Assessing rangeland health indicators in protected, key and critical areas in Chaharbagh, Golestan, Iran

This study aimed to investigate the effect of grazing intensity on ecological indicators, using qualitative rangeland health model in Chaharbagh semi steppe rangelands. Three functional attributes (soil and site stability, hydrologic function and biotic integrity) of rangeland health were evaluated using 17 ecological indicators in health model. According to results, Increasing in grazing intensity resulted in changes of ecological indicators. Also three functional attributes of rangeland health in key area were evaluated in healthy category in compression to reference area. Degradation occured in critical area because of grazing intensity between basal areas (inter patches). Grazing intensity also affected plant structure characteristics and elimniate perennial species. Results showed that three functional attributes of rangeland health was at risk in critical area in comparison with reference area. In rangeland health assessment of studied sites, the most sensitive indicator was biotic indexes and the least sensitive indicators were rill erosion, gully and wind.