Investigation of the Effect of Biological Stabilization Practice on Some Soil Parameters (North East of Iran)

One of the ordinary methods to protect, rehabilitate, and enhance an ecosystemfunction in arid and semi-arid areas of the world is sand dune stabilization using biologicalpractices. Plantation of species on the soil plays a great role in sustainable management ofthe ecosystem. This research studies the effects of cultivation of Haloxylon ammodendronand Atriplex canescens on physical-chemical characteristics of soil. The study area wasYousef Abad, Neyshabour, located in the northeastern part of Iran in which these twoplants species were cultivated 20 years ago. The study area was then compared with acontrol area near the investigated area. Two different sites within the cultivated area aswell as a site in control area were selected for soil sampling. Six samples were taken ateach 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 ofthem were sampled from between the shrubs totaled 36 soil samples. The percentage ofclay, silt, sand, electrical conductivity, soil acidity, organic matter content, nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium, and calcium carbonate of each sample weremeasured. The collected data were analyzed and means comparisons were made usingLSD by SAS software. The results showed that the three sites had different soilcharacteristics. H. ammodendron led to increasing soil nutrient factors and soil fertilityafter 20 years of cultivation but silt particles transportation and wind erosion was reducedin site of A. canescens in this period.