Effect of different intensities grazing livestock on certain quantitative and qualitative indicators of plant (Case Study: Choghakadou Rangeland in the Kermanshah province)

The correct and efficient management of rangeland ecosystems requires sufficient knowledge of the grazing intensity and its effect on the characteristics of different plant species in the rangeland this study was designed to compare three types of managing excluding  grazing, moderate grazing and heavy grazing in Choghakadou winter rangeland. Systematic-random sampling was performed in each grazing site. In each grazing site randomly deployed three transects 100 meters along each transect, 10 plots of one square meter at a distance of 10 meters were placed. Features included: production, canopy cover, vegetative forms (grasses, forbs and shrubs), life forms (Chamaephytes and Hemicryptophytes، Therophytes and Cryptophytes), palatability (Class I (palatable), class II (good) and class III (non palatable)), indicators of richness (Margalef and Menhinic) and diversity (Shannon-Wiener and Simpson), respectively. Data analysis was performed in SPSS20. Comparing the features of species composition and diversity index and richness between sites with different grazing intensities was done by Duncan test. The results of the diversity and richness indices are computed showed that the numerical value of the index on intensive grazing enclosure highest on the lowest values. Duncan statistically significant difference between the three sites in terms of the diversity of the statistical level of one percent difference proved. Site excluding  grazing characteristics is include Hemicryptophytes, Cryptophytes, plants Class I, perennial grasses and forbs. It also features moderate grazing site were including abundance of Class II plants and heavy grazing site features of also were include  annual grasses, therophytes, shrubs and plants class III. In general, grazing reduces the richness and diversity of vegetation, so the negative effect on ecosystem stability, require attention of range managers.