this study aimed to investigate the effect of animal grazing on soil seed bank characteristics in the northern slopes of alborz. for this purpose, soil seed bank characteristics were compared between grazed and ungrazed areas. therefore, four transects perpendicular to the sides of exclosure inside and outside of it were established. then soil samples were collected within 28 plots inside and 2...

epizoochory and endozoochory are well-known mechanisms by which seeds are dispersed by animals. since, livestock gather around the watering-points to rest and drink, we expected to find that seeds would be frequently moved to the areas surrounding watering-points, resulting a higher soil seed density (and diversity) closest to the water. we investigated this issue by assessing soil seed bank de...

conservation and restoration of biodiversity is very important for degraded rangeland ecosystems. it is necessary to assess the potential of soil seed bank as a major source of species. in this study, the soil seed bank size and composition were compared between exclosure and grazed areas. this was done in chahar-bagh rangelands in golestan province. soil was sampled in exclosure and grazing fr...

The relationship between intensity and timing of cattle grazing on changes in the size and composition of the soil seed bank were investigated in a 3-yr study in a Mediterranean grassland in northeastern Israel. Treatments included manipulations of stocking rates and of grazing regimes, in a factorial design. The retrieved soil seed bank community was rich in species, with 133 species accountin...

Livestock grazing practices in rangelands are being recognized as management tool for environmental protection and increased livestock productivity. Continuous grazing has been largely reported to reduce pasture productivity and increase environmental degradation. Rotational grazing is an alternative to continuous grazing and is considered to reduce negative environmental effects and provide qu...

this study was carried out to investigate the effect of crown canopy of ziziphus spina-christi on seed bank characteristics (density and similarity with above ground flora) in two sites with saline-alkaline and alkaline soils. in each soil, forty plots were established, half in and half outside of z. spina-christi cover. in each plot, soil sampling was done from 0-5 and 5-10 cm depths. paired a...

UNLABELLED Fire, herbivory and their interaction influence plant community dynamics. However, little is known about the influence of prefire herbivory on postfire plant community response, particularly long-term resistance to postfire exotic plant invasion in areas that historically experienced limited large herbivore pressure and infrequent, periodic fires.We investigated the long-term postfir...

The large number of threatened species, both insects and plants, in the European agricultural landscape, has often been attributed to the abandonment of semi-natural grasslands. Species may also be threatened in the remaining managed grasslands due to a changed and intensified management, compared to the historical use. In this study, effects of grazing management and population characteristics...