javad motamedi

The models for predicting the geographic distribution of plant species are static and probabilistic models and specify the mathematical relationships governing the geographical distribution of species with their current environment and important environmental factors affecting the distribution of species. The aim of the present research was to preparing a habitat prediction map of the Artemisia chamaemelifolia including the important medicinal species in the rangelands of Ardabil province. In the rangelands of Ardabil province, 449 sampling sites of the presence and absence of the studied species were considered from 2018 to 2021. Two categories of environmental factors including bioclimatic variables (19 cases) and topographic variables including primary indicators (3 cases) and secondary indicators (6 cases) were investigated in relation to the presence of the species. Maps of all environmental factors in the environment of the geographic information system were prepared and overlapped with 70% of the data. Prediction of species presence with four different modeling methods including; generalized linear model (GLM), generalized additive model (GAM), random forest model (RF) and generalized boosted regression model (GBM) were performed in the R software environment. The analysis of the importance of environmental variables for the models was done in the Biomode2 package. To evaluate the models, 30% of the species data and three statistics of Area under Curve (AUC), Kappa and True Skill Statistics (TSS) were used. The results of the modeling showed that the elevation was the most effective variable in the distribution of A. chamaemelifolia species in all four studied methods. In the GAM method, the variables of precipitation of the driest month, precipitation of the hottest season, and percentage of slope were also obtained as effective factors on the presence of this species. In addition to the elevation and the precipitation of the hottest season, the RF model also added the average daily temperature range to the factors affecting the presence of the species. Comparing the performance of the models showed that the GAM model with AUC 0.993, Kappa index 0.969, and TSS 0.985, is the best model among the studied models and was able to predict the habitat of the species at an excellent level. After that, the RF model with the AUC of 0.996, kappa 0.936, and TSS 0.941, with a small difference, is the second approved model in this connection. The results of this study showed that the species of A. chamaemelifolia has a relatively limited ecological niche and tends to grow in its own habitat conditions. Therefore, the prepared prediction maps can introduce the geographical areas in which the species is present to design and announce the protection areas of the species and can be used to suggest the species in the modification and restoration of areas with similar ecological conditions as the species' presence areas. The prediction model in the current study is expected to be effective for future conservation strategies.

Determining the state of distribution of species and the habitats occupied by them is very important in species protection and management programs. The use of modeling to predict the distribution of species has increased in recent years. For this purpose, a wide range of modeling techniques has been developed. In this regard, the present research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the capability of logistic regression and the maximum entropy method in preparing a prediction map of the habitat expansion of Artemisia chamaemelifolia species and determining the factors affecting its distribution in Ardabil province.

 In the rangelands of Ardabil province, 449 study sites, including 102 sites of presence and 347 sites of non-presence of the species, were recorded from 2018 to 2021. Two categories of environmental factors, including bioclimatic variables (19 cases), three primary topographic indices (elevation, slope, and aspect), and five secondary topographic indices (topographic wetness index, topographic position index, topographic roughness index, stream power index, and plan curvature index), were investigated in relation to the presence of the species. Bioclimatic variables with a spatial resolution of 2.5 minutes, equivalent to 5 km², were downloaded from worldclim.org. The maps of topographical variables were produced using the maps of the digital elevation model in a geographic information system environment. Maps of all environmental factors were prepared and overlapped with 70% of the data. Environmental information was extracted for sample points. Collinearity between independent variables was checked. In the next step, the regression relationship between species presence and independent variables was extracted in SPSS software. Then, by combining the maps of factors affecting species distribution and applying the relevant regression relationship, the distribution map was predicted through the logistic regression method. To prepare the prediction map of A. chamaemelifolia habitat through the maximum entropy method in the MaxEnt software environment, the environmental layers were converted to ASCII format, and the species presence points were converted to CSV format. The maps prepared in both models were classified based on the optimal threshold of species presence into two classes: species presence and non-presence. The Kappa index was used to check the accuracy of prepared maps and compare their performance.

 The results of the modeling showed that elevation was the most effective environmental factor in the distribution of the species. The altitude range of presence of A. chamaemelifolia in Ardabil province was found to be from 2100 to 2900 meters. The Kappa coefficient obtained from the comparison of the predicted and real maps for the logistic regression model was 0.962, and for the maximum entropy model, it was 0.871, which are at a very good to excellent level. The logistic regression model identified slope percentage, precipitation of the coldest season, precipitation of the driest month, and the average range of daily temperature as influencing variables in the occurrence of the species in Ardabil province. Based on the jackknife test resulting from the implementation of maximum entropy in the MaxEnt environment, the most important variables affecting the suitability of A. chamaemelifolia habitat were seasonal precipitation and elevation.

 The results of the present study have provided key and important information about the range of tolerance of the A. chamaemelifolia species to the influencing environmental variables. Relying on the results of the current study, arrangements can be made to protect and restore habitats with current or potential distribution of A. chamaemelifolia species.

Due to the need to determine the suitability of the habitat in providing emendation suggestions in biological programs, predicting the optimal habitat of important and valuable plant species in local and academic knowledge is considered one of the important matters in the rangeland's improvement and development. Nowadays, different modeling methods have been considered in this field. In addition to finding important influencing factors in the establishment and distribution of the species, this can determine its preferential tendency towards environmental factors. Therefore, this study was carried out with the aim of preparing a habitat prediction map of the Artemisia austriaca species, which is important from the point of view of both local people and experts of the region and has multi-purpose values, at the level of rangelands of Ardabil province with machine learning methods.

In the Rangelands of Ardabil province, 675 sampling sites from the presence and absence of studied species were considered from 2018 to 2021. Two categories of environmental factors including bioclimatic variables and topographic variables, including primary and secondary topographic indicators were investigated in relation to the presence of the species. Maps of all environmental factors were prepared with 70% of the data and overlapped in geographic information software. Predicting the presence of A. austriaca with four methods; Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Generalized Cumulative Model (GAM), Random Forest Model (RF), and generalized boosted Regression Model (GBM) were performed in R software environment. The analysis of the importance of environmental variables for the models was done in the Biomode2 package. To evaluate the models, 30% of species data and three statistics of the area under the curve (AUC), kappa, and true skill statistic (TSS) were used.

The modeling results showed that the precipitation variable in the coldest season (Bio19) was the most effective variable in the spread of A. austriaca species in all four studied methods. In the GLM method, the variables of seasonal temperature (Bio4) and topographic position index (TPI) were also found to be effective factors in the presence of the A. austriaca species. In the RF model, respectively, Bio19 and seasonal precipitation (Bio15), and in the GBM model, the variables Bio19, precipitation of the wettest month (Bio13), and Bio15 were introduced as the most important variables in the presence of the species. Also, in the GAM model, the results showed that the variables of altitude above sea level, Bio19, Bio15, and Bio4 are the most important in the distribution of the species in the A. austriaca. Comparing the performance of the models showed that the GBM model with AUC 0.97, Kappa index 0.8, and TSS 0.886 is the best model among the studied models, followed by the random forest model with the index under the curve 0.96, Kappa 0.79, and TSS equal to 0.86 is the second model approved in this connection.

The results of this research showed that the studied models, especially the GBM and RF models, are able to predict the optimal habitat of the A. austriaca in the rangelands of Ardabil province with acceptable accuracy. Based on the results of the mentioned models, climatic factors have a greater effect on the occurrence of A. austriaca in Ardabil province. The use of the results of this and similar research is essential in preparing the habitat identification of any plant species and suggesting suitable native species for the improvement of rangelands. Finally, using the environmental factors of each region, the probability for the success or failure of the establishment of plant species can be predicted. Because one of the main conditions in the success or failure of such operations is their adaptation to the needs of the suggested species in that area.

Rangeland management is the science and art of range management and administration, which requires technical and managerial foundations in decision-making and planning to protection, reclamation and sustainably use it, in parallel with each other and in accordance with the range ecological conditions and beneficiary's socio-economic conditions, especially the pastoralists, should be considered. In the technical basics section, there are always several key projects, including planting, plowing, grazing management, Inter Seeding, Seeding, fertilizing, pitting, ripping, and contour furrowing, each of which has criteria and indicators. Has its own characteristics. Considering the vast area and variety of physiography and geomorphology of the rangelands, any tool that can help experts in selecting improvement and restoration projects by combining indicators can be useful. The purpose of this research is to use the geographic information system to locate suitable areas for range improvement and management projects in the Chahtalkh watershed.

For this purpose, based on the range condition and range condition trend, a range method was developed for each plant types. For types with excellent to good condition, equilibrium method was recommended, and for types with moderate condition, natural method and consequently grazing systems were recommended. Artificial or improvement range management, were considered for types that were poor and very poor. In the next step, the homogeneous baseline maps were prepared by combining altitude, slope and direction maps. Subsequently, the homogeneous layer was combined with plant types layer and the final homogeneous units. Based on the rangeland condition and suitability yield of plant types, geological maps, soil characteristics, iso-therms, iso-rain and water resources, the characteristics of each homogeneous unit were extracted in GIS environment. Considering effective ecological and environmental criteria and indices to perform range improvement and management operations and to match the characteristics of each homogenous unit, the type of rangeland management and management operations in each homogenous unit was proposed and based on this, a round map was prepared. Finally, by superimposing the map of range improvement and management operations and customary systems, the range management model of the region was presented.

According to the results, a wide range of rangelands have poor and very poor conditions that require artificial range management. The resulting management model showed that in 10.6% of rangelands, contour farro, in 8.3%, pitting and in 5.9%, ripping is recommended. In 29.3% of rangelands, grazing management and in 14.6% prevent livestock from entering (exclosure) are recommended.

The model presented in the Chah Talkh watershed, which was obtained by combining the layers of RANGE condition and range condition trend, suitability yield of plant types, land use, soil texture and depth, elevation class, slope and direction, temperature and rainfall lines, and the map of customary systems, can play a significant role in provide a comprehensive and all-round management. The model enables quick and easy access to all ecological and environmental criteria and environmental parameters for effective range improvement and range management. In this regard, weighting indicators and using multi-variable decision-making tools can play an important role in more precisely choosing suitable places for range improvement and revitalization projects.

To analyze complex ecological data, it is necessary to employ flexible and robust analytical methods that can handle non-linear relationships, interactions, and missing data control. The generalized additive model is a simple method for investigating species' reactions to environmental variables, and the results can be easily interpreted. Multivariable regressions such as the Monotonic increase model can play a role in expressing the ecological niche of a particular species. In this ecological domain, non-living and living factors have mutual effects, but the relative importance of living factors, such as species competition, is unclear when compared to non-living factors. More research is necessary for this issue. The response curve studies only investigate the behavior of the species along an environmental gradient, if multiple factors come together to determine the distribution and behavior of the species, it is important to take this into account. The comparison between the findings of researchers in different regions on the species Astragalus curvirostris Boiss consistently shows the extreme effectiveness of the species in terms of environmental factors or their combination. Understanding the relationship between plants and environmental factors and how plants respond to changes in environmental factors is one of the important topics in plant ecology. Unfortunately, in recent years, disturbances such as livestock grazing, changes in land use, and climate change have caused the destruction of A. curvirostris habitats. Many pastures and forests throughout Iran experience vegetation destruction, loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion due to these threats. To restore degraded pastures in steppe and semi-steppe areas, it is necessary to understand A. curvirostris' response to environmental variables and model its distribution. Comprehending the positive and negative effects of environmental factors, as well as the factors that inhibit and support the growth, establishment, and distribution of Astragalus curvirostris Boiss., it became possible to use it for the restoration and modification of appropriate and similar pasture ecosystems.

The habitat of A. curvirostris was selected in a way that includes a wide range of abundance of the studied species. Therefore, according to the 40-hectare enclosure range in the research site of Zaghe rangelands plants in Lorestan province, this habitat was selected as a study site. Then, according to the gradient of environmental changes, five transects with a length of 400 meters and distances of 100 meters were used. Each of them had six plots with dimensions of 4 meters by 4 meters set up according to the species' sizes, with equal distances. The ecological unit consisted of 30 plots and recorded the geographic location, quantitative and qualitative vegetation amounts in each plot. Additionally, the Lorestan Meteorological Department provided climatic parameters. In order to investigate the effect of environmental factors on species distribution, a soil sample with three replicates (0-30 cm) was taken from each of the plots and their physical and chemical characteristics including soil texture, acidity, percentage of neutralized substances, absorbable phosphorus, absorbable potassium, organic carbon and total nitrogen were measured. Considering the importance of species in fodder production and soil protection in pastures, the canonical correspondence analysis was used to determine the factors affecting changes in the species composition. To investigate the changes in the performance of this species along the slope of the environmental factors from the Generalized Additive Models was used. A random-systematic method was used to sample environmental and plant characteristics from 2016 to 2018.

The forward selection method in conic ranking was used to select 4 variables from 19 primary variables while investigating the effect of a set of environmental factors on vegetation changes in communities. The geographical direction of the range was determined by the percentage of organic carbon, clay, acidity, and litter on the soil surface, as well as the topographic group. Investigating the correlation between the percentage of A. curvirostris vegetation and the studied ecological factors showed that distribution of this species has positive correlation with factors such as the percentage of O.C and N. Applying the GAM with Poisson error distribution showed that the variables, height above sea level, percentage of organic matter and soil nitrogen, as well as the percentage of stone are effective on the yield of the species. Investigating the performance of the species in relation to the variable of height above sea level, and the percentage of stones and pebbles from the Monotonic decrease model and vice versa, the response of this species along the slope of changes in the amount of organic carbon, soil nitrogen and the percentage of soil litter from the Monotonic increase model mathematical expression of relationships between environmental variables and biological and biophysical characteristics is only an aid for interpreting field observations. The ecological needs of the species are depicted in this model, which can be useful for natural resource managers in improving pastures in similar areas. Corrective and pasture management programs can use forecasting models that have adequate accuracy to suggest species that are compatible with the region's conditions. Therefore, it is important to include disturbances as predictors in regression-based distribution modeling. In summary, the dynamic of biological factors in grassland ecosystems makes it impossible to definitively assume even the strongest correlations, both in static and dynamic studies, in grassland ecosystems. This information, along with the field investigation, provides the appropriate information.

In temporal and spatial patterns, the critical (ecological) thresholds have rapid changes in ecological gradient. Determination of thresholds along the environmental gradients can help to control destructive factors and therefore, the success in restoration projects can be guaranteed. This study was conducted to evaluate the trend of changes in functional and structural indices along soil salinity gradient and to determine the ecological thresholds in saline habitats of Uremia Lake, Iran, in the growing season of 2019 and 2020. Landscape Function Analyses (LFA) guideline was used to evaluate the sites. The values of the indices were fitted with the pattern diagrams (S-shaped curves). The habitat restoration process after five years of range management and development projects was evaluated and ecological thresholds were determined. The results showed that the values of the functional and structural indices decrease along the salinity gradient and the lowest values were observed at the end points of the gradient. As a result, the success of range development projects was lower at salinity center. The results of the S-shaped curve models showed that the regression relationship between landscape organization index and nutrient cycle with eleven soil indices along the salinity gradient was not significant and their determinant coefficients were less than 50%. On the other hand, there was a strong relationship between the index of stability and permeability with the salinity gradient, with determinant coefficients of 83 and 63%, respectively so that the values of these two indices decreased significantly when approaching the salinity center. Regarding the PCA analysis, the first component justified 39% of the changes in the properties, and the values of Sand, Mg, and Ca increased as they approached the salinity center, and on the other hand, as they moved away from the salinity center, the values of Clay, N, OM, CEC, p, and Silt increased. The participation of the most soil parameters in the extraction of the first component of the decomposition of the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil along the salinity gradient and the separation of the sites from each other indicate the good ability of the LFA method in showing the ecological processes of nature. In this regard, to fit the data by the S-shaped curve, the distance of 1000 m far from the salinity hotspot was defined as an ecological threshold, through which sudden changes occur. At these thresholds, the functional differences of the habitat were more than the surrounding areas, so for controlling the dust centers, different projects such as drainage, windbreaks or planting dense vegetation cover are suggested to stabilize the thresholds. In such a case, the soil seed bank in the distance between the two thresholds could be regenerated and prevent the soil surface from eroding if grazing is prevented. Identifying thresholds as a transition zone and surrounding zones as state zones in this study will be a scientific and appropriate alternative to the conventional guidelines in executive organizations and will help them to zoning ecosystems according to nature and selection and prioritization of restoration sites in saline rangelands.

Coping with climate change (CC) is part of the way to face this phenomenon. This depends on the understanding of CC and the degree of adaptability to it.

The research was conducted with the aim of measuring the level of nomads' understanding (NU) of CCe and their adaptation strategies (AS) in the face of CC.

The research was descriptive and the data collection tool was a questionnaire whose items were obtained based on interviews.

NU of the effects of CC is not the same. According to them, CC has had the most obvious impact on vegetation. The priority of AS is also different in the face of CC. A positive relationship was observed between understanding the effects of CC and the degree of adaptability in facing CC. Nomads who had a better understanding of the effects of CC have used livestock management strategies to adapt to it. Age and history of animal husbandry had a positive relationship with the level of understanding of the effects of CC. A negative and significant relationship was also observed between the number of animals and the degree of compatibility.

The NU of CC and its effects on the ecology of the environment is an important starting point in dealing with the negative effects of CC and choosing appropriate strategies to adapt or deal with it. So that the selection of suitable adaptation methods by the nomads reduces the vulnerability of CC on the condition of livestock and rangeland.

The multi-purpose utilization of rangelands is a challenge that can alleviate grazing pressure, enhance rangeland well-being and empowerment, and preserve rangeland ecosystems. This research aimed to assess the suitability of mountain rangelands in the Marghevar region of Urmia for dual-purpose grazing and the exploitation of medicinal plants.

During the growing season of 2018-2019, vegetation data were collected in 60 plots of two square meters, spaced 10 meters apart along six 100-meter transects. Ecological indicators, including crown cover percentage, species density, forage production by grazed species, and medicinal plant organs used, were measured. Economic indicators, such as economic rent and expected value per hectare, were evaluated for both medicinal plants and forage. Social indicators, including marketability desirability and willingness to harvest medicinal plants, were extracted from questionnaire studies. Physical characteristics of the plant types (PTS) and soil erosion information from previous studies were also considered. Suitability classes (S1, S2, S3, N) for livestock grazing (sheep) and medicinal plant utilization were determined based on the total points of each indicator using the guidelines provided in the Manual of Suitability for Sheep Grazing (MSSG) and Manual of Suitability for Medicinal Plants (MSMP). The priority of dual-purpose use of rangelands was determined by comparing the merit classes of PTS for livestock grazing and medicinal plant utilization.

The results revealed that the crown cover percentage of medicinal plants in the composition of each PTS ranged from 5% to 40%. The share of medicinal plants in the habitat's plant composition ranged from 20% to 62%. The composition of medicinal plants and grazed species varied from 3% to 30%. Forage production by grazed species ranged from 65 to 850 kg/ha, while medicinal plant production ranged from 4 to 159 kg/ha during one growing season. The suitability assessment indicated that 77% of the rangeland area in the region had high suitability for dual-purpose use, 10.7% had moderate suitability, 0.9% had low suitability, and 3.3% were unsuitable based on ecological, environmental, economic, and social indicators. The presence and production capacity of medicinal plants were identified as limiting factors for the ability of PTS to exploit medicinal plants.

Not all PTS are suitable for the utilization of medicinal plants, emphasizing the need for preserving genetic reserves. The policy regarding medicinal plants should consider this aspect and prioritize multi-purpose rangeland plans.

Awareness of biodiversity status is one of the requirements for adopting a conservation approach in rangelands ecosystems. In this regard, the present research was conducted in order to investigate the effect of slope direction on the values of plant diversity indices in the Astraglaus shrubland of Nazluchai region in 2017. For this purpose, in total, with the use of 230 sample plots of one square meter, which were placed at a distance of five meters from each other, along 50-meter transects; the crown cover percentage of plant species were collected in each of the main directions of the range (eight northern directions, five southern directions, five eastern directions and five western directions). Then, with the PAST software, the most important and widely used indicators of species diversity (Margalef, Taxa, Menhinick and Berger-Parker as species richness indices, Dominance, evenness, Simpson and Pielo as species evenness indices, Shannon and Brillouin as heterogeneity indicators) were calculated. Finally, using the one-way analysis of variance method, statistical comparison of the averages was carried out. The results showed; A total of 41 plant species were identified in the studied areas, and Margalef, Taxa, Shannon, Brillouin and Fisher's Alpha indices had a significant difference at the five percent level in different geographical directions. So that the highest value of these indices was related to the western direction, respectively 2.55, 12.2, 2.1, 1.88 and 4.05. Simpson's, Menhenik's, Dominance, evenness, Pielo and Berger-Parker indices were also not significantly different from each other in different directions. Although the two western and southern aspects were significantly different from each other regarding most of the indicators, nevertheless, the clustering results of the plant composition of the sites classified these two domains in one cluster with high similarity rate (around 70%). This finding indicates that the diversity indices are not able to provide information about the plant composition and should pay attention to the plant composition when using these indices. Finally, it should be mentioned that although Margalef, Taxa, Shannon, Brillouin and Fisher's alpha indices were able to separate the sites, but the proposal of using these indices in the monitoring plans of rangleands with the dominance of Astragulus microcephalus species in the northwest of the country, requires another researches.

With the multi-purpose use of rangelands, grazing pressure in rangelands can be reduced and an important step can be taken to preserve rangeland ecosystems and improve related ecosystem services. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the priority of multi-purpose use of vegetation in Koohrang mountain rangeland in terms of livestock grazing, beekeeping and exploitation of medicinal plants. For this purpose, the class of each plant species for different types of use was determined and by comparing different classes and considering the good species (class I and II plants) for livestock grazing; the priority of using any was determined. Finally, based on the share of types of use for the total number of plant species in the plant composition, it was decided on the type of multi-purpose use of vegetation. Based on the results, 178 plant species belonging to 32 families and 138 genera are distributed in the plant composition of the region. In terms of livestock grazing, respectively 11.79, 29.21, 48.31and 10.67 percent of the species have palatable class I, II, Ш grazable and Ш non-grazable. For beekeeping, attractive species for beekeeping include plants with good attractiveness (Class I), medium attractiveness (Class II), low attractiveness (Class III usable) and plants without attractiveness (Class III unused), respectively 11.79, 49.94, 4.44 and 38.76 percentage of species in plant composition. Oral and medicinal species, contain about 50% of the plant composition, which respectively 19.10, 16.85,12.92 and 50 percentage of species have usefulness classes I, II, Ш pharmaceutically usable and Ш non-pharmacologically useful. Meanwhile, 18.53% of medicinal plants can be grazed on livestock and are in class I and II in terms of livestock grazing. In total, 18.53percent of medicinal plants can be grazed and are in food grade I and II in terms of grazing. The results show that the use of medicinal plants is effective in the livelihood of beneficiaries and according to the phenology of plant species and rangeland segmentation, vegetation can be used in the context of multi-purpose use.

The presentation of management models in the natural area is of great importance due to the large extent and inaccessibility of the whole surface. In this regard, Imam Kandi mountain rangelands were targeted for presenting a spatial-ecological model. Homogeneous ecological units were prepared by incorporating layers of elevation, slope, geographical orientation and plant types. Considering the ecological and environmental characteristics of each homogeneous ecological unit and considering the criteria and index for evaluating rangeland utilization, we evaluated the power and suitability of using rangelands. According to the range condition and trend of the rangeland, the rangeland method and grazing systems were presented for each of the classes. Based on the results of 23 homogeneous ecological units, it was identified that many of them belong to rangeland lands with grades 1 to 3. Accordingly, equilibrium range management was considered in 26.9% (244.4 ha) of rangelands with good condition and class 1 power. In 37.4% (346.4 hectares) with moderate condition and class 2 power, natural range management was recommended. Artificial range management or range improvement were recommended for 35.7% (329.9 ha) of poor and class 3 land. In order to prevent erosion and increase forage production, artificial range management was recommended for abandoned fields. The results indicate that application of spatial-ecological model and consequently identification of ecological homogeneous zones as management and planning units at macro level as a cost-effective method, in addition to assessing rangelands power, can enable rangeland management in proposing the rangeland method and grazing systems and assist in localization of range improvement operations.

Beekeeping is one of the most common functions of rangelands, which can be developed to improve the livelihood of rangeland beneficiaries and their participation in range management. While many studies have focused on identifying attractive species for beekeeping, less research has been done on evaluating the suitability of rangelands for beekeeping. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of Darmian mountain rangeland in South Khorasan for beekeeping.

We determined the suitability of the rangeland for beekeeping based on ecological, economic, social, and environmental criteria and indicators. We calculated ecological indicators by analyzing vegetation statistics collected from 60 two-meter square plots located along 200-meter transects. Climatic information was obtained from the nearest meteorological station, while environmental indicators included distance from water sources, distance from roads, and different classes of land slope. We also evaluated the limitations and potentials of the region to exploit the potential of beekeeping by designing a set of questions in the form of a Likert scale. Based on the integration of maps in the GIS environment and the FAO limiting factor approach, we prepared a final suitability map for beekeeping, with categories of good (S1), medium (S2), low (S3), and non-suitability (N).

We identified 85 plant species in the Darmian rangelands, of which 65 species were identified as attractive species for honey bees. Plants with attractiveness class III and II had the highest presence in the plant composition, with 42.8% and 30.2%, respectively. Most species belonged to the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Leguminosa families. Based on our results, 56.1% of the rangeland area (7661.8 hectares) was in the middle competency class (S2), 2% (274.9 hectares) was in the low competency class (S3), and 41.9% (5717.4 hectares) were in the inappropriate category (N). Temperature and relative humidity in the highlands of the region, the attractiveness index of plant species with humidity downstream of the region, and socio-cultural problems such as the lack or absence of knowledge related to beekeeping were the limiting factors for beekeeping suitability. Plant composition, wind speed, long flowering periods in some plant types, and a good market for honey consumption were among the factors that increased the competence and sustainability of beekeeping in the region.

Our findings suggest that 56.1% of the Darmian mountain rangeland is suitable for beekeeping. This can be used as a supplemental livelihood to increase the income of pastoralists and improve their economic situation. With the support of the government in providing facilities and holding training courses, the motivation of beekeepers to reduce livestock and focus on beekeeping can increase, leading to a more sustainable range management system.

Climate change has been a serious issue in the last two decades and many studies have focused on its various aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the potential habitat of rangeland index species, currently and in the coming years, under climate warning models. Therefore, in the present study, by preparing a prediction map of the current and future range of Bromus tomentellus species, under two climate warning models (Rcp4.5 and Rcp8.5 scenarios), its movement, in latitudes, at the level of rangeland ecosystems of Ardabil province was investigated.

For this purpose, in the growing season of 2020, from 19 bioclimatic variables and three physiographic variables and a logistic regression model, to determine the quantity of climate change in the next three decades (2050) and to carefully examine its effects on the change in the range of B. tomentellus species now and in the future, used. The output maps are divided into four categories with the probability of occurrence between zero and one; unsuitable habitat (0-0.25), almost suitable habitat (0.25-0.5), habitat with high suitability (0.5-0.75) and habitat with very high suitability (0.75-1), it was grouped and based on the coefficients of the variables in the regression relationships, the effective variables for the current and future range were introduced.

The average annual temperature (BIO1), the annual temperature range (BIO7) and the average temperature of the coldest season (BIO11) are the most important for the suitability of the habitat, and their values increase with the harsher climatic conditions. The average annual temperature of its suitable habitats will increase by 1.6 to 2.1 degrees Celsius in the next three decades. The height of its suitable habitats will increase from 115 to 190 meters. As a result, the level of its suitable habitat decreases in response to climate change. Also, under climate scenarios, 30.2% of suitable climate habitats will be lost in 2050, and current unsuitable habitats will increase by 29.4%.

In general; climate change and increase in temperature will cause B. tomentellus species to move to higher latitudes along the altitude gradient. Therefore, in the next three decades, there is a risk of removing it from the rangeland ecosystems of Ardabil province.

Understanding the environmental factors affecting the establishment of vegetation, can help in the proper management of rangeland ecosystems. Optimal habitat has a beneficial effect on the survival and reproduction of species. With the advancement of statistical science and GIS, it has become possible to predict the habitat of plant species using modeling methods. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of preparing a forecast map of B. tomentellus habitats based on the climate forecast model in South Zagros (Fars province). First, using 29 synoptic stations inside and adjacent areas, a database including variables of precipitation, night temperature, daily temperature and average temperature was formed and 19 climatic measures were calculated. Also, using a digital height model with an accuracy of 30 meters, three physiographic variables including slope, direction and height were prepared. Then, using updated maps of ecological zones and field visits, the presence and absence points of B. tomentellus were identified. Using logistic regression, the growth behavior of this species in the South Zagros region was determined and the model map and the corresponding equations were calculated in the current conditions. Using current equations and placement of data extracted from the Worldclime database, the future distribution map of B. tomentellus for 2050 was generated under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios. The results showed that B. tomentellus species will migrate to higher altitudes of 170 and 260 m, respectively, in the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Also, the area of ​suitable habitat areas, from 26.8% of the area of ​South Zagros rangeland habitats in the current conditions, to 8.5% under the RCP4.5 scenario and 1.7% under the pessimistic scenario (RCP8.5) in 2050 Will be reduced.

The answer to what is the experience and indigenous knowledge of pastoralists and nomads about the rangeland management and how to apply the existing knowledge in rangeland management plans, is one of the important topics of rangeland management. In this regard, indigenous mechanisms of grazing management in the semi-desert rangeland of southeastern of Isfahan were investigated. The research method was qualitative and while conducting in-depth interviews and collecting information, key questions were determined about how management and livestock grazing behavior. Summarizing the statements of the interviewees and library sources, showed that; livestock grazing behavior in different months of the grazing season is different; in terms of movement speed and the hours of the herd's presence in the rangeland, sources of nutrition, the amount of fodder required and amount of fodder consumption and is strongly influenced by the quantity and quality of fodder and plant composition. Herd management during the grazing season is done with two systems of continuous grazing and rotational grazing system. The choice of grazing system is related to predominance of species and the amount of harvestable fodder and management goals. During the cold months of the year, the continuous grazing system is used, and as the weather gets warmerand favorable conditions for the regrowth of plants, the rotational grazing system is used. which is considered the number of grazing plots in each rangeland 28 and the number of grazing times per plot twice a year. The grazing period in each plots is considered to be one day and the resting period is four days. Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) in the area of 5000 hectares of the researched rangeland area is equal to 141157 kg and the amount of TDN demand is 146361 kg. With these conditions, there are in the months of December, January, February and March, respectively, the fodder deficit is 29.5, 28.5, 22.8 and 11.3% and in the period of plant growth (April and May), 51.6 and 3.6% of surplus fodder. In total, the mentioned systems, which are designed and implemented through the experience and indigenousknowledge of rangeland management and with the aim of establishing a balancing fodder with the daily needs of livestock in different months of the grazing season; it is consistent with the principles and foundations of modern range management knowledge, that if included in rangeland plans, while providing the basis for the participation of users in the preparation and implementation of rangeland plans, will also provide more success for the plans.

Access to basic and up-to-date information on rangeland ecosystems; needs continuous and long-term vegetation measurement. For this purpose, during the years 2018-2021 at a specific time, from the vegetation of plant types representing the saline habitats of Lake Urmia, including; Salicornia europaea, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Aeluropus littoralis- Aeluropus lagopoides- Salicornia europaea, Aeluropus littoralis- Aeluropus lagopoides and Atriplex verrucifera were recorded in the customary system of Osalo. In each of the plant types, considering the dimensions and space between the plant spots, four 300-meter transects with the same azimuth were used, along the salinity gradient, at a distance of 25-50 meters from each other. On each transect, 10 plots were placed at a distance of 30 meters from each other. The plotting was done in such a way that while the distances of the plots were the same, the principle of randomness was observed. Therefore, the starting points of different transects were not the same. Size of sampling units and their dimensions; due to the different distribution of vegetation, the plant types were not considered the same. Plot size for plant types Salicornia europaea, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Aeluropus littoralis- Aeluropus lagopoides- Salicornia europaea, Aeluropus littoralis- Aeluropus lagopoides and Atriplex verrucifera, respectively; 0.5, 2, 0.5, 0.25 and 2 square meters were considered. Average forage production of the study site during 1397, 1398, 1399 and 1400, respectively; 404.6, 456.6, 478.6 and 338.2 kg/ha and the average percentage of canopy cover were 48.4, 54.6, 58.8 and 41.1%. During this period,

Continuous and long-term measurement of vegetation is required to obtain basic and timely information concerning rangelands. The important point to consider in this regard is the correct choice and the proper number of representative places to be taken into account when measuring vegetation density in different ecological areas. On the other hand, monitoring rangeland ecosystems is exessively costly, requiring a great number of personnel and technical facilities. However, failing to monitor the rangelands in those areas that are representative of a wide range of vegetation prevents the achivement of desired results concerning vegetation monitoring. Therefore, as measuring and monitoring the vegetation of macro rangeland ecosystems of Iran requires the investigation of several landmarks / sites over a specific period, this study sought to monitor the vegetation of a number of select representative sites along the elevation gradient of Taftan’s southern slope.
 

 First, several places representing the habitats of the region and the distribution of Taftan Mountain’s vegetation along the altitude gradient were selected by examining the maps of Iran’s ecological zones (Khash region). Then, vegetation characteristics of the places, including percentage of canopy cover, number of bases per hectare, and amount of species forage production were measured, followed by the classification of sampling units based on similarities in species composition. To this end, four 450-meter transects with a distance of 100 meters from each other were used in the first place, which is dominated by Hammada salicornia and Zygophyllum atriplicoides. On each transect, 15 four-square meter plots (2× 2 m), that is 60 plots in total, were placed 30 meters away from each other. The second place that was dominated by Hammada salicornia, Zygophyllum atriplicoides, Artemisia sieberi and Artemisia santolinifolia species resembled the first place in terms of sampling network and the number of sampling units. On the other hand, three 100-meter transects were used in the third place with 50 meters’ distance from each other, on each of which 10 two square-meter plots (2×1 m) were placed 10 meters away from each other (30 plots in total). The lower vestibule of the third place was dominated by Artemisia quettensis, Artemisia sieberi, and Artemisia deserti (herbaceous species), and the upper vestibule of the place was dominated by Amygdalus scoparia (the woody element). Moreover, in the fourth place dominated by Artemisia quettensis and perennial herbaceous species such as Ferula ovina, four 100-meter transects were used with 50 meters’ distance from each other, on each of which 10 one-square meter plots were placed 10 meters away from each other (40 plots in total). To classify sampling units based on species compositional similarities, the sites’ vegetation was first classified into ecological groups using Twinspan analysis. Then, the correlation between the groups and topographic factors (slope, direction, and height) was investigated via principal component analysis (PCA), and the significance of the model was evaluated by P-value. Furthermore, thee collected data were analyzed using the Pc-OIRD software version 5.1.
 

 The study’s results indicated that the average canopy cover in the studied sites were 17%, 28.9%, 52.6%, and 40.8%, respectively, during the growing season at 2021, with the sites’ average forage production being 32.8 kg/ha, 46.0 kg/ha, 107.7 kg/ha, and 208.8 kg/ha. Moreover, compared to the potential forage production in steppe areas (200 kg/ha), the sites’ producation capacity (against the ultimate production limit) was found to be 16.4%, 23.0%, 53.5%, and 100%. Based on the results of the classification, the first axis had the highest positive correlation with the dominant species of the first and second places, that is, the Hammada salicornia and Zygophyllum atriplicoides, suggesting that the similarities within the species of the two places are the same. The second axis was also found to have the highest positive correlation with Artemisia quettensis and Ferula ovina (the dominant species in the fourth place), indicating the distinction of the similarities within the species of the place form other three places, especially from the first and second places. On the other hand, compared to other sampling units, those of the third place where Artemisia quettensis, Artemisia sieberi, and Amygdalus scoparia are dominant were found to have an intermediate distribution, with their species mainly having a negative correlation with the first and second coordinate axes.
 

 According to the results of this study, selecting at least three representative locations (site) along a region’s altitude gradient to monitoring vegetation on a regional scale, it is necessary to select. A site can represent desert ossuaries (altitude range 1500-1700 m) dominated by Hammada salicornia and Zygophyllum atriplicoides. The other two sites can represent both middle-altitude mangroves (located at altitude range of 1700-2500 m) dominated by Artemisia quettensis, Artemisia sieberi, Artemisia deserti, and high-altitudes above the tree line (more than 2800 m) whre Artemisia quettensis, Ferula ovina, and cushion plants are predominant. Therefore, it could generally be argued that applying the results of vegetation monitoring and measurement to a specific scale on a wider scale requires the consideration of temporal and spatial scales of monitoring (customary order scale, landscape scale, and regional/national scale), taking into account the existence of different issues and data.

Ecotourism, as a side activity of rangeland, can be effective in improving the livelihood of rangers and will reduce the pressure on rangelands by economizing rangeland. In this study, with the aim of evaluating the potential rangelands of Dermian , for ecotourism use, based on environmental and ecological factors (climate, topography, soil, distance from water sources and vegetation attractions) and infrastructure (distance from the city and from roads), was done. From the combination of maps in the GIS environment and based on the FAO limiting factor approach,, the rangeland suitability was determined. Based on the results, 36.7% of rangelands are in the middle suitability category (S2), 46.5% in the low suitability category (S3) and 16.8% in the non-suitable category (N) in terms of ecotourism. In this regard, 61.5% of the rangelands for livestock grazing, have low suitability (S3) and 38.5%, unsuitable (N). The percentage of vegetation and,, the poor condition of soil erosion, are factors limiting the suitability for ecotourism and livestock grazing. , it is necessary to reduce the number of livestock and graze livestock in accordance with ecological principles; that used the rangeland of the region for ecotourism along with livestock. This, in addition to compensating for the economic problems, will also help restore vegetation. Due to the need to preserve rangeland,, forest parks can be created to accommodate tourists, up to a suitable radius of the desired rangelands, and by placing remote viewing platforms and sidewalks, from the amount of damage to vegetation and reduced soil degradation.