Assessment of the Effects of Overgrazing on the Soil Physical Characteristic and Vegetation Cover Changes in Rangelands of Hosainabad in Kurdistan Province, Iran
محورهای موضوعی : Relationship between Animal and RangelandH. Azarnivand 1 , A. Farajollahi 2 , E. Bandak 3 , H. Pouzesh 4
1 - Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj,
2 - Combating Desertification Engineering, University of Tehran
3 - Combating Desertification Engineering, University of Tehran.
4 - Researchers Club, Islamic Azad University, Yasuj
Branch,
کلید واژه: soil physical properties, Overgrazing, Livestock Trampling, Rangelands of Hosseinabad,
چکیده مقاله :
Soil physical properties have an important role on vegetation growththrough affecting the development of root system. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the trampling effect of livestock grazing on soil physical properties andvegetation cover changes. The experiment was conducted on three range conditionsites (Reference, Key and Critical area) with ten frequencies in HosseinabadeKudistan in 2009. Soil physical characteristics consist of humidity, bulk density,porosity and aggregate stability index. In this study remarked soil cover changes inthree mentioned regions. The results showed that soil moisture reduced fromreference to critical area. Soil bulk density was the lowest in reference area and thehighest in critical area. Reference site had the highest soil porosity while the soilporosity reduced in critical area. However, as the density of grazing increased, soilbulk density increased and soil moisture, soil porosity, aggregate stability index andvegetation cover percent decreased. Bare soil percentage was the highest in criticalregion. According to the results of this research, the grazing seems caused to majorchanges in the physical properties of the topsoil. Since the region has highecological potential, if the intensity of grazing would be in a moderate level, theregion soil will be able to compensate the negative aspects of livestock trampling.
Abril, A., P. Barttfeld., and E.H. Bucher.
2005. The effect of fire and overgrazing
disturbes on soil carbon balance in the
Dry Chaco forest. Forest Ecology and
Management 206: 399–405.
Alizadeh, A. 2001. Relation of water, soil
and plant. 2th Ed, Emam Reza University.
Pp: 210-260, (In Persian).
Baibordi, M. 1993. Physic of soil, fives
edition, University of Tehran, Pp: 420-
450.
Blackburn, W.H., R.W. Knight., and M. K.
Wood. 1982. Impacts of grazing on
watersheds. Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. Mp.
USA. Pp. 1496.
100 / J. of Rang. Sci., 2011, Vol. 1, No. 2 Assessment of the Effects …
Broersma, K., M. Krzic., R.F. Newman.,
and A. Bomke. 1995. Effects of grazing
on soil compaction and water infiltration
in forest plantation in the interior of
British Colombia Southern Interior
Forest Extension, Kmloops, B. C., pp 89-
92.
Chaichi, M. 2003. The effect of trampling
and grazing on soil physical properties,
natural recourses journal of Iran, Vole
56: 491-508, (In Persian).
Dahlgren, R.A., M.J. Singer., and X.
Huang. 1997. Oak tree and grazing
impacts on soil properties.
Biogeochemistry 39: 45-64.
Dettman, M.G., and W.W. Emerson. 1959.
A modified permeability test for
measuring the cohesion of soil crumbs.
J.of soil Science, 10: 215-226.
Drewry, J.J., J.A. Lowe., and R.J. Paton.
1999. Effect of sheep stocking intensity
on soil physical properties and dry matter
production on a pallid soil in Southland,
New Zealand J. of Agricultural
Research. 42: 493-499.
Eldridge, D.J., and W.G. Whitford. 2009.
Soil disturbance by native animals along
grazing gradients in arid grassland. J. of
Arid Environments 73: 1144–1148.
Faizul, B., D. M. Karlw., and L. Murray.
1995. Livestock grazing impacts on
infiltration rates in a temperate range of
Pakistan. J. of Range Manage 46: 367-
372.
Fatahi, B. 2003. Assessments the effect of
grazing on vegetation cover and soil
properties in winter rangeland of Plour.
Dissertation of M.Sc. Tarbiat Modares
University, 62p (In Persian).
Ferrero, A.F. 1991. Effect of compaction
simulating cattle trampling on soil
physical Characteristics in woodland.
Soil and Tillage Research. 19(2): 319-
329.
Gallacher D.J., and J.P. Hill. 2006. Effects
of camel grazing on the ecology of small
perennial plants in the Dubai (UAE)
inland desert, J. of Arid Environments
66: 738–750.
Greenwood, K.L., and B.M. McKenzie.
2001. Grazing effects on soil physical
properties and the consequences for
pastures: a review. Aust. J. Exp. Agric
41: 1231-1250.
Hoshino, A., K. Tamura., H. Fujimaki., M.
Asano., K. Ose., and T. Higashi. 2009.
Effects of crop abandonment and grazing
exclusion on available soil water and
other soil properties in a semi-arid
Mongolian grassland, J. of Soil and
Tillage Research 105: 228–235.
John, D., and Ph. Wiliam. 2000. Impact of
grazing strategies on soil compaction.
Tektran. United States Department USA.
Kaouthar, J., and M. Chaieb. 2010.
Changes in soil properties and vegetation
following livestock grazing exclusion in
degraded arid environments of South
Tunisia, J. of flora 205: 184–189.
Khajadin, S.j., and M. Basiri. 1994. Initial
seminar of range and range management
in Iran, University of Sanati Esfahan,
489p. (In Persian).
Linnartz, N.E., C. Hse., and V.L. Duvall.
1966. Grazing impairs physical
properties of a forest soil In Central
Louisiana. J. Fore 64: 239-243.
Lyons, J., B.M. Weigel., L.K. Paine., and
D.J. Undersander. 2000. Influence of
intensive rotational grazing on bank
erosion, fish habitat quality, and fish
communities in southwestern Wisconsin
trout streams. J. of Soil and Water
Conservation56, 3: 271-276.
Mapfumo, E., D. S. Chanasyk., V. S.
Baron., and M. A. Naeth. 2000. Grazing
impacts on selected soil parameters
under short-term forage sequences. J. of
Range Manage 53: 466-470.
Mc Dowell, R.W., J.J. Drewry., and R.J.
Paton. 2004. Effects of deer grazing and
fence- line pacing on water and
Journal of Rangeland Science, 2011, Vol. 1, No. 2 H. Azarnivand, et al. / 101
soil quality. J. of Soil Use and
Management 20: 302-307.
Mc Dowell, R.W., J.J. Drewry., and R.J.
Paton. 2005. Restricting the grazing time
of cattle to decrease phosphorus,
sediment and E. coli losses in overland
flow from cropland. Aust. J. Soil Res 43:
61-66.
McEvoy. P.M., M. Flexen., and J.H.
McAdam. 2006. The effects of livestock
grazing on ground flora in broadleaf
woodlands in Northern Ireland, Forest
Ecology and Management 225: 39–50.
Milchunas, D. G. and W. K. Lauenroth.
1989. Plant communities in relation to
grazing, topography, and precipitation in
semiarid grassland. Vegetatio 80: 11-23.
Moghadam, M. 2005. Range and range
management, University of Tehran, 150-
180, (In Persian).
Mudahir, O., and O. Taskin. 2003.
Overgrazing effect on rangeland soil
properties. International Conference on
Sustainable Land Use and Management.
Canakkle, Turkey
Naeth, M. A., A.W. Bailey, D. S.
Chanasyk., and D. J. Pluth. 1991. Water
holding capacity of litter and soil organic
matter in mixed prairie and fescue
grassland ecosystems of Alberta. J. of
Range Management 44: 13-17.
Naeth, M. A., A. W. Bailey., D. J. Pluth.,
D. S. Chanasyk., and R. T. Hardin. 1991.
Grazing impact on litter and soil organic
matter in mixed prairie and fescue
grassland ecosystems of Alberta. J. of
Range Management 44: 113-117.
Naeth, M. A., D. S. Chanasyk., R. L.
Rothwell., and A. W. Bailey. 1990.
Grazing impacts on infiltration in mixed
prairie and fescue grassland ecosystems
of Alberta. Can. J. of Soil Science 70:
593- 605.
Northup, B.K., J.R. Brown., and J.A. Holt.
1999. Grazing impact on the spatial
distribution of soil microbial biomass
around tussouck grasses in a tropical
grassland. J. of Applied Soil Ecology 13:
359-270.
Proffitt, A. P. B., S. Bendotti and D. Mc
Garry. 1995. A comparison between
continuous and controlled grazing on a
red duplex soil. I: Effects on soil physical
characteristics. Soil and Tillage Research
35: 199-210.
Rauzi, F. 1963. Water intake and plant
Composition as affected by differential
grazing on Rangeland. J.of Soil and
Water Conservation 18: 114-116.
Roundy, B., A. Winkel., V. K. Khalifa., and
H. Matthias. 1992. Soil water availability
and temperature dynamics after one-time
heavy cattle trampling and land
imprinting. Arid Soil Research and
Rehabilitation 6: 53-69.
Ruthven, D.C. 2007. Grazing effects on
forbs diversity and abundance in a honey
mesquite parkland, J. of Arid
Environments 68: 668–677.
Sanadgol, A. 2002. Effect of short term
grazing on physical and chemical
properties of soil in pasture of Bromus
tomentellus. Natural resources journal of
Iran. 55: 581-597. (In Persian).
Schmutz, E. M., C. C. Michaels and B. I.
Judd. 1967. Boysag Point: A relict area
on the North Rim of Grand Canyon in
Arizona. J.of Range Management 20:
363-369.
Schultz, T. T., and W. C. Leininger. 1990.
Differences in riparian vegetation
structure between grazed areas and
exclosures. J. of Range Management 43:
295-299.
Shifang, P., F. Hua., and W. Changgui.
2008. Changes in soil properties and
vegetation following exclosure and
grazing in degraded Alxa desert steppe of
Inner Mongolia, China, Agriculture,
Ecosystems and Environment 124: 33–
39.
102 / J. of Rang. Sci., 2011, Vol. 1, No. 2 Assessment of the Effects …
Singer, M. j., and M. N. Donald. 1991. Soil
identification, translation by
Gholamhosain Haghnia, Firdausi
Mashhad University, Pp: 230- 270. (In
Persian).
Steffens, M., A. Kölbl., K. U. Totsche., and
I. Kögel-Knabner. 2008. Grazing effects
on soil chemical and physical properties
in a semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia
(P.R. China), Geoderma 143: 63–72.
Su, Y.Z., Y.L. Li., H.Y. Cui., and W.Z.
Zhao. 2005. Influences of continuous
grazing and livestock exclusion on soil
properties in a degraded sandy grassland,
Inner Mongolia, northern China. Catena
59(3): 267–278.
Teague, W.R., S.L. Dowhower., S.A.
Baker., R.J Ansley., and U.P. Kreuter.
2010. Soil and herbaceous plant
responses to summer patch burns under
continuous and rotational grazing, J. of
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
137: 113–123.
Warren, S. D., W. H. Blackburn., and C. A.
Taylor. 1986. Effects of season and stage
of rotation cycle of hydrologic condition
of rangeland under intensive rotation
grazing. J. of Range Manage 39: 500-
504.
Weitz, M., and M. K. Wood. 1986. Short
duration grazing in Central New Mexico:
Effects on infiltration rates. J. of Range
Manage 39: 365-368.
Winkel, V. K., and B. A. Roundy. 1989.
Effect of cattle trampling and mechanical
seedbed preparation on grass seedling
emergence. J. of Range Manage 44: 8-
25.
