Assessment of the effect of recreational activities on forest soil physical properties (case study: fandoghlou park, Ardabil, Iran)

Forests are often the only freely accessible natural areas near cities to spend some leisure time, but uncontrolled recreational activities can disturb forest ecosystem. The objective of present study isevaluation the effects of recreational activities on some soil physical properties in fandoghlou forest including mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, particle density (Dp), bulk density (Db), total porosity (n), percent of sand, silt, clay, saturation moisture, field capacity moisture (FC), permanent wilting point moisture (PWP), available water capacity (AWC) and organic carbon (OC). The experiment was conducted with randomized completely design at 3 treatmentsincluding no recreational use, middle recreational use and high recreational use) with 30 replications. Soil sampling conducted along transects. The result showed that increase of recreational activities significantly (P <0.01) increased organic carbon 4.2 and 6.77 percent, MWD of aggregate 9.3 and 30 percent, clay 121 and 153 percent, bulk density 3.09 and 23 percent, particle density 0.45 and 6.39 percent, permanent wilting point moisture 41.47 and 62.45 percent and decreased sand 11.2 and 14.39 percent, field capacity moisture 7.11 and 18.1 and available water capacity 39.45 and 71.75, respectively in middle and high recreational areas rather than no recreational area.Effect of recreational activities on total porosity, silt and saturation moisture was not significant. According to the results of present study, recreational activities by increasing bulk density causedincreasing of soil compaction, decreasing of soil physical quality and ability of soil to surviving plant.