The effects of grazing intensity on vegetation properties around the water resources, case study: Piranshahr summer rangelands

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of grazing intensity around water resources on vegetation characteristics. For arrive this goal, three water points selected in the Silve watershed of Piranshahr rangelands. Around of each water point two regions with 0-150 and 150-300 meter intervals separated. In the four geographical direction and in each distance, a 150 m transect established (total 12 transects), and along of each transect with 15 m intervals a 1 m 2 plot was placed (total 240 plots). Sampling was done with random-systematically method, the list of exist species, canopy coverage, percent of species composition class I, II, III and number of individuals per species were recorded for each plot. Analysis of the data in factorial on the base of complete randomized block design and to calculate diversity, richness and evenness with past software was done. The results showed that there is significant difference (p<0.01) in percentage composition of class I, II, III, annual, perennial plants and total canopy cover. The highest composition percentage and density of the species Br. tomentelus (1.48 and 4.35 respectively) and Fe. ovina (1.12 and 3.44 respectively) was observed. Between water points except annual species composition percentage in the other studied properties there are significant difference (p<0.01). Maximum amount of Shannon wiener and Margalef index there are in second distance of third water point and were 2.18 and 4.10 respectively. The Pielou evenness index was non-uniformly in both distance and three water points.