The Effects of Grazing on Change and Diversity of Natural Regeneration (A Case Study: Patom District, Kheyroud Forest)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student, Natural Resources Faculty, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran

2 Professor, Natural Resources Faculty, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Natural Resources Faculty, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran

Abstract

There are natural and human threatening factors of forests sustainability. Deforestation human factors
include grazing, fire, land-use, mining operation, wood smuggling and release of waste in the forest.
There are very high harmful effects of livestock grazing in forest. In this study effects of livestock
grazing were investigated on occurrence, diversity and changes in natural regeneration groups. These
regions in this study consist of Bonjehbon and Patom corral were located in Patom district in the
Kheyroud Educational and Experimental Forest which belonged to University of Tehran. For this
purpose samples were collected by moving from each corral in four routes as transect until custom unit
boundary. There were determined 2×2.5 (5 m2) plots in each regeneration group and was determined
woody and herbage species in those plots. Diversity and evenness indices were calculated by using
Ecological Methodology software at 500 m distances from corral. The results show that the most
seedlings are Carpinus betulus and Acer velotinum which forms main species in this region. Graph
change species showed reducing trend of the frequency of C.betulus and A.velotinum species while
increased abundance of F.orientalis by increasing distance from corral. Rising pattern was observed
in the diversity and evenness factors by increasing distance from corral. Dominant herbage species
include Oxalis acetosella, Rubus fruticosus, Sambucus nigra, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Pteridium
aquilinum, Oplismenus unulatifolios and dominant woody species include D.lotus, C.betulus,
Crataegus Spp, Mespilus germanica, Acer cappadocicum, Parrotia persica and Prunus divaricata at
closer distances to corral. High diversity of woody and herbage species showed severe degradation at
the regions near the corral which has led to appearance invasive species.

Keywords

References

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