Effect of livestock type and grazing intensity on vegetation composition and ‎diversity in ‎Armardeh forests, Baneh‎

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

1 M.Sc. in silviculture and Forest Ecology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, I. R. Iran

2 Chair of Social-Ecological interactions in Agricultural Systems, University of Goettingen and University of Kassel, Germany.

3 Assistant prof., Dept. of Forestry, The Center for Research and Development of Northern Zagros Forestry, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, I. R. Iran

4 Researcher, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of grazing intensity and type of livestock and environmental factors on vegetation composition and diversity in five areas with different livestock types (cattle, Markhoz goat, Mo goat, and sheep) and different grazing intensities (five treatments) at the forests of Armardeh. In total, 34 sample plots (100 m^2) for vegetation cover sampling were taken. Differences between regions in terms of species diversity were analyzed using analysis of variance and the effect of livestock grazing on vegetation composition using Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Result indicates that, control and the region with four livestock types have highest and lowest diversity respectievely. Canopy cover (percent), elevation, Quercues branti- Q. infectoria type, and stocking rate where the most important environmental factors are driving vegetation composition. Livestock type and grazing intensity with some environmental variables shape affect significantly the vegetation composition, in a way that with increasing grazing intensity and livestock type, annual and invasive plants appear in highest presence and with decreasing of those, forbs, shrubs, and geophyte plants are widely spread in the vegetation composition.

Keywords

References

Aazami, A.; Fayaz, M.; Hosianzadeh, J., The study preference value of rangeland species for sheep and goat (Case study: Saleh Abad site in province Ilam). Journal of Range and Watershed Management 2017, 70 (2), 277-286.(In Persian)
Ahmadi, R.; Heydari, Q., Effect of different intensities grazing livestock on certain quantitative and qualitative indicators of plant (Case Study: Choghakadou Rangeland in the Kermanshah province).  Journal of Plant Ecosystem Conservation 2018, 5 (11),177-190. (In Persian)
Ainalis, A. B.; Platis, P. D.; Meliadis, I. M., Grazing effects on the sustainability of an oak coppice forest. Forest Ecology and Management 2010, 259 (3), 428-432.
Anonymous, The forest management plan for Armardeh district (Kurdistan Province, Baneh). Faulty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdistan, Iran. 2013. 124pp. (In Persian)
Archibold, O. W., Ecology of word vegetation.Chapman and Hall INC, London. 1995, pp 509.
Bahmani, H.; Tahmoorespur, M.; Aslaminejad, A.; Vatankhah, M.; Rashidi, A., Simulating Past Dynamics and Assessing Current Status of Markhoz Goat Population on its Habitat. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science 2015, 5 (2), 347-354. (In Persian)
Benthien, O.; Braun, M.; Riemann, J. C.; Stolter, C., Long-term effect of sheep and goat grazing on plant diversity in a semi-natural dry grassland habitat. Heliyon 2018, 4 (3), e00556.
Bouchard, V.; Tessier, M.; Digaire, F.; Vivier, J.-P.; Valery, L. c.; Gloaguen, J.-C.; Lefeuvre, J.-C., Sheep grazing as management tool in Western European saltmarshes. Comptes Rendus Biologies 2003, 326, 148-157.
Coffey, L., Multispecies grazing. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA). Retrieved from http://whatcom. wsu.edu/ag/documents/other_animals/MultispeciesGrazing. 2001, PP 1-6.
Dolatkhahi, M.; Asri, Y.; Dolatkhahi, A., 2011. Floristic study of Arjan-Parishan protected area in Fars province, Journal Taxonomy and Biosystematics, 3(9): 31-46. (In Persian)
Fraser, M. D.; Moorby, J. M.; Vale, J. E.; Evans, D. M., Mixed grazing systems benefit both upland biodiversity and livestock production. PLoS One 2014, 9 (2), e89054.
Ghaderzadeh, S.; Shakeri, Z.; Hosseini, V.; Maroofi, H., Determination of environmental factors affecting the distribution of plant species in northern Zagros forests (Case study: Armardeh Forest, Baneh). Iranian journal of forest 2015, 7 (3), 299-315.(In persion)
Ghafari, S.; Ghorbani, A.; Arjmand, K-a.; Teymorzadeh, A.; Kakehmami, A.; Jafari, S., The effect of grazing intensity on vegetation and soil at different distances of village critical centre (Case study: Panjalo village in Moghan). Journal of Plant Ecophysiology 2020, 12 (42), 186-198. (In persion)
Habibian, S.; Arzani, H.; Habibian, S., Comparison of Two Methods of Preference Value Determination of Plant Species for Goat in Semi-Steppe Rangelands in Fars Province. Journal of Plant Ecophysiology 2013, 5 (13), 81-95. (In Persian)
Hartel, T.; plieninger, T., European wood-pastures in transition: A social-ecological approach. Oxfordshire: Routledge 2014. 322p.
Isichei, A. O.; Muoghalu, J. I., The effects of tree canopy cover on soil fertility in a Nigerian savanna. Journal of Tropical Ecology 1992, 8 (3), 329-338.
James, J. J.; Davy, J.; Doran, M. P.; Becchetti, T.; Brownsey, P.; Laca, E. A., Targeted grazing impacts on invasive and native plant abundance change with grazing duration and stocking density. Rangeland Ecology & Management 2017, 70 (4), 465-468.
Jazirehi, M. H.; Ebrahimi Rastaghi, M., Silviculture in Zagros. University of Tehran, Tehran, 2003. 560p. (In Persian)
Karami, P.; Bandak, I.; Karaji, M. G., Comparing the effects of continuous grazing and long term exclosure on floristic composition and plant diversity in rangeland ecosystems of Saral, Iran. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 2019, 16 (12), 7769-7776.
Lindenmayer, D. B.; Blanchard, W.; Crane, M.; Michael, D.; Sato, C., Biodiversity benefits of vegetation restoration are undermined by livestock grazing. Restoration ecology 2018, 26 (6), 1157-1164.
Londo, G., The decimal scale for releves of permanent quadrats. Vegetatio 1976, 33 (1), 61-64.
Lyseng, M. P.; Bork, E. W.; Hewins, D. B.; Alexander, M. J.; Carlyle, C. N.; Chang, S. X.; Willms, W. D., Long-term grazing impacts on vegetation diversity, composition, and exotic species presence across an aridity gradient in northern temperate grasslands. Plant Ecology 2018, 219 (6), 649-663.
Maltez‐Mouro, S.; García, L. V.; Marañón, T.; Freitas, H., The combined role of topography and overstorey tree composition in promoting edaphic and floristic variation in a Mediterranean forest. Ecological Research 2005, 20 (6), 668-677.
Mekuria, W.; Veldkamp, E.; Haile, M.; Nyssen, J.; Muys, B.; Gebrehiwot, K., Effectiveness of exclosures to restore degraded soils as a result of overgrazing in Tigray, Ethiopia. Journal of arid environments 2007, 69 (2), 270-284.
Moradi, S.; Dianati Daylami, S.; Vahdati, K.; Arab, M., Effect of medium, explants and BA on somatic embryogenesis induction in tow Iranian native orchids. Journal of Plant Production Research 2016, 22 (4), 119-132.
Nakano, T.; Bavuudorj, G.; Iijima, Y.; Ito, T. Y., Quantitative evaluation of grazing effect on nomadically grazed grassland ecosystems by using time-lapse cameras. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2020, 287, 106685.
Narjisse, H., Feeding behaviour of goats on rangelands. Goat Nutrition (Editors: P Morand-Feh r). Wageningen: Pudoc 1991, 3, 13-24.
Omide, H. A.; Akbari Nia, M.; Hosseini, S. M.; Mirzaei, J., Effects of conservation practice on covering parameters and natural regeneration of trees and shrubs in the Zagros forests. Iranian Journal of Forest 2014, 5 (3),229-238. (In Persian)
Onaindia, M.; Dominguez, I.; Albizu, I.; Garbisu, C.; Amezaga, I., Vegetation diversity and vertical structure as indicators of forest disturbance. Forest Ecology and Management 2004, 195 (3), 341-354.
Rad, J. E.; Valadi, G.; Salehzadeh, O.; Maroofi, H., Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on plant composition, plant diversity and soil properties in oak forests, Iran. Journal of Forest Science 2018, 64 (8), 358-370.
Rostami, A., Flora and plant life forms in natural forests upstream watershed Ivan in Ilam. Journal of Plant Environmental Physiology 2012, 7 (28), 48-58. (In Persian)
Seyed Sharifi, R.; Badberin, N.; Hedayat Ayorigh, N., Investigation for QTL affecting body weight traits and their pleiotropic effects on chromosome 2 of Markhoz goat. Journal of Animal production 2016, 18 (4), 661-670. (In Persian)
Shakeri, Z., Ecological and silvicultural effects of Galazani in Northern Zagros oak forests. Msc. University of Tehran, 2006, 66p. (In Persian)
Shakeri, Z., Invasive plants resulting of disturbance in Fagus orientalis communities in Caspian forests, north of Iran. PhD Thesis, Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, 2012, 105 p. (In Persian)
Thorne, M.; Stevenson, M., Stocking rate: The most important tool in the toolbox. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. University of Hawaii, Manoa. 2007.
Toupchii, Zh., Identification of Flora and Life Forms of Plants in Kandovan (East Azarbaijan). Jounal of Agricultural Sciences 2011, 4-14 (1), 23-40. (In Persian)
Valadi, G.; Eshagh-Rad, J.; Zargaran, M. R., Evaluation of disturbance impact on species diversity of oak forest using parametric method, Journal of Forest Research and Development 2017, 2 (4), 315-324. (In persion)
Valipour, A.; Plieninger, T.; Shakeri, Z.; Ghazanfari, H.; Namiranian, M.; Lexer, M. J., Traditional silvopastoral management and its effects on forest stand structure in northern Zagros, Iran. Forest ecology and management 2014, 327, 221-230.
Ventura-Cordero, J.; González-Pech, P.; Torres-Acosta, J.; Sandoval-Castro, C.; Tun-Garrido, J., Sheep and goat browsing a tropical deciduous forest during the rainy season: why does similar plant species consumption result in different nutrient intake? Animal Production Science 2017, 59 (1), 66-72.
Wang, J.; Zhong, M.; Wu, R.; Dong, Q.; Wang, K.; Shao, X., Response of plant functional traits to grazing for three dominant species in alpine steppe habitat of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China. Ecological Research 2016, 31 (4), 515-524.
Zamani, M.; Nikooy, M.; Pourbabaei, H.; Naghdi, R., Effects of road age on diversity variation and species importance value (SIV) at various distances from the roadside (Case study: Western Guilan forests). Journal of Forest Research and Development 2019, 5 (3), 497-511.
Forest Research and Development
Volume 7, Issue 2
September 2021
Pages 213-234

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics