Description
In an attempt to estimate forage production and carrying capacity of wild ungulates in Tandoureh National Park of Iran, the Babanestan grassland was selected, as the typical habitat of about 200 Urial wild sheep. In order to estimate the carrying capacity of this habitat for foraging of Urial wild sheep, this habitat with an area of 132 hectares was classified as low flat (LF), high flat (HF), north aspect (NA), and south aspect (SA). Then, to estimate forage production, clipping method of comparative yield was used. In each land form, standing crop yield of five reference plots of 1-m2 were searched, digitally photographed, and ranked from 1 to 5. Finally, three replications of each ranked plots were clipped and weighed. The dependent clipped plots were regressed on the independent reference plots. In each land form, based on the reference plots, 20 additional sample plots were only ranked. The 20 ranked data were corrected for green and dry weights, by using regression analysis. The average dry matter of LF, HF, NA and, SA were 2511 11821, 816, and 555 Kg/ha, respectively. The estimated total dry matter for the study area was 135211 Kg. Thus, the Babanestan may support a population size of 285 Urial wild sheep which only 70 percent of study is under grazing by Urial wild sheep. As a conclusion, management (arrangement and supplying) of the water resources in the Babanestan habitat, as one of the most habitat elements that affecting the distribution and population dynamics, may enhance the population of Urial wild sheep in Tandoureh National Park.
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Estimating the Carrying Capacity for Habitat of Urial Wild Sheep (Ovis orientalis) in Tandoureh National Park, Iran
In an attempt to estimate forage production and carrying capacity of wild ungulates in Tandoureh National Park of Iran, the Babanestan grassland was selected, as the typical habitat of about 200 Urial wild sheep. In order to estimate the carrying capacity of this habitat for foraging of Urial wild sheep, this habitat with an area of 132 hectares was classified as low flat (LF), high flat (HF), north aspect (NA), and south aspect (SA). Then, to estimate forage production, clipping method of comparative yield was used. In each land form, standing crop yield of five reference plots of 1-m2 were searched, digitally photographed, and ranked from 1 to 5. Finally, three replications of each ranked plots were clipped and weighed. The dependent clipped plots were regressed on the independent reference plots. In each land form, based on the reference plots, 20 additional sample plots were only ranked. The 20 ranked data were corrected for green and dry weights, by using regression analysis. The average dry matter of LF, HF, NA and, SA were 2511 11821, 816, and 555 Kg/ha, respectively. The estimated total dry matter for the study area was 135211 Kg. Thus, the Babanestan may support a population size of 285 Urial wild sheep which only 70 percent of study is under grazing by Urial wild sheep. As a conclusion, management (arrangement and supplying) of the water resources in the Babanestan habitat, as one of the most habitat elements that affecting the distribution and population dynamics, may enhance the population of Urial wild sheep in Tandoureh National Park.
