Range suitability classification for goats using GIS Case Study: Ghareaghach watershed-Semirom

Range suitability determination is considered as a step toward development and sustainable utilization of natural resources with a great significance in the world of today. Since the goats are the majority of the livestock populations using the country's rangelands after the sheep, grazing traits, adaptation and capabilities of goats were aplied in range suitability classification in the present study. The research was carried out in Ghareaghach river watershed located north-east of Semirom in Isfahan province.The framework of this research was based on F.A.O method (1991) for land evaluation. Physical factors, vegetation characteristics and water resources were considered to create three sub models including yield, water resources and soil erodibility. The final model of the range suitability in terms of range production showed that the studied rangelands were classified in three classes as moderate suitability (S2) for 2%, low suitability (S3) for 62.2% and not suitable (N) for 23.6% of the rangeland's area and 14.3% of the remaining lands was classified as non-rangelands. Among all studied land components, vegetation and forage production were identified as the first priorities to decrease land suitability for goats. Factors of distance from water sources and high slope (more than 75%) constituted the second priority for grazing suitability.