The effect of vegetation type on selected soil quality indicators in a semiarid rangeland in Hamedan, Iran

Authors : Soheila KHAH, Mohsen NAEL, Ali Akbar SAFARİ SİNEJANİ, Ghasem ASADİAN, Khadijeh SALARİ NİK

Pages : 70-75

Doi:10.18393/ejss.63280

View : 44 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 2015-01-08

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Soil quality approach can be used to describe soil health changes caused by different land use managements and vegetation types. Our objective was to assess the response of some soil quality indicators to different vegetation types including rainfed wheat insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(RW);, grasses insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(G);, Astragallus-Bromus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(A-B);, Astragallus-Lactuca insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(A-L);, Astragallus-Artimisia insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(A-A); and Astragallus-Euphorbia insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(A-E); in a semiarid experimental rangeland in Hamedan, where environmental conditions in terms of slope aspect and soil parent material were similar., Substrate-induced microbial respiration insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MR I ); and the activity of phosphomonoesterase enzyme insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PMEase); were determined in surface soil insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0-15 cm); in spring and autumn. Morover, bioavailable phosphorus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P); and potassium insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(K); were measured in autumn. No significant disparity was detected in P content of different vegetation types. Bioavailable K between was highest in A-E, and lowest in G and RW sites. MR I was significantly higher in spring irrespective of vegetation type. This index was significantly highest in A-B site in both seasons. As for PMEase, A-A and A-B showed the highest values in autumn in spring, A-B, A-A and A-L demonstrated the highest phosphatase activity.  PMEase in A-L and A-A sites was significantly higher in spring than autumn. Strongly significant positive correlation was found between PMEase and MR I . Overall, soil quality is highest under vegetation types composed of perennial shrubs, irrespective of season.
Keywords : soil quality indicators, soil enzyme, vegetation community, substrate induced respiration

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