Impacts of non-timber forest products on soil quality following land-use change in Zagros oak forest

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Forest Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

2 Researcher, PhD in Forest Biology, Research Division of forests, Rangelands and Watershed, Ilam Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Ilam, Iran

3 ‘Lendület’ Seed Ecology Research Group, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, 2-4 Alkotmány str., H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary

4 Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, Mérida, Mérida State, 5101, P.O. Box 210, Venezuela

5 INRAE, Aix Marseille Univ., UMR RECOVER, Mediterranean Ecosystems and Risks, Aix-en-Provence, France

10.22124/cjes.2026.9604

Abstract

We conducted this research to assess how the cultivation of economically and ecologically valuable species such as Narcissus tazetta and Amygdalus scoparia affects soil properties, aiming to identify land-use strategies that support both soil restoration and sustainable livelihoods. We sampled land use types (LUT) along a restoration gradient. Two forest types represented the natural oak forests (FOR) forests not subjected to intensive management and the degraded oak forests (DEF) following overexploitation. Three types represented restoration measures on degraded abandoned lands: 10-year-old almond tree plantations (AMP), and Narcissus tazetta cultivation after 5 years (SCN) and 15 years (LCN). Soil samples were gathered from every type, and 15 different chemical, physical, and biological attributes were analyzed. In addition, the soil quality index (SQI) was assessed. A multivariate analysis (PCA) revealed that the different LUTs could be clearly differentiated according to their soil characteristics. The highest value of soil biological activity (basal respiration: 0.33 mg CO2. g-1 dm. 24 h-1, substrate-induced respiration: 0.44 mg CO2. g-1 dm. 24 h-1 and microbial biomass carbon: 3.71 mg biomass-C. 100 g-1 dm) was consistently highest in FOR, while DEF indicated the lowest level. Soil organic carbon followed the same trend, increasing from 0.5% in DEF to 2.0% in FOR. Conversely, the lime content showed an opposite trend, ranging from 50% in DEF to 20% in FOR. Among the soil chemical variables, available phosphorus and potassium were highest in LCN. LCN and FOR also exhibited significantly reduced soil bulk density compared to the other studied areas. The SQI decreased significantly in the order FOR > LCN > AMP > SCN = DEF. This research highlights the importance of integrated land management that considers biological, physical, and chemical soil properties to prevent further degradation and sustain soil fertility.

Keywords

References

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Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences

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