Water harvesting is the collection of runoff for productivity purposes, instead of runoff being left to cause erosion. In arid and semi-arid drought-prone areas, micro-catchments are widely used as a water harvesting method to improve rangeland condition. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of micro-catchment on ecological indices of rangeland health in Ghick-Sheikhha, Jiroft, Iran using LFA (Landscape Function Analysis) method. A free micro-catchment area (as control) was selected to compare the effects of micro-catchment on the soil and vegetation cover. In this method 11 soil parameters were assessed (transects of 100m length) to recognize three functional properties, including stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling. Statistical data analyses were done using analysis of landscape function and paird t test to compare the performance indicators in the control and micro-catchment. To determine best factors affecting the health of the range, multivariate regression model was used. The results showed that in the micro-catchment treatment, the length of patches were more than that in the control area. Significant differences were observed between the areas in terms of three indices (p≤0.05). Regression models suggested that the parameters of soil sedimentation, soil resistance to humidity, soil surface roughness and canopy cover in the micro-catchment area and soil surface roughness, litter cover and surface resist to disturb in the control area had respectively, the higher impact on rangeland health indices. Generally, the present study suggested the effectiveness of micro-catchment compared to the control area. Manuscript profile

Knowledge of the relationships between biotic components of rangeland ecosystem i.e. herbivores and plants is important for range managers. In order to study herbivorse grazing intensity on plant species diversity, an experiment was conductef using fuor grazing treatments in darrehshar rangelands, Ilam province in 2015. Plant species data were taken based on a randomized-systematic sampling method. Numerical values of diversity, richness and evenness indices were calculated using PAST as well as Ecological Methodology softwares. Significant differences were observed between grazing treatments for all diversity indices, except Camargo evenness index (P ≤ 0.05).The highest values of Simpson and Shannon diversity indices as 0.916 and 3.96 respectively were obtained in the ungrazed site and the lowest values of those indices as 0.87 and 3.36 were obtained in the heavy grazing treatment. Ungrazed site had 6.4٪ and 12.2٪ higher diversity than the heavily grazed site. The highest values of Margalef and Menhinickrichness as 4.66 and 0.91 were obtaned in the moderately grazed site. The lowest values of those indices as 2.71 and 0.598 were occurred in the heavy grazing site. Margalef and Menhinick indices values in the moderately grazed site were 36.8٪ and 46% higher than those in the heavy grazing treatment, respectively. The highest modified and Smith & Wilson evenness indices with average values of 0.163 and 0.272 were obtained in the heavy grazing site and the lowest values with the average of 0.101 and 0.178 were in the ungrazed area. This study concludes that heavy grazing intensity can adversely affect plant species diversity in semi-steppe rangelands. Manuscript profile

This study aimed to identify the most important physical variables affecting the distribution of four range plants species (Tamarix aphylla, Calligonum comosum, Prosopis spicigera and Salsola rigida) habitats and to prepare potential habitat map of the species using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) method in rangelands of Jiroft city, Kerman province, located in SE Iran. To this end, sampling of vegetation including species type and percent cover was conducted with randomized-systematic method in 2015. Sample size was determined as 60 plots with a quadrat size of 25-100 m2. For soil sampling, eight profiles were dug in each habitat and samples were taken at two depths, i.e., 0–30 and 30–60 cm. Results indicated that the classification accuracy of the model was acceptable and soil variables including EC, percentage of lime, organic matter, moisture content and texture had the greatest effect on the distribution of the studied plant species habitats. Correlations between the actual and predicted maps for Tamarix aphylla and Calligonum comosum habitats were at a very good level, Kappa = 0.81 and 0.79, respectively, for Prosopis spicigera habitat was at a good level, Kappa = 0.75, and finally for Salsola rigida was at a moderate level, Kappa = 0.53. These results indicate that the MaxEnt method can provide valuable information about the physical conditions of plant habitats in arid rangeland. Knowledge on physical characteristics of plant habitats can be useful in determination of potential habitats and rangeland improvement projects. Manuscript profile

This study aimed to assess the responses of Signal grass (Urochloa decumbens) and Carpet grass (Axonopus compressus) shoot and root systems to cattle grazing. Two sites with different grazing strategies were selected in pastures of Selangor state, Malaysia in 2016: one site was dominated by Signal grass and grazed with moderate intensity for long-term (LMG, 2.7 animal unit/ha/yr) and the second site was dominated by Carpet grass and grazed with heavy intensity for short-term (SHG, 5 animal unit/ha/yr). Shoot growth was similarly assessed for both species by measuring herbage mass, plant height, regrowth rate, tiller density and litter biomass four times at the end of the growing periods in both grazed and ungrazed (control) sites. Root samples of species were taken from the center of the individual plants to a depth of 30 cm and analyzed for root length, diameter, surface area, volume and mass using WinRhizo Root Scanner. The relationship between root distribution parameters and soil depth was examined using least square curve fitting. The LMG strategy increased herbage production (g DM/m2), regrowth rate (g DM/d/m2) and tiller density of Signal grass by 19, 26 and 69%, respectively, compared with the ungrazed site (P<0.05). For this grazing strategy, the mean root length (-18%) decreased (P<0.05), but root mass (+46%) increased (P<0.05). In SHG strategy, herbage production and regrowth rate of Carpet grass were unaffected by grazing but tiller density was 147% increased than the ungrazed site. This grazing strategy decreased mean root length by 38%, but increased root diameter and volume of Carpet grass by 22 and 59%, respectively, and had no effect on root mass. It was concluded that short-term heavy grazing had negative impacts on the root characteristics of studied species than long-term moderate grazing. Therefore, long-term moderate grazing by cattle is recommended for the study area. Manuscript profile

بذر اغلب گونه‌های دارویی به جهت سازگاری اکولوژیکی با شرایط محیطی دارای انواع خواب می‌باشند. بنابراین، شناخت عوامل اکوفیزیولوژیکی مؤثر بر خواب و ایجاد شرایط بهینه برای جوانه‌زنی بذر گیاهان دارویی جهت تولید و پرورش آن‌ها امری ضروری است. جهت ارزیابی اثر تیمارهای مختلف بر جوانه‌زنی بذر قدومه، آزمایشی در قالب طرح کاملاً تصادفی با پنج تیمار و چهار تکرار انجام شد. تیمارهای آزمایش شامل خیساندن بذور در نیترات پتاسیم 2/0 و 1/0% به مدت 48 ساعت، آب معمولی به مدت 24 ساعت، محلول کربونیل دیامید (اوره) به مدت 48 ساعت و آب مقطر (شاهد) بودند. بیشترین درصد (88%) و سرعت (92/0 بذر در روز) جوانه‌زنی در اثر اعمال تیمار آب معمولی به مدت 24 ساعت قابل دسترسی است. خیساندن بذور در آب سبب کاهش تشکیل موسیلاژ در اطراف بذر قدومه و افزایش چشمگیر درصد و سرعت جوانه‌زنی گردید. در مجموع، خواب بذر در گونه قدومه از نوع فیزیولوژیکی می‌باشد که علت آن به‌خاطر وجود مواد بازدارنده روی پوسته یا داخل کیسه جنین است. بنابراین مناسب‌ترین و کارآمدترین تیمار برای شکست خواب فیزیولوژیک بذر گیاه قدومه، خیساندن بذور در آب معمولی به مدت 24 ساعت می‌باشد. Manuscript profile