Effect of different Ecological patches on soil surface quality indices (case study: Sofi Chai catchment, Maragheh county)

Subject Areas : forest

morteza Mofidi Chelan ¹ , gholamali Heshmati ²

1 - فارغ التحصیل دکتری علوم مرتع، دانشگاه علوم کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی گرگان
2 - استاد گروه مرتعداری دانشگاه علوم کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی گرگان

Received: 2016-02-23 Accepted : 2016-12-05 Published : 2016-11-21

Keywords: Ecological patches, Soil surface qualitative attributes, Landscape function analysis, Sofi chi Maragheh,

Abstract :

Abstract To manage rangeland ecosystems, identification of their components and interactions including soil and vegetation is of great deal of importance. The present study was aimed to compare the effects of different Ecological patches on soil qualitative attributes (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) using landscape function analysis model as well as to identify vegetation indices in Sofi Chai basin located at Maragheh. For sampling purpose, number of 5 transects in 50 m length in were established in downslope as per randomized-systematic method along which four Ecological patches, grasses, shrub - grass and forbs and interpatch bare soil were identified. 5 replicates of each patch were determined and eleven soil surface indices were scored as per landscape function analysis. The results show that all three indicators of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling were differed significantly among Ecological patches. The maximum amount of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling and the minimum one was relate to shrubs and bare soils respectively. It can be note that shrubs and shrubs-grass patches showed better performance than others. investigation of function attributes in the different Ecological patches can help to identify effective reagents for healthy rangeland vegetation and the assessment of these reagents can be faster and time and cost-effective to study soil qualitative and quantitative sustainability indicators, infiltration and soil nutrient cycling can be realized. It can serve as important step for the evaluation, management and planning future of natural ecosystems.     Abstract To manage rangeland ecosystems, identification of their components and interactions including soil and vegetation is of great deal of importance. The present study was aimed to compare the effects of different Ecological patches on soil qualitative attributes (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) using landscape function analysis model as well as to identify vegetation indices in Sofi Chai basin located at Maragheh. For sampling purpose, number of 5 transects in 50 m length in were established in downslope as per randomized-systematic method along which four Ecological patches, grasses, shrub - grass and forbs and interpatch bare soil were identified. 5 replicates of each patch were determined and eleven soil surface indices were scored as per landscape function analysis. The results show that all three indicators of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling were differed significantly among Ecological patches. The maximum amount of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling and the minimum one was relate to shrubs and bare soils respectively. It can be note that shrubs and shrubs-grass patches showed better performance than others. investigation of function attributes in the different Ecological patches can help to identify effective reagents for healthy rangeland vegetation and the assessment of these reagents can be faster and time and cost-effective to study soil qualitative and quantitative sustainability indicators, infiltration and soil nutrient cycling can be realized. It can serve as important step for the evaluation, management and planning future of natural ecosystems. �ربوط به لکه بوته و کمترین مقدار آن مربوط به خاک لخت می باشد. می توان گفت لکه های بوته ها و بوته- گندمیان از ویژگیهای عملکردی بهتری نسبت به دیگر لکه ها برخوردار بودند. بررسی ویژگیهای عملکردی لکه های اکولوژیک مختلف می تواند کمک زیادی به شناسایی معرفهای گیاهی موثر در سلامت اکوسیستم نموده و با ارزیابی این معرفها می توان سریعتر و با صرف وقت و هزینه کمتری به وضعیت کیفی سطح خاک پی برد که می تواند گامی مهم برای ارزیابی، مدیریت و برنامه ریزیهای آینده در این اکوسیستم های طبیعی باشد.  

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