qualitative assessment of potential of soil surface attributes in bozdaghy rangeland

Document Type : Research

Authors

Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Abstract

The structural and functional characteristics of fertilized patches in Bozdaghy rangeland, in North-Khorasan Province was measured and analyzed in this study. A group of measurable and simple indices of landscape function analysis (LFA) methods were used to evaluate these characteristics. The data were measured from seven land unit which is developed from overlaying of geology map on the dem and slope map. In this research the length and width of ecological patches by the forms of  Grass, forb, shrub and bare soil with litter measured. Also we measured the 11 soil surface parameters on three, 50 meters transects in the seven mentioned regions. These 11 parameters are belonging to 3 major attributes of soil: Stability, infiltration and nutrients. Stability index is in u3 and u6, respectively, most (52.41) and lowest (38.1). Infiltration index is in u3 and u7, respectively, most (33.38) and lowest (24.39). Nutrient cycle index is in u2 and u1, respectively, most (24.38) and lowest (12.41). shrub was the most important ecological indicators of areas.

Keywords