Investigating the role of Trifolium genus on structural and functional vegetation characteristics of Fandoghlou rangelands in Namin County

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Trifolium genus on the composition, diversity, forage value and quantitative vegetation parameters and interaction between Trifolium species and invasive species Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. in Fandoghlou rangelands in Ardabil province. In determining the sampling locations, six sites by systematic random method and due to the distribution of Trifolium species and L. vulgare were conducted. To compare data composition, diversity and evenness, density, canopy cover and production of all plants and L. vulgare in the selected sites, one way ANOVA and Duncan multiple test were used. Eighthy species belonging to 60 genera and 23 families were identified. Trifolium repense and T. pratense were the main species of this habitat and distributed in all sampling sites. Factors of richness, diversity and evenness between the sites of presence/absence of Trifolium species had a significantly difference (p<0.05). According to the results, 23 species have high forage value, 8 species have medium forage value and 49 species have low forage value, which species with high forage value in the sites with presence of T. repense and T. pratense have more density. Density, canopy cover and production of L. vulgare had a significant difference between the sites with presence/absence of Trifolium species (p<0.05). Moreover, density, canopy cover and production of all plants between the sites with presence/absence of Trifolium species had a significant difference (p<0.05). According to the results of this study, conservation and restoration of valuable native species should be considered in management utilization of steppe rangelands.