Distribution of Salsola crassa in relationship to groundwater level and soil features at dry rangelands in Iran

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between groundwater level and soil characteristics with distribution of Salsola crassa species in arid rangelands of Aran-o-Bidgol in Iran. The studied area was divided into three habitats: high density, low density, and absence of Salsola crassa. Comparison of physic-chemical characteristics of soil and groundwater level was made by using one-way ANOVA and Duncan test. The results showed that the percentage of sand, EC, pH, P, OM, and SAR in the soil in three habitat communities differed significantly. The presence of this plant species increased the amount of these attributes. Physical and chemical properties of the soil at 0-30 and 30-60 cm showed that the percentage of clay, silt, gravel, EC, pH, OM, P, K and SAR were also different at two depths of soil.