Journal of Biological Sciences1727-30481812-5719Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jbs.2008.1289.1297AmiriF. AriapourAli FadaiS. 8200888Studies of vegetation and soil dynamics on grazed and
non-grazed rangelands are important prerequisites for improving range
management. For this reason, the effects of excluding grazing animals
for 26 years were studied on vegetation and soil dynamics at two rangeland
condition sites (enclosure and exclosure) in Isfahan province, Iran. The
vegetation cover and edaphic characteristics were studied simultaneously
in both grazed and non-grazed range sites. In this study vegetation characteristics,
as well as vegetation floristic, canopy cover, plant density, botanical
composition, plant biodiversity and soil moisture infiltration were recorded
during the grazing seasons of 2006 to 2007. Vegetation characteristics,
in particular vegetation cover and plant density, differed significantly
between the non-grazed (enclosed) and grazed sites and increased significantly
in the non-grazed range site. The vegetation cover in the non-grazed site
consisted mainly of class I and II plants while class III plants predominated
in the grazed site. There was no significant difference in the botanical
composition of the two areas. There was a significant increase in Gramineae
in the enclosure site compared to the surrounding grazed site, but there
was a considerable decrease in forb species. We also observed a significant
decrease in soil infiltration rates in the grazed range site compared
to the enclosed range site. Litter content was higher inside and exposed
bare soil greater outside the enclosure. Infiltration rates were higher
in the enclosed area than in the grazed exclosure area throughout the
grazing season. A comparison of vegetation and soil infiltration within
the enclosure showed that vegetation condition and soil infiltration were
good and that removal of grazing animals, as in the enclosure, causes
an improvement in rangeland condition in this region.]]>Akbarzadeh, M., M.R. Moghadam, A. Jalili, M. Jafari and H. Arzani,200713324336Anonymous,20062006Bellows, B.C.,20032003Belsky, A.J. and D.M. Blumenthal,199711315327Bonham, C.,19892nd Edn.,Brand, M.D. and H. Goetz,198639434437Chaichi, M.R., M.M. Saravi and M. Arash,2005715Curtis, D. and T. Wright,199363034Dadkhah, M. and G.F. Gifford,198016979986Daubenmire, R.,1959334364Dormaar, J.F., S. Smoliak and W.D. Willms,198942252256Faizul, B., D.M. Karlw and L. Murray,199346367372Ferrero, A.F.,199119319329Heitschmidt, R.K., S.L. Dowhower and J.W. Walker,198740318321Jalilvand, H., R. Tamartash and H. Heydarpour,200715366Johnston, A., J.F. Dormaar and S. Smoliak,197124185188Kakinuma, K. and S. Takatsuki,20082008pp: 493493Laycock, W.A. and P.W. Conrad,196720136140Mapfumo, E., D.S. Chanasyk, V.S. Baron and M.A. Naeth,200053466470McCalla, G.R., W.H. Backburn and L.B. Merrill,198437265269McGinty, A.W., F.E. Smeins and L.B. Merill,1979323337McNaughton, S.J.,1979113691703Mirza Ali, A., M. Mesdagei and Z. Erfanzadeh,200613194202Naeth, M.A., A.W. Bailey, D.S. Chanasyk and D.J. Pluth,1991441317Naeth, M.A. and D.S. Chanasyk,199548528534Page, M.J., R.J.S. Beeton, J.J. Mott and D. Eldridge,19991999pp: 225226Passera, C.B. and O. Borsetto,199652531Perevolotsky, A.,19941994Severson, K.E. and L.F. Debano,199144111117Shannon, G.E. and W.W. Weaver,19631st Edn.,pp: 111-125pp: 111-125Sun, D. and M.J. Liddle,199317497510Thurow, T.L., W.H. Backburn and C.A. Taylor,198639505509Vahabi, M., M. Bassiri and K. Seyed Jamal,19971997Warren, S.D., T.L. Thurow, W.H. Blackburn and N.E. Garaza,198639491495Weitz, M. and M.K. Wood,198639365368Willms, W.D., J.F. Dormaar, B.W. Adams and H.E. Douwes,200255210216