Volume 16, Issue 3 (11-2022)
مرتع 2022, 16(3): 454-467 |
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Kooch Y, Parandash Z, Zarafshar M. The effect of changing forest vegetation to rangeland on soil flora and fauna activities of the mountainous part of Kinj-Nowshahr. مرتع 2022; 16 (3) :454-467
URL: http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-1025-en.html
URL: http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-1025-en.html
Department of Range Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Nour
Abstract: (1689 Views)
Background and objectives: Soil flora and fauna play a significant role in the cycle of nutrients and ecosystem stability. Due to the importance of these soil organisms and their role in different ecosystems, and also considering that the diversity and density of these organisms is used as a suitable index to evaluate the habitat quality, their study is of great importance. Based on this, the current research is focused on the changes in the activity of soil organisms as a result of the change of vegetation from forest to rangeland in the mountainous areas of the north of the country.
Methodology: Forests habitats dominated by Carpinus orientalis, Crataegus microphylla- Berberis integerrima Bunge and rangelands dominated by Stachys byzantina and Rhamnus pallasii were chosen for the study. In order to investigate the effects of forest and rangeland on various soil characteristics, after preliminary investigations and field trip, parts of the above-mentioned lands were selected which are continuous and have a minimum height difference from the sea level. Minimum change in percentage and direction of slope were considered. From each of these habitats, 12 soil samples were transferred to the laboratory. For physical and chemical tests, parts of the soil samples were dried in the air and screened by a 2 mm sieve. The other part of the samples immediately after the sampling, in order to measure microbial characteristics, were kept inside a cold room with a temperature of 4˚C.
Results: The highest amounts of coarse root biomass were measured at Carpinus and Berberis-Crataegus plant type, while the highest fine root biomass values were found at Carpinus forest cover. The number and biomass of epigeic and anecic earthworms did not show statistically significant differences among vegetation types. The highest population of endogeic, the total population of earthworms, Acarina, Collembola, nematodes, protozoa, bacteria and fungi were observed in Carpinus forest cover. Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type have the highest amounts of basal respiration, carbon microbial biomass, phosphorus microbial biomass and aryl-sulfatase enzyme. The highest amounts of substrate induced respiration were observed in Berberis-Crataegus plant type and the highest amounts of nitrogen microbial biomass, urease, acid phosphatase and invertase enzymes were observed in Carpinus forest cover. In any case, the changes of flora and fauna populations are studied in connection with the changes of other physical and chemical characteristics of the soil under vegetation. In this regard, Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type had the highest moisture values and aggregate stability, while the highest soil temperature values belonged to Rhamnus and Stachys plant types. The highest amount of bulk density and the lowest amount of soil porosity were observed in Rhamnus plant type. The highest and lowest values of soil pH and electrical conductivity were observed, respectively, in Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type. The highest values of soil nitrogen belong to Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type, and the highest soil C/N values belong to Stachys and Rhamnus vegetation. Carpinus forest cover had the highest amounts of available phosphorus, available potassium, available magnesium and particulate organic nitrogen, while the highest amounts of available calcium and particulate organic carbon were found in Carpinus forest cover and Berberis plant type. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the Carpinus forest cover provides favorable conditions for the activity of all kinds of soil organisms, soil fauna and flora.
Conclusion: While the forest degradation and its transformation into rangeland led to a decrease in flora and fauna activity, microbial and enzymatic activities of the soil. The results of this research support the protection of forest covers in mountain ecosystems (which are considered sensitive and fragile habitats) in order to increase soil quality indicators.
Methodology: Forests habitats dominated by Carpinus orientalis, Crataegus microphylla- Berberis integerrima Bunge and rangelands dominated by Stachys byzantina and Rhamnus pallasii were chosen for the study. In order to investigate the effects of forest and rangeland on various soil characteristics, after preliminary investigations and field trip, parts of the above-mentioned lands were selected which are continuous and have a minimum height difference from the sea level. Minimum change in percentage and direction of slope were considered. From each of these habitats, 12 soil samples were transferred to the laboratory. For physical and chemical tests, parts of the soil samples were dried in the air and screened by a 2 mm sieve. The other part of the samples immediately after the sampling, in order to measure microbial characteristics, were kept inside a cold room with a temperature of 4˚C.
Results: The highest amounts of coarse root biomass were measured at Carpinus and Berberis-Crataegus plant type, while the highest fine root biomass values were found at Carpinus forest cover. The number and biomass of epigeic and anecic earthworms did not show statistically significant differences among vegetation types. The highest population of endogeic, the total population of earthworms, Acarina, Collembola, nematodes, protozoa, bacteria and fungi were observed in Carpinus forest cover. Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type have the highest amounts of basal respiration, carbon microbial biomass, phosphorus microbial biomass and aryl-sulfatase enzyme. The highest amounts of substrate induced respiration were observed in Berberis-Crataegus plant type and the highest amounts of nitrogen microbial biomass, urease, acid phosphatase and invertase enzymes were observed in Carpinus forest cover. In any case, the changes of flora and fauna populations are studied in connection with the changes of other physical and chemical characteristics of the soil under vegetation. In this regard, Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type had the highest moisture values and aggregate stability, while the highest soil temperature values belonged to Rhamnus and Stachys plant types. The highest amount of bulk density and the lowest amount of soil porosity were observed in Rhamnus plant type. The highest and lowest values of soil pH and electrical conductivity were observed, respectively, in Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type. The highest values of soil nitrogen belong to Carpinus forest cover and Berberis-Crataegus plant type, and the highest soil C/N values belong to Stachys and Rhamnus vegetation. Carpinus forest cover had the highest amounts of available phosphorus, available potassium, available magnesium and particulate organic nitrogen, while the highest amounts of available calcium and particulate organic carbon were found in Carpinus forest cover and Berberis plant type. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the Carpinus forest cover provides favorable conditions for the activity of all kinds of soil organisms, soil fauna and flora.
Conclusion: While the forest degradation and its transformation into rangeland led to a decrease in flora and fauna activity, microbial and enzymatic activities of the soil. The results of this research support the protection of forest covers in mountain ecosystems (which are considered sensitive and fragile habitats) in order to increase soil quality indicators.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2021/07/21 | Accepted: 2022/07/7 | Published: 2022/11/1
Received: 2021/07/21 | Accepted: 2022/07/7 | Published: 2022/11/1
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