نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه علوم و مهندسی خاک، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه زنجان، زنجان، ایران
2 گروه علوم و مهندسی خاک، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه زنجان، زنجان، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of widely implemented management systems on soil physical quality indicators within the semi-arid rangelands of Zanjan Province. The study aims to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of soil productivity, as well as to prevent soil degradation. Sampling sites were selected across three distinct management systems, including natural rangelands, livestock-prevented and reseeded rangelands, and afforested rangelands. 60 soil samples were randomly collected, and properties related to soil physical quality were measured. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant Analysis (DA) were used to identify the most important soil indicators affected by management practices. The correlation analysis identified significant associations among soil physical properties, which have implications for soil structure, water dynamics, and the overall quality of soil physical characteristics. Soil macropores and bulk density were identified as the most critical indicators using PCA. Macropores, bulk density, geometric mean diameter of aggregates, and soil structure stability index were also identified as key properties affecting soil conditions using DA. Both multivariate methods yielded complementary insights into the assessment of soil physical quality. The findings suggest that conservation practices enhanced soil physical quality, with afforested rangelands exhibiting the highest quality. This was characterized by increased porosity, improved aggregation, and reduced soil compaction. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between management practices and the physical quality of soil in the semi-arid rangelands of Zanjan province.
کلیدواژهها [English]
Rangelands, as vital components of terrestrial ecosystems, play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, forage production, soil erosion control, and water resource preservation. In semi-arid environments like northwestern Iran, sustainable rangeland management is of paramount importance due to the region’s limited water resources, susceptibility to soil degradation, and challenging climatic conditions. One of the most significant factors influencing rangeland health and sustainability is soil physical quality. Soil characteristics such as compaction, permeability, water-holding capacity, and soil structural stability directly affect rangeland ecosystem functions. Consequently, accurately assessing soil physical quality under different rangeland management practices is essential. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the impact of management systems on soil physical quality characteristics in semi-arid rangelands of Zanjan Province, Iran, to preserve and enhance soil productivity while preventing degradation, and to identify the most significant physical soil characteristics that are influenced by management systems in the study area using multivariate analyses.
The management systems studied in this research include: rangelands under natural conditions with no conservation practices, enclosure and seeding of rangelands and afforestation in rangelands. In each management system studied, 20 composite soil samples were collected from a depth of 0-30 cm. In total, 60 soil samples were randomly collected from the three management systems (natural rangelands, enclosure and seeding of rangelands, and afforestation). The soil samples were transported to the laboratory, air-dried, and passed through a 2 mm sieve for physicochemical analyses. To identify the most significant soil characteristics affected by the management systems in the study area, principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were used. The normal distribution and homogeneity of variance of the data were checked using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Levene's test. For comparing means, the least significant difference test was used at a probability level of 5% to assess soil quality across different management systems. The correlation between measured characteristics was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
The results showed that rangeland management systems affect the evaluation of soil physical quality. The study revealed significant relationships between soil physical properties that can influence soil structure, water dynamics, and overall physical quality. Bulk density showed a negative correlation with total porosity (r = -0.53), macroporosity (r = -0.56), aeration capacity (r = -0.58), and field capacity (r = -0.40). The findings indicate that increased bulk density leads to reduced soil porosity, negatively impacting soil aeration, water retention, and root penetration. Among the analyzed soil properties, macroporosity and bulk density were identified as key indicators using principal component analysis, highlighting their central role in assessing soil physical quality in this ecosystem. The discriminant analysis results showed that macroporosity, bulk density, geometric mean diameter of soil aggregates, and soil aggregate stability index are the most important indicators affecting soil conditions for evaluating physical quality under the studied management systems. Implementing adaptive management approaches, including controlled grazing, seeding, and planting suitable species, can help maintain soil structure, prevent degradation, and increase the resilience of rangeland ecosystems in semi-arid environments. The principal component analysis and the inverse relationship between bulk density and porosity make bulk density a crucial variable influencing changes in soil physical quality. The discriminant analysis further supports this finding, showing that bulk density effectively distinguishes between rangeland management groups, as high values are often associated with soil degradation due to overgrazing or mechanical disturbances. The principal component analysis and discriminant analysis provide complementary perspectives for evaluating soil physical quality.
This study highlights the significant impact of rangeland management methods on soil physical quality, emphasizing the role of key soil properties such as macroporosity, bulk density, particle size distribution, and soil aggregate stability index. Afforestation demonstrated the highest soil physical quality, characterized by increased porosity, improved soil aggregation, and reduced soil compaction. These research findings reinforce the importance of sustainable rangeland management approaches in maintaining soil structure and function, providing valuable guidance for land managers to balance fertility and ecological sustainability. Such studies can provide a scientific basis for managerial decision-making and sustainable policy-making aimed at preserving rangeland ecosystems and improving overall soil quality.
Conceptualization, Shamkhani and Askari; methodology, Shamkhani; software analysis, Shamkhani and Askari; writing—original draft preparation, Shamkhani; review and editing, Askari and Alamdari; supervision, Askari and Vaezi.
Data will be made available on request.
The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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