Amirkhani, Masoume

Bagheri Rad, E.

Mesdaghi, Mansour

English

University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky UKnowledge International Grassland Congress Proceedings 21st International Grassland Congress / 8th International Rangeland Congress Comparison of Vegetation Composition under Different Grazing Intensities in Golestan National Park and Vicinities, Iran Mansour Mesdaghi University of Agricultural Sciences, Iran Masoume Amirkhani University of Agricultural Sciences, Iran E. Bagheri Rad University of Agricultural Sciences, Iran Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc  Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/3-1/27 The 21st International Grassland Congress / 8th International Rangeland Congress took place in Hohhot, China from June 29 through July 5, 2008. Proceedings edited by Organizing Committee of 2008 IGC/IRC Conference Published by Guangdong People's Publishing House This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Grassland Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu. 瞯 ]460　 瞯 　 Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World 　 Volume Ⅰ 　Grasslands/Rangelands Resources and Ecology ——— Soil‐Plant‐Animal InterrelationshipsComparison of vegetation composition under different grazing intensities in Golestan NationalPark and vicinities , IranM . Mesdaghi , M . Amirkhani , and E . Bagheri Rad .Department o f Range Management , College o f Natural Resources , University o f A gricultural Sciences , Gorgan , I ran . E‐mail :mesdagh＠ yahoo .comKey words : canopy cover , forage production , grazing , sheep , gazelle , protected areasIntroduction A lack of understanding concerning rangeland carrying capacities in the Middle East is a major problem leading torangeland degradation . The primary objective of this research is to determine the effects of excluding sheep and gazelle onvegetative canopy cover and species composition .Materials and methods To compare vegetation composition with different levels of grazing we used three sites : １ ) livestockexclusion and limited gazelle grazing ( Mirzabylou plain) , ２ ) moderate sheep grazing ( Ghorkhoud Protected Area) , and ３ )heavy sheep grazing ( Spakhou village grazing unit ) . Random １‐m２ plots were established at systematic distances radiate fromwater points / villages . The number of plots varied from ３０ to５０ depending on the area of each site . Dry matter biomass withineach life form ( grass , forb , and shrub) and canopy cover by species were recorded .Results The results showed that in Mirzabylou plain with ４４０ kg / ha dry matter , shrub and forb increased with distance fromwater . Based on observations were made around water points , the gazelles usually preferred browsing shrubs . In theGhorkhoud protected area which is moderately grazed based on permits , we estimated ３２０ kg / ha dry matter . As we move fromuplands to low lands near main road , forbs decreased and shrubs increased . The forbs were present and grazing had a uniformdistribution . In the vicinity of Spakhou village , the above ground biomass is about １８８ kg / ha dry matter . The forbs and grassesgrazed to the surface , shrubs were abundant ( Figure １ and Table １) .Figure 1 Biomass under four intensity o f graz ing intensities .Table 1 Canopy cover o f di f f erent li f e f orms under f ourgraz ing intensities .LifeformCanopy cover ( percent )Mirzabailou Exclosure Ghorkhoud SpakhouShrub １５ �.０a ２０ 怂.０a １０ 憫.０ab １６ -.０bForb ４ 滗.７a ５ 贩.０a ７ 垐.８b ４  .０aGrass １４ �.０a １４ 怂.５a ９ 垐.０b １  .５cBased on our estimates , this range can carry ２２５ sheep and goats , but iscurrently g razed ５３８０ AU . We estimate the carrying capacity of Ghorkhoud rangeland at ４５７ AU which is equivalent to the permits issued bythe National Range and Forest Organization . As far as the Mirzabylou range unit is protected from sheep and goat g razing and the numbers ofgazelles are １８４ w hich are below the carrying capacity and could be increased to ６５０ gazelles .Conclusions In our study wild ungulates like gazelle appear to have little impact on vegetation , but large numbers of domesticlivestock have lead to overgrazed conditions .ReferencesHayes , G .F . and Holl , K . D . ,(２００３) . Cattle grazing impacts on annual forbs and vegetation composition of mesic grasslandsin California , Conservation Biology , １７ : １６９７‐１７０２ .Holechek , J . L . , Pieper , R . D . and Herbel , C . H . (２００４) . Range management , Principles and practices . Fif th ed . PremticeHall , Engle wood Clip p , NJ . ６０７pp .Peco , B . , Pablos , I . D . , T raba , J . and Levassor , C . (２００５) . The effect of grazing abandonment on species composition andfunctional traits : the case of Dehesa grasslands , Basic and A p p lied Ecology , ６ : １７５‐１８３ .500 "' a a :": 400 bD ~ 300 .§ t, 200 = "Cl 8 100 Q., Mirzabailo Excloser Ghorkhoud Spakhou 

Comparison of Vegetation Composition under Different Grazing Intensities in Golestan National Park and Vicinities, Iran

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Comparison of Vegetation Composition under Different Grazing Intensities in Golestan National Park and Vicinities, Iran

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