Condition (health) assessment of low altitude habitat of north Sabalan

The aim of this study was to evaluate the condition of the low altitude of the northern rangeland of Sabalan using the soil surface indicators and functional features of rangeland. Using three transects with 50 meters, five structural features 11 soil surface characteristics were measureal. Statistical analysis of data was performed via a landscape functional analysis method. The ANOVA and Tukey test was used to compare the significance of indicators. The results showed that the mean numbers of ecological patches for grass and forb were 57 and 35 respectively. Bare soil patches had the highest average length about 56.23% and then grass with 21.10%. The amount of landscape structure index was 0.31and for the patch area index was 0.01. Comparison of soil surface assessment criteria for different life forms of vegetation and bare soil on the landscape showed that patches with grass life forms had the highest amount of stability and with ecological patches of litter and bare soil had significant differences (P>0.05). Bare soil had the lowest value for stability and from, the statistical point of view showed significant difference (P>0.05) with grass and forb ecological patches. Comparison of soil permeability indices showed that the highest values of permeability index obtained from forb patches and soil patches had the lowest values, and bare soil were statistically significant difference (P>0.05) with other ecological components. Moreover, on the basis of the results of components degradation, which is created under the effect of livestock grazing, it caused the decrease of stability and malfunctioning of the habitat. Therefore, in general the rangelands in low altitude of North Sabalan are degraded, thus it is necessary to act for preventing continues of rangeland degradation and then try to improve and reclaim these rangelands.