Investigation on the response of Frankenia hirsuta species to some environmental gradients using HOF function in the saline rangelands of Inchehbrun, Golestan province

Authors

Abstract

Frankenia hirsuta is a perennial halophyte species playing an important role in forage production in Incheboron, Golestan Province. Examining the ecological niche of this species in rangeland ecosystems of Incheboron can predict their response to environmental factors and the effective management. The objective of this study was to investigate the response of Frankenia hirsuta species to some environmental gradients in the saline rangelands of Inchehbrun using HOF function. For this purpose, 400- 4 m2quadrates were laid out as randomized-systematic along water point distance. Within each quadrat, presence of Frankenia hirsuta species was recorded. Soil samples were taken from 0-20 cm in each quadrate for analyzing bulk density, soil moisture, pH, N, EC, P, organic carbon, the percentage of sand, silt and clay. In order to study the shape of response curve in relation to the above-mentioned variables, HOF function was used with binomial distribution function. The data were analysed by R ver.3.0.2 statistical software. The results showed that the ecological amplitude and optimum along water point distance gradient for Frankenia hirsuta species has been estimated 200 – 1000 m and 825 m, respectively. The response curve of Frankenia hirsuta species to the water point distance gradient was also monotonically increasing. The behavior of Frankenia hirsuta species to organic carbon, N, sand and soil moisture increased monotonically. Overall, in saline rangelands of Golestan Province, this species has been distributed as patches in low lands and the places with suitable moisture and relatively less salinity. It is suggested that heavy grazing is prevented in the area for protection and sustainable utilization of this species.

Keywords


  1. Abrsaji, G. A., Mahdavi, M., Jouri, H., 2011. The investigation of the effect Microtopography Factor and Some of Soil Chemical C and haracteristics on the Distribution of Frankenia hirsuta Plant in Saline and Alkaline Rangelands of Golestan Province, Plants and Ecosystems 8, 75-87.
  2. Anderson, V. J., Briske, D. D., 1995. Herbivore-induced species replacement in grasslands: is it driven by herbivory tolerance or avoidance?. Ecological Applications 5, 1014 -1024.
  3. Austin, M.P., 2002. Spatial prediction of species distribution: an interface between ecological theory and statistical modelling. Ecological modeling, 2, 101-118.
  4. Akaike, H.. 1973. Information theory and an extensión of the maximum likelihood principle, International Symposium on Information. Theory 267–281.
  5. Bailey, D.W., Gross,E., LacaL, R., 1989.Management of Cattle Distribution. Rangelands 11,159 -161.
  6. Bailey, A. W., 1970. Barrier effect of the shrub Elaeagnus commutate on grazing cattle and forage production in central Alberta. Journal of Range Management 23, 248-251.
  7. Bakhshi Khaniki, G., Mohammadi, B., 2012. Ecological Study of Some Species of the Genus Salsola (Chenopodiaceae) in Golestan Province. NCMBJ 2, 45-52.
  8. Bari, F., Wood, M. K., Murray, L., 1995. Livestock grazing impacts on interrill erosion in Pakistan. Journal of Range Manage 48, 251-257.
  9. Cheng, X., An, S., Chen, J., Li, B., Liu, Y., Liu, S., 2007. Spatial relationships among species, above-ground biomass, N, and P in degraded grasslands in Ordos Plateau, northwestern China. Journal of Arid Environments 68, 652-667.
  10. Dormaar, J. F., Adams, B. W., Willms, W. D., 1997. Impacts of rotational grazing on mixed prairie soils and vegetation. Journal of Range Management, 50, 647-651
  11. Dianati Tilaki, G. A., sharifi, A. M., Alavi, S. J., 2015. Comparison of the ecological amplitude of Festuca ovina L. and Poa bulbosa L. to some environmental variables using the function HOF (Case study: Rangeland of Glandrood). Journal of Range and Watershed management, 68 2, 269-285.
  12. Fakhimi Abarghouie, E., Gholami, P., Javadi, S. A., 2014. Response of Vegetation and Soil Chemical Characteristics to Different Grazing Intensities in Steppe Rangelands of Nodushan, Yazd province. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Reseach 21, 109-118.
  13. Fotelli,M.N., Radoglou, K.M.and Constantinidou, H.I. 2000. Water Stress Responses of Seedlings of Four Mediterranean Oak Species. Tree physiology 20, 1065–1075.
  14. Frank, A. B., Tanaka, D.L., Hofmann, L. Follett, R. F., 1995. Soil Carbon and Nitrogen of Northern Great Plains Grasslands as Influenced by long-term Grazing. Journal of Range Management, 48, 470 - 474.
  15. HeidarianAghakhani, M., Naghipour, A. A., Tavakoli, H., 2010.The Effects of Grazing Intensity on Vegetation and Soil in Sisab Rangelands, Bojnord, Iran. Iranian journal of Range and Desert Reseach 17, 243-253.
  16. Hosseini, S. A., 2007. Report determining forage harvesting plan ranges. Agriculture Natural Resources Research Center of Golestan province, Page 39.
  17. Huisman, J., Olff, H.L., Fresco, L.F.M., 1993. A hierarchical set of models for species response analysis.Journal of Vegetation Science 4, 37- 4.
  18. Javadi, S. A., jafari, M., zahedi, Gh. ,2005.Investigation on grazing effects upon soil parameters at Lar Summer RangelandJournal of agricultural Sciences Islamic Azad University 4, 71-78.
  19. Kadmon, R., 1995. Plant Competition along Soil Moisture Gradients: a field Experiment with the Desert Annual StipaCapensis. Journal of Ecology 83, 253 – 262.
  20. Kelly, R.D., Walker, B. H., 1976. The effects of different forms of land use on the ecology ofa semi-arid rgion in south-eastemRhodesia.The Journal of Ecology 64, 553-576.
  21. Kohandel, A., Arzani, H., Hosseini Tavassol, M., 2011. Effect of grazing vegetation characteristics using Principal intensity on soil and components analysis. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research 17, 518-526.
  22. Milchunas, D.G., Sala, O.E.,Lauenroth, W.K., 1988. A generalized model of the effects of grazing by large herbivores on grassland community structure,American Naturalist 132, 87–106.
  23. Mohammadsharifi, A., Dianati Tilaki, G.A., Alavi, S. J., 2015. Investigating the response of Festuca ovina L. to some environmental variables using HOF function in Galandrood watershed. Journal of Rangeland 8, 328-341.
  24. Saravani Ghayor B., Bagheri, R., Mohseni, M., 2011. An Autecological Study of Capparis spinosa L, in Sistan Region Plants and ecosystems 8, 100-111.
  25. Shaltout, K. H., Sheded, M. G., El-Kady, H. F., Sodany, Y. M., 2003. Phytosociology and size structure of Nitraria retusa along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Journal of arid environments 53, 331-345.
  26. Wesuls, D., 2013. The Grazing Fingerprint Modelling Species Responses and Trait Patterns along Grazing Gradients in Semi-Arid Namibian rangelands. Ecological Indicators 27,61–70.
  27. Zhao, W.Y., Li, J.L., Qi, J.G., 2007. Change in Vegetation Diversity and Structure in Response to Heavy Grazing Pressure in the Northern Tianshan mountains, China. Journal of Arid Environments 68,465-479.