Biodiversity evaluation of rangelands ecosystems to achieve sustainable development (case study: Dastgerd watersed, Birjand, Iran)
Paper Details
Biodiversity evaluation of rangelands ecosystems to achieve sustainable development (case study: Dastgerd watersed, Birjand, Iran)
Abstract
Taken literally, the aim of biodiversity monitoring is to track changes in the biological integrity of ecosystems. Biodiversity monitoring within the rangelands may encompass many aspects and is clearly a very complex task. This study was conducted on rangelands of Dastgerd watershed with the objective of the determining the floristic composition, species diversity, richness and evenness. Systematic-randomly sampling method was used to collect the vegetation data. Accordingly, 20 plot of 10 × 10m (100m2 ) quadrate were laid and vegetation parameters were recorded and all the collected plant species were identified at herbarium of Birjand university. Vegetation analyzing was performed using BIO DAP, Estimate S and PAST software. A total of 32 species belonging to 30 genera and 15 families were identified. The collected species were composed of chamaephyte (15.5 %), geophytes (19 %), hemicryptophytes (37.5 %), phanerophytes (6 %) and therophytes (22 %). Most of species belong to Asteraceae and Poaceae. Generally, the rangeland condition indicated that it is in the stage of regeneration. The high percent of species belong to class III in the area shows necessitates the need for an immediate conservation action in order to ensure the sustainable utilization and management of the rangeland.
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