The effect of canopy composition of shrub species on soil quality indicators in West Mazandaran

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Corresponding Author, Department of Range Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran.

2 Division of forests, Rangelands and Watershed, Ilam Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center (AREEO), Ilam, Iran.

3 Department of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Different composition of vegetation can have significant effects on the variability of soil characteristics. Therefore, the present study was aimed to reveal the effect of the canopy composition of shrub species on soil quality indicators. The different characteristics was studied for the litter and the soil covered with a mix of four shrubs species (Crataegus nigra, Berberis integerrima Bunge, Ribes Uva – crispa L and Prunus spinosa L.), three species (Crataegus nigra, Berberis integerrima Bunge and Ribes Uva – crispa L.), two species (Crataegus nigra and Berberis integerrima Bunge), shrub cover with the predominance of Berberis integerrima Bunge. and Crataegus nigra. For this purpose, in each of the habitats studied, 3 sample plots of one hectare were selected with at least 600 meters distances, and in each sample plot, 5 samples of litter and soil were collected, and a total of 15 samples of litter and soil were collected from each habitat. The results showed significant effects of different Composition of vegetation on most litter and soil characteristics; so that, the highest carbon to nitrogen ratio of litter belongs to the habitat with predominance of Berberis integerrima Bunge (24.46). The results of principal component analysis showed that the habitats with high soil fertility and biological activity belonged to the canopy composition with four species. The results of this research indicate that the composition of vegetation with four species can maintain soil quality.

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Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 07 December 2024

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