Abstract. Rangeland vegetation dynamics encompass all processes of changes in vegetation composition and structure over time. Investigating the rangeland ecosystem dynamics makes it possible to determine the effects of climatic and management conditions on qualitative and quantitative changes of the vegetation in a specific period of time. Accordingly, data collection and measurements for evalu...

remote sensing and aerial photographs are used to produce medium to small scale images. however, for detailed information especially to estimate rangeland vegetation canopy cover there is a need to larger scale images. it is therefore necessary to study the technical applicability of different devices such as short range light airplanes, kites, gliders and balloons. in this research, we focused...

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to investigate vegetation dynamics and range conditions considering the climatic conditions and soil properties in Haftooman, Khoor and Biabanak deserts, Iran. For this purpose, after determining vegetation types and the associated species, the type of rangeland utilization, grazing season, the livestock type, the other relevant information, vegetation da...

The potential of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for land-cover mapping applications has since long time been recognized. The main advantage of the SAR is its all-weather mapping capability, which secures the mapping independent of cloud cover that may prevent acquisition by optical and infrared sensors. Furthermore, the backscattering of the radar waves is sensitive to the dielectric properties...

Studies quantifying habitat structure generally use several instruments. This paper aims to propose a new and efficient device to characterize microhabitat structure of small mammals. Seven measurements were taken: plant cover, litter cover, rock cover, canopy cover, and vegetative obstruction at three heights. The device is a 0.25 m2 square wooden frame (0.50 m x 0.50 m) divided in to 100 open...

Sagebrush cover is often estimated with the use of the line intercept method. However, a lack of standardized protocols may lead to variable estimates of sagebrush canopy cover. Our objectives were to determine the influence of gap size on 1) sagebrush canopy cover estimates, 2) time needed to read a transect, and 3) among-observer variability in sagebrush canopy cover estimates. We utilized 5-...

introduction amount and vertical distribution of leaf area are essential for estimating interception and utilization of solar radiation of crop canopies and, consequently dry matter accumulation (valentinuz & tollenaar, 2006). vertical distribution of leaf area is leaf areas per horizontal layers, based on height (boedhram et al., 2001). above-ground biomass is one of the central traits in func...

Plant hydraulic conductance (k s) is a critical control on whole-plant water use and carbon uptake and, during drought, influences whether plants survive or die. To assess long-term physiological and hydraulic responses of mature trees to water availability, we manipulated ecosystem-scale water availability from 2007 to 2013 in a piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma) wood...

abstract. the purpose of this study was to investigate vegetation dynamics and range conditions considering the climatic conditions and soil properties in haftooman, khoor and biabanak deserts, iran. for this purpose, after determining vegetation types and the associated species, the type of rangeland utilization, grazing season, the livestock type, the other relevant information, vegetation da...

Although most temperate forests are actively managed for timber production, few data exist regarding the long-term effects of forest management on understory plant communities. We investigated the responses of understory communities to a factorial combination of silvicultural-thinning and nutrient-addition treatments maintained for 12–16 yr in a set of 21–27 yr old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menz...