Investigation of the Effect of Biological Stabilization Practice on Some Soil Parameters (North East of Iran)
Authors
Abstract
One of the ordinary methods to protect, rehabilitate, and enhance an ecosystem
function in arid and semi-arid areas of the world is sand dune stabilization using biological
practices. Plantation of species on the soil plays a great role in sustainable management of
the ecosystem. This research studies the effects of cultivation of Haloxylon ammodendron
and Atriplex canescens on physical-chemical characteristics of soil. The study area was
Yousef Abad, Neyshabour, located in the northeastern part of Iran in which these two
plants species were cultivated 20 years ago. The study area was then compared with a
control area near the investigated area. Two different sites within the cultivated area as
well as a site in control area were selected for soil sampling. Six samples were taken at
each site from depths of 0-20 cm and 20-80 cm, in the sites of H. ammodendron and A.
canescens three profiles were randomly digging from under the shrubs canopy and 3 of
them were sampled from between the shrubs totaled 36 soil samples. The percentage of
clay, silt, sand, electrical conductivity, soil acidity, organic matter content, nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium, and calcium carbonate of each sample were
measured. The collected data were analyzed and means comparisons were made using
LSD by SAS software. The results showed that the three sites had different soil
characteristics. H. ammodendron led to increasing soil nutrient factors and soil fertility
after 20 years of cultivation but silt particles transportation and wind erosion was reduced
in site of A. canescens in this period.
