (control, -0.3 and-0.9 Mp) and polymer +fertilizer as the sub factor (T1: control, T2: 50 g manure, T3: 5 gpolymer, T4: 5 g polymer + 50g manure, T5: 10 g polymer, and T6: 10 g polymer + 50gmanure) in five replications. N, P and K contents of soil samples were determined beforeand after the experiment using Kjeldal, P-Olsen and flame photometer methods. The dataof NPK and two cuts of vegetation covers were collected and analyzed using SASsoftware. The results showed that the application of polymer and manure had positiveeffects on all the traits. Higher values of vegetation covers were observed in T4 and T6treatments where both polymer and manure were applied. Higher values of NPK with theaverage values of 0.69%, 21 ppm, and 395 ppm, respectively were observed in T6: (10 gpolymer + 50g manure) and the higher vegetation cover with the average values of 82%and 46% were obtained in the first and second cuts, respectively at the same treatments.Since there were no significant differences between T6 and T4, it was recommended toapply 5g polymer coupled with 50g cattle manure in 4300 g of soil to improve grassproduction in drought environment. تفاصيل المقالة

The overgrazing and excessive utilization of rangelands has caused vegetationand soil degradation in many rangelands. In the rangeland management, the soil andvegetation elements, environmental factors and livestock should be considered as decisionmaking agents. Various methods are applicable for the rangeland restoration as contourfurrows and mortar stone dam. In order to evaluate the effects of restoration treatment onsoil fertility parameters, this research was carried out in Rangelands of Silvana region,West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Soil samples were taken based on a random method usingsix 100-m long transects in both treated and control sites. Soil samples were taken from thebeginning, middle and end of each transect in both 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm depths. Nitrogen(N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) contents of soil samples were determined usingKjeldal, P-Olsen and flame photometer method, respectively. Differences between meansof soil properties in the restoration and control treatments were compared by applying onewayANOVA and SNK (P<0.05) test using SPSS18 software. The results showedsignificant differences between restoration and control for soil properties. N, P and Kcontents in mortar stone dam treatment in both depth soils were increased as compared tocontour furrows and control. According to the results, there are significant differencesamong P, N and K concentrations in both mortar stone dam and contour furrow treatmentsbetween upper and lower soil layers. But, amount of K in the upper soil layer of contourfurrow and mortar stone dam treatments was less than lower layer. It was concluded thatthe constriction of mortar stone dam in the studied area had led to positive impacts on soilfertilization. Overall, the results show that in Silvana region, rangeland improving ispossible through applying the mechanical operation of mortar stone dam. تفاصيل المقالة