کد مقاله کد نشریه سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی نسخه تمام متن
4394068 1305517 2009 9 صفحه PDF دانلود رایگان
عنوان انگلیسی مقاله ISI
Assessment of grazing effect on sheep fescue (Festuca valesiaca) dominated steppe rangelands, in the semi-arid Central Anatolian region of Turkey
موضوعات مرتبط
مهندسی و علوم پایه علوم زمین و سیارات فرآیندهای سطح زمین
پیش نمایش صفحه اول مقاله
Assessment of grazing effect on sheep fescue (Festuca valesiaca) dominated steppe rangelands, in the semi-arid Central Anatolian region of Turkey
چکیده انگلیسی

In the semi-arid steppe rangelands of Central Turkey, Festuca valesiaca and Thymus sipyleus ssp rosulans have become the dominant species on degraded pastures. We hypothesized that decreases in species richness and abundance are correlated with increasing prevalence of these two species. Therefore, our objectives were to determine whether there are patterns in examined vegetation; how dominant species contribute to these patterns; and how patterns differ between grazed and ungrazed vegetation. We determined that protection from grazing increased species richness. Grazing significantly changed composition through decreasing total plant, forb, grass and F. valesiaca covers, while substantially increasing T. sipyleus cover. Topography, soil and grazing appear to impact the dominance of plant communities where F. valesiaca and T. sipyleus prevail. These two dominant species had a significant effect in shaping vegetation patterns. Based on regression analysis, alterations in species richness with changes in cover of forbs and shrubs were evident, and spatial heterogeneity of F. valesiaca and T. sipyleus indicated unstable vegetative patterns in heavily grazed pastures and successional changes in protected pastures. Our study results identify F. valesiaca and T. sipyleus as indicator species of vegetation suppression in condition assessments of degraded steppe rangelands.

ناشر
Database: Elsevier - ScienceDirect (ساینس دایرکت)
Journal: Journal of Arid Environments - Volume 73, Issue 12, December 2009, Pages 1149–1157
نویسندگان
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