Effect of vegetation patches as microhabitat on changing soil properties (Case study: saline rangelands of Tez Kharab in Urmia)

Plants change their environment characteristics and especially soil properties while their growth and adaptation، to develop plant communities. In this study effect of halophyte patches from Urmia lack in a vegetation type of Salsola nitraria and Aeluropus littoralis on chemical and physical properties of soil was investigated. So 4 vegitation patches along 2 transect with the length of 150 meter that was established in parallel position with the slop was selected and the distances between these patches considered as bare soil. Then soil samples were collected with four replication from the patches and inter patches areas from two different depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30cm، then soil samples were air dried and some of their properties were measured. Independent T-test was performed to compare soil properties of patches and inter-patches. Results showed that vegetation patches had significant effect on decrease of electrical conductivity and soluble salts of sodium، potassium and total phosphorus in soil samples of surface profile (0-15cm) but soil acidity، nitrogen content، organic matter، sand، silt and clay percent showed no significant differences in soil samples of patches and inter patches areas. Then comparing these properties in soil samples of second depth (15-30cm) showed that there wasn’t any significant differences between patches and inter-patches، and these results shows effect of vegetation patches and specially their roots on changing properties of surface soil in this study’s experimental field.