Changes in physical-hydraulic quality of soil in different levels of management in mountain Artemisia habitat of Rabor, Kerman

Large area of rangeland ecosystems, are being degraded as a result of overgrazing and continuous grazing of domestic livestock, and the vegetation and soil condition in them is not satisfactory. The present study investigates the changes in soil physical-hydraulic quality at different Levels of Management (including One-year grazing exclusion, low-intensity grazing and high-intensity grazing) in three locations of mountain Artemisia habitat of Rabar Southeast, Kerman province. For this purpose, in growing season of 2017, 30 soil samples with 3 replicates were taken from the soil surface horizon from each location, and the hydro-physical and chemical properties of soil such as; texture, bulk density, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, mean weight diameter, saturated hydraulic conductivity, saturated moisture capacity, soil sorptivity and soil erodibility index were measured. By comparing the values of the characteristics in each place with respect to their critical level in the standard tables and considering the potential of the region and the weather conditions, the type and level of protection in each land were identified. Based on the results, applied grazing management had a significant effect on the mentioned indicators. So that intense grazing treatment caused an increase of 23.07% and 12.3% (p <0.05) of electrical conductivity compared to exclosure and low grazing treatment, respectively. Amount of organic carbon in the exclosure treatment decreased from 0.658% to 0.491% and 0.464% in the low and high grazing treatments, respectively. Also a significant decrease (p <0.01) in MWD of the aggregate diameter was observed due to grazing management compared to the exclosure treatment. From a physical-hydraulic point of view, the application of low and compared to the grazed management, while increasing thegrazing intensity caused a significant increase (p <0.05) in soil erodibility index. In general, according to the comparison of indicators with their standard limit; priority of protection in each of the exclisure, low and high intensity grazing; include no need for protection, basic protection, and full protection respectively.