Identifying Indicator Species of Vegetation and Soil Seed Bank in Different Utilization Methods in Southern Zagros

Identifying indicator species facilitate predicting ecological characteristics of arid and semi-arid ecosystems and help managers to introduce appropriate plant species for rangeland restoration. This study focused on indicator species related to four different utilization methods including, exclosure, rangeland, abandoned area and agriculture area in rangelands of Mahoor Mamasani in Fars province. Vegetation and soil seed bank were sampled in 1 m2 quadrates systematically located on transects. Soils were sampled from 0-5 and 5-10 cm depths. Then seed bank composition was identified after seed germination in glasshouse. In order to identify indicator species and examine changes in characteristics of vegetation and soil seed bank, we used indicator species analysis (ISA). The result on indicator species analysis showed that in exclosure there were 24 and 3 indicator species in vegetation and seed bank, respectively. These were 4 and 3 indicator species for rangeland area, 11 and 2 indicator species for abandoned area and 13 and 3 indicator species for agriculture area. As some vegetation and soil seed bank indices damaged under overgrazing and land use change it is recommended to make some changes in current rangeland management and utilization in order to restore vegetation.