Effect of grazing intensity on carbon and nitrogen in soil (Case study: Ghoosheh rangelands of Iran

The effects of grazing on rangelands must be understood to develop effective soil conservation measures and sustain livestock production. The objective of this research was to characterize the impact of grazing intensity on C and N in soil and vegetation in arid shrub lands ecosystem of Iran dominant by Artemisia sieberi. Grazing intensity were non-grazing (NG). moderate grazing (MG) and heavy grazing (HG) based on rate of vegetation utilization. To estimate C and N stored in soil, samples from depths (0-25, 25-50, 50-75 cm) were selected. The results showed that C and N storage in the soil can be affected by grazing, but dimension of these changes depends mainly on grazing intensity and varies in different layers of soil. Soil C was significant difference in reaction to HG, but there was no significant difference between NG and MG treatments in all depths of soil. Soil nitrogen (SN) contents was decreased significantly (P<0.05) by grazing intensities in all treatments.