Range forage production response to climatologically parameters of Marvast steppe rangelands, Yazd

Understanding the vegetation dynamics of arid and semi-arid rangeland ecosystems and their effective factors are prerequisites for their proper management. In these regions، Meteorological variables play a major role in the availability of water within soil profiles and strongly influencing plant productivity and composition in plant communities. In this research، the reactions of the dominant plant species yield to meteorological variables were studied at steppe rangelands in Marvast region of Yazd province for nine years. For this purpose، four dominant Species were selected and their production was monitored every year with clipping and weighting method along permanent line transect in random plots. Meteorological data were collected from Marvast climatological station. Relationships between Main meteorological gradients and annual yield analyzed by redundancy multivariate analysis (RDA). However، various plant species reacted differently to these gradients in terms of Physiological properties and ecological requests. According to this result، Species of Haloxylon persicum، Salsola arbuscula، Salsola tomentosa and Stipagrostis plomusa influenced by rainfall in Past year، December-March، December- January and April، respectively. Yield of Salsola arboscula and Salsola tomentosa are influenced not only by rainfall but also by variability of May and July high temperature، respectively.