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A GIS
model for determination of water resources suitability
for goats grazing
Fazel Amiri
Faculty Member of Islamic Azad University, Bushehr Branch.
Department of Range management, Bushehr. Department
of Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University Bushehr
Branch, Iran. P. O. Box 751494433 Bushehr-Iran.
E-mail:
famiri@na.iut.ac.ir.
Tel.: +989131102025.
Accepted 25 November, 2008 |
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Proper use from water resources, especially in arid and semi
arid of Iranian rangeland are very important. In this area
water is one of a valuable ecosystem component. The study
was conducted in Ghareh Aghach watershed region is located,
Isfahan province, in central part of Iran. Four criteria’s
of water quality, water quantity, water distance and
livestock information were integrated to water resources
suitability for goats grazing. According to the results,
water distance and accessibility to water is a most
declining factor for suitability. A quality and quantity
factor is a no limiting factor in part of study area. The
results show that from 7158.69 ha of studied rangelands,
6245.93 ha (87.25%) classified as S1 class (with
no limitation), 810.58 ha (11.32%) classified as S2
class (with low limitation), and 102.3 ha (1.43%) classified
as N class (non suitable). Based up on slope classes, areas
that far from water point more than 75% of slope is not
suitable and less than 15% are very suitable. Good
distribution of water resources increases water suitability
and cause better and monotonous utilization of rangeland.
Key words:
Water resources suitability,
rangeland, FAO,
goats, GIS,
Iran. |
