Effects of Woody Plants on Rangeland Ecosystems Function
Subject Areas :
forest
gholam Ali heshmati
1
(استاد دانشگاه علوم کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی گرگان)
paria Kamali
2
(دانشجوی دکترای علوم مرتع دانشگاه علوم کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی گرگان)
Received: 2014-11-06
Accepted : 2015-05-25
Published : 2016-02-20
Keywords:
Rangeland ecosystem,
Semnan,
woody species structure,
soil surface assessment,
Parvar,
Abstract :
To shed light on the relationship between vegetation and soil will help to identify rangelands potential and functions. As an integral part of rangelands, woody plants play a substantial role in constituting soil properties. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of woody plants on rangelands functions in Parvar region, Semnan province. According to landscape function analysis method (LFA), the number of eleven soil features on three woody plant structures (closed, semi- closed and open canopy) with three transects were studied along which five replicates on per patch as well as bare soil considered. Then factors measured on three parameters of stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling were classified as per each structure. The results showed that woody species with closed canopy have more contributes in improving rangeland function indices, including stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling compared to those relatively closed and open. On the other hand, the shorter woody species have greater contribution in soil stability.
References:
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