Effect of Mining Activities on Structure and Function of Rangeland Ecosystem Using the Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) (Case study: Dareh Zereshk Copper Mine, Yazd, Iran).

Journal of Rangeland Science

مقاله 7، دوره 10، شماره 3، مهر 2020، صفحه 291-301   

نوع مقاله: Research and Full Length Article

نویسندگان

Elham Fakhimi^{* 1}؛ Javad Motamedi²

¹Assistant Professor, Research Division of Natural Resources, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Shahrekord, Iran *(Corresponding author) Email: [e-mail]

²Associate Professor, Rangeland Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

چکیده

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of copper extraction on the structure and function of rangelands ecosystem around the mine area in Dareh Zereshk, Yazd province, Iran. Three study sites were considered at the specified intervals of the mine (0-200, 200-500 and 500-1000m). This research was conducted from 2012 to 2013. In each location, three linear transects with a length of 50 m were deployed in the slope direction. The structural characteristics were measured for ecological patches and inter patches space along each transect, and the landscape organization indices for each ecological unit (distance from the mine) were calculated. For each patch and inter patch, five measurement areas (replicates) were considered over each transect. In addition, 11 soil surface indices were evaluated and categorized. Using the soil surface indices scoring, the functional characteristics of each ecological unit including stability, permeability and nutrient cycle were calculated for each patch and inter patch in three locations. Based on the results, there were significant differences between the nearest (0-200m) and far (500-1000m) ones from the mine for indicator and functional traits (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference between the mid distance of the mine (200-500m) and two other sites, near and far from the mine (P>0.05). On the other hand, the function of different types of ecological patches was significant at different distances from the mine (P<0.05). So, the combined patches and inter patches had the highest and lowest values of functional indicators, respectively. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the landscape function analysis method to assess the post-mining damages and any subsequent reconstruction of rangeland in the around area.

کلیدواژه‌ها

Ecological patches؛ Inter patch areas؛ Soil properties؛ Dareh Zereshk mine

مراجع

Arab Sarbijan, M., Ebrahimi, M. and Ajorloo, M., 2016. Effect of micro-catchment on indices of rangeland health using landscape function analysis method. Journal of Rangeland Science, 6(2):122-134.

Arzani, H., Abedi, M. and Shahriari, A., 2007. Investigation of soil surface indicators and rangeland functional attributes by grazing intensity and land cultivation (Case study: Orazan Taleghan). Journal of Range and Desert Research, 14(1): 68-79. (In Persian)

Azimi, R., Heshmati, G.A., Kianian, M.A., Hossein Jafari, S. and Zakeri, D., 2018. Role of plant species and ecological patches in conserving and fixing natural landsʹ soil using landscape functional analysis (LFA) (Case study: Dehbar rangeland, Torghabeh, Mashhad, Iran). Journal of Rangeland Science, 8(2):166-175.

Boer, B.E. and Sargent, D.O., 1998. Desert perennial as plant and soil indicator in Eastern Arabia. Journal of Plant and Soil, 199(2): 261-266.

Bradshaw, A.D., 1984. Ecological principles and land reclamation practice. Journal of Landscape Planning, 11(1):35-48.

Dalvand, M., Hamidian, A., Zare Chahuoki, M.,Mirjalili, S.A. and Esmaeilzadeh, E., 2015.Investigating the effects of Cu, Pb, Zn and Mn Concentrations in Artemisia spp. Above ground biomass in the rangelands of Darreh Zereshk Copper Mine-Taft, Journal of Rangeland, 8(3): 219-229. (In Persian).

Dowo, G.M., Kativu, S. and Tongway, D.J., 2013. Application of ecosystem function analysis (EFA) in assessing mine tailings rehabilitation: an example from the Mhangura Copper Mine tailings, Zimbabwe. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 113: 923-930.

Dunwoody, J.E., 2015. Scaling effects on landscape function analysis of rangelands using remotely sensed imagery. PhD dissertation, University of Southern Queensland. Australia.

Gaitán, J.J., Bran, D., Oliva, G., Ciari, G., Nakamatsu, V., Salomone, J., Ferrante, D., Buono, G., Massara, V., Humano, G., Celdrn, D., Opazo, W. and Maestre, F.T., 2013. Evaluating the performance of multiple remote sensing indices to predict the spatial variability of ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian steppes. Journal of Ecological indicators, 34(3):181-191.

Gould, W.L., 1982. Wind erosion curtailed by shrub control. Range Management, 35: 563-566.

Heshmati, Gh.A., Karimian, A.A., Karami, P. and Amikhani, M. 2007. Qualitative assessment of hilly range ecosystems potential at Inche-boron area of Golestan province. Journal of Agriculture Science Natural Resources, 14 (1): 174-182. (In Persian).

Holm, A.M., Bennett, L.T., Loneragan, W.A. and Adams, M.A., 2002. Relationships between empirical and nominal indices of landscape function in the arid shrub land of Western Australia. Journal of Arid Environments, 50(1): 1-21.

Jafari, F., Bashari, H. and Jafari, R., 2015. Evaluating structural and functional characteristics of various ecological patches in different range conditions (Case study: Semi steppe rangeland of Aghche-Isfahan. Journal of Applied Ecology, 3 (10):13-25.

Jozaghyan, A., Bashari, H., Pahlavanravi, A. and Ajorlo, M., 2016. Effect of clay and gypsum mining on vegetation and soil ecosystem condition (Case study: Segazi plain of Isfahan). Journal of Applied Ecology, 5(15): 65-74. (In Persian).

Karami, P., Amiri, O. and Jonaidi, H., 2018. Investigation of the effect of range change utilization on damage on ecosystem performance indices and soil erosion by using LFA analysis method. Journal of Environmental Erosion Research, 7(1):20-34. (In Persian).

Kavianpour, A.H., Heshmati, Gh. A. and Hosseini, S.H., 2015. Investigation of changes in soil characteristics and rangeland yield due to different grazing intensities of livestock (Case study: Nashar Mazandaran rangelands). Journal of Water and Soil Knowledge (Agricultural Knowledge), 25(4): 157-168. (In Persian).

Maestre, F.T. and Puche, M.D., 2009. Indices based on surface indicators predict soil functioning in Mediterranean semi-arid steppes. Applied Soil Ecology, 41(4): 342-350.

Mayor, Á.G. and Bautista, S., 2012. Multi-scale evaluation of soil functional indicators for the assessment of water and soil retention in Mediterranean semiarid landscapes. Ecological Indicators, 20: 332-336.

Mesdaghi, M. and Ghobadi, M., 2010. Effects of management activities on the rangeland ecosystem structure and function. Journal of Management System, 2(1):108-121 . (In Persian).

Monemi, N., Rashtian, A., Karimian. A. A. and Azimzade, H., 2018. Tateir of bauxite mine on structural parameters of rangeland vegetation (Case study: Sadr Abad Nodushan rangelands in Yazd). Journal of Rangeland, 11(1): 116-123.

National Iranian Copper Industries Company., 2011. Taft copper mine project, Environmental Impact Assessment report of Darreh Zereshk copper mine project. Yazd province of Iran 82p. (In Persian)

Noymeir, I., 1973. Desert ecosystems: environment and producers annual. Review of Ecology & Systematics, 4(1): 25-51.

Tongway, D.J. and Smith, E.L., 1989. Soil surface features as indicators of rangeland site productivity. Rangeland Journal, 11(1): 15-20.

Tongway, D.J. and Hindley, N.L., 2000. Ecosystem function analysis of rangeland monitoring data: Rangelands Audit Project 1.1, National Land and Water Resources Audit, Canberra, 35p.

Tongway, D.J. and Ludwig, A., 2002. Reversing. Desertification in Rattan. Lal. (Ed). Encyclopedia of Soil Science. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp: 343-345.

Tongway, D.J., Hindley, N.L. and Seaborn, B., 2003. Indicators of ecosystem rehabilitation success: stage two-Verification of EFA indicators. Produced by the Centre for Mined land Rehabilitation, Final report to the Australian centre for mining environmental research. University of Queensland, Brisbane and CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, Australia, 66p.

Tongway, D.J. and Hindley, N.L., 2004. Landscape function analysis: Procedures for monitoring and assessing landscapes. CSIRO. Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, 80p.