Assessing rangeland functionality using rangeland health model (Case study: Steppe summer rangelands of Subatan- Talesh, Gilan provinc.)

Qualitative assessment of rangeland health has been introduced as an appropriate guide for rangeland managers to evaluate the effects of their management practices. This study investigated the efficiency of rangeland health method to assess rangeland functionality in summer rangelands of Subatan- Talesh. The study area has wet-cold climate. Soil and site stability, hydrologic function and biotic integrity of rangelands were evaluated using 17 ecological indicators in reference, long term exclosure (resting from grazing for 10 years) and overgrazed sites. The results showed that soil stability, hydrologic function and biotic integrity were in healthy condition in exclosure site and in unhealthy condition in the overgrazed site. In general, rangeland health model was able to detect functionality status of sites under various management practices. Results indicated that rangeland health was more sensitive to biotic indices compared to other indices. Rill erosion, water flow pattern, gully and wind erosion were identified as the least important rangeland health indicators in the study area. The results of this study can be used as a guideline to adapt range health model.