Variation of plant diversity components in different scales in relation to grazing and climatic conditions

Erfanzadeh, Reza; Omidipour, Reza; Faramarzi, Marzban

doi:10.1080/17550874.2015.1033774

Cited by 18 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Alpha and gamma diversity values as well as both components of beta diversity (turnover and nestedness) were significantly affected by management type and climatic conditions and, to a lesser degree, by the interaction between these two variables. This is in accordance with the observations that changes in climatic and management conditions influence species occurrence, diversity and distribution in various ecosystems (Adler and Levine, 2007;van der Putten et al, 2013), particularly in arid and semi-arid rangelands (Erfanzadeh et al, 2015) .…”

Section: Alpha Beta and Gamma Diversities And Beta Diversity Componentssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…However, with the increasing importance of biodiversity conservation, the use of new and effective methods to investigate plant biodiversity has become increasingly popular. Diversity partitioning (additive vs. multiplicative) is one of these methods that was frequently used during the two recent decades by ecologists devoted to biodiversity conservation (Erfanzadeh et al, 2015). According to this method, total regional diversity can be additively partitioned (γ=α+β; Lande, 1996) or multiplied (γ=α×β) into within (alpha diversity) and among (beta diversity) components across different spatial/temporal scales (Crist et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to this method, total regional diversity can be additively partitioned (γ=α+β; Lande, 1996) or multiplied (γ=α×β) into within (alpha diversity) and among (beta diversity) components across different spatial/temporal scales (Crist et al, 2003). The additive partitioning method has been increasingly used in rangeland and forest studies in relation to plant species diversity (Chávez and Macdonald, 2012;Zhang et al, 2014;Erfanzadeh et al, 2015;Schulze et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran

et al. 2019

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This study aimed to investigate the interaction between regions with different climatic conditions (arid vs. semi-arid) and management (protected vs. unprotected) on the turnover and nestedness of vegetation in relation to physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in the Ilam Province of Iran. In each of the two regions, we sampled 8 sites (4 managed and 4 unmanaged sites) within each of which we established 4 circular plots (1000 m 2) that were used to investigate woody species, while two micro-plots (1 m×1 m) were established in each 1000-m 2 plot to analyze herbaceous species. In each sample unit, we also extracted three soil samples (0-20 cm depth) for measuring soil properties. The results indicated that the interaction between region and conservational management significantly affected the percent of canopy cover of Persian oak (Quercus brantii Linddl), soil respiration, substrate-induced respiration, as well as beta and gamma diversities and turnover of plant species. The percent of oak canopy cover was positively correlated with soil silt, electrical conductivity, available potassium, and alpha diversity, whereas it was negatively correlated with plant turnover. In addition, plant turnover was positively related to available phosphorus, while nestedness of species was positively related to organic carbon and total nitrogen. According to these results, we concluded that physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of limited ecological niche generally influenced plant diversity. Also, this study demonstrated the major contribution of the beta diversity on gamma diversity, especially in semi-arid region, because of the higher heterogeneity of vegetation in this area.

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Section: Alpha Beta and Gamma Diversities And Beta Diversity Componentssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran

et al. 2019

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“…Grazing suppressed the diversity of species, consistently across the three climatic regions (Rahmanian et al, unpublished data, Table ). This suggests that grazing is a significant factor, limiting species diversity across the whole study system (see also Osem, Perevolotsky, & Kigel, ; Erfanzadeh, Omidipour, & Faramarzi, ; Herrero‐Jáuregui & Oesterheld, ). Most importantly, we found a highly significant interaction between the effect of climate and grazing on species diversity, with the most pronounced differences between the HG and LG plots detected in the subhumid climatic region (Rahmanian et al, unpublished data, Table ), where the diversity is unlikely to be limited by the drought.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of livestock grazing on soil, plant functional diversity, and ecological traits vary between regions with different climates in northeastern Iran

Rahmanian

Hejda

Ejtehadi

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Understanding the responses of vegetation characteristics and soil properties to grazing in different precipitation regimes is useful for the management of rangelands, especially in the arid regions. In northeastern Iran, we studied the responses of vegetation to livestock grazing in three regions with different climates: arid, semiarid, and subhumid. In each region, we selected 6–7 pairwise sampling areas of high versus low grazing intensity and six traits of the present species were recorded on 1 m 2 plots—five grazed and five ungrazed in each area. The overall fertility was compared using the dissimilarity analysis, and linear mixed‐effect models were used to compare the individual fertility parameters, functional diversity indices, and species traits between the plots with high and low grazing intensity and between the climatic regions. Both climate and grazing, as well as their interaction, affected fertility parameters, functional diversity indices, and the representation of species traits. Grazing reduced functional evenness, height of the community, the representation of annuals, but increased the community leaf area. In the subhumid region, grazing also reduced functional richness. Further, grazing decreased the share of annual species in the semiarid region and seed mass in the arid region. Larger leaf area and seed mass, smaller height and lower share of annuals were associated with intensive grazing. Species with large LA and seed mass, lower height and perennials can be therefore presumed to tolerate trampling and benefit from high nutrient levels, associated with intensive grazing. By providing a detailed view on the impacts of overgrazing, this study highlights the importance of protection from grazing as an effective management tool for maintaining the pastoral ecosystems. In general, the composition of plant traits across the pastures of northeastern Iran was more affected by intensive grazing than by the differences in climate.

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“…Many vascular plant species are unique to the grasslands, and this biome harbours a very diverse plant species (Dengler et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2017). However, conservation of plant species is a serious concern for ecologists ( Erfanzadeh et al, 2015), because grasslands are in decline in the number of plant species (Reitalu et al, 2014). To achieve an effective conservation of plant diversity, it is essential to detect ecosystem functions and available resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Variation of Soil Seed Bank under Cushion Plants in a Subalpine Degraded Grassland

2017

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Cushion plants can affect wind speed and sediment movement patterns that probably modify the water and sediment redistribution along slopes and increase the accumulation of seeds under and around their canopies. This study was carried out to assess the spatial variability of soil seed bank (SSB) and seed bank composition around cushion plants to estimate the SSB potential for restoration of degraded area. Twenty cushions of Onobrychis cornuta were selected in a mountainous rangelands in northern Alborz in Iran, measuring density, richness and composition of SSB at four locations of each cushion (upslope edge, downslope edge, centre and outside). SSB composition and density were determined by seedling emergence method. The results showed that the locations of cushions had significant effect on density and richness of the SSBs. The highest SSB density and richness were observed in the centre and upslope edge of the cushions, while there was no significant differences of density and richness between downslope edge and outside (bare grassland soil) of the cushions. In addition, the results showed that seed bank composition was highly correlated between the four locations in the same cushion. We concluded that cushion plants can act as seed traps specially trapping seeds dispersed by barochory and hydrochory and therefore play an important role in conservation and recovery of degraded areas.

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Variation of plant diversity components in different scales in relation to grazing and climatic conditions

Cited by 18 publications

References 45 publications

Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran

Interaction between climate and management on beta diversity components of vegetation in relation to soil properties in arid and semi-arid oak forests, Iran

Effects of livestock grazing on soil, plant functional diversity, and ecological traits vary between regions with different climates in northeastern Iran

Spatial Variation of Soil Seed Bank under Cushion Plants in a Subalpine Degraded Grassland

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