Plant Species Diversity on Protected and Non-Protected Areas of Golestan National Park and Vicinity Areas

It is important to monitor the status of native rangeland vegetation in order to maintain existing grassland remnants which are valuable for wildlife. In the Steppe region, there has been concern that grazing of late-successional ecosystems may decrease plant species diversity on a local and regional scale and adversely affect rare, threatened, or endangered species. Native vegetation is the best indicator of the potential productivity of a specific location. Range-land herbage production is important for multiple land uses such as livestock production, wildlife food and cover, and protection against erosion. In eastern Oregon, variability in rangeland productivity is linked to the amount and timing of precipitation received over the winter and early summer (Sneva, 1982). Estimates of above-ground plant production have been reported for many sites in the protected and non-protected areas of northeastern of Iran as well as around the world. Plant species diversity in this study was viewed at the alpha level, that is, the number and relative abundance of species within a particular habitat type (Whittaker 1975). The objective of this study was to determine the productivity, species composition, and diversity of a steppe and semi-steppe rangeland in northeastern Iran

How Many Persian Gazelle (\u3cem\u3eGazella subgutturosa\u3c/em\u3e) Can Graze on Golestan National Park of Iran?

Golestan National Park, with an area of 98,000 hectares and diverse fauna and flora is one of the famous national parks in the Middle East. Carrying capacity was analysed based on available forage and dry matter demand of Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in spring and winter on steppe parts of Golestan National Park. The Persian gazelle is the most important ungulate species within the arid regions of Iran as well as other countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Western China (Farhadinia et al. 2009). This species currently categorized Vulnerable (VU) (IUCN Red List 2012). Although gazelle are almost extinct in most parts of Iran, significant population of gazelle live in steppe habitats of the park. In order to manage this species inside the park, and increase its numbers, it is important to determine the carrying capacity of gazelle habitats inside park