TY - JOUR T1 - Evaluating changes in the plant communities after overgrazing in the Golbahar plain, northeast of Iran TT - بررسی تغییرات اجتماعات گیاهی بعد از چرای شدید دام در دشت گلبهار در شمال شرق ایران JF - nbr JO - nbr VL - 7 IS - 4 UR - http://nbr.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3333-en.html Y1 - 2021 SP - 431 EP - 441 KW - arid lands KW - life-form KW - species composition KW - species diversity N2 - Overgrazing affects plant communities, and is a significant disturbance factor in arid and semi-arid regions. The immediate changes of plant communities after overgrazing in the disturbed arid ecosystems of Iran have been poorly studied. We recorded data from 100 random samples before and after overgrazing in the Golbahar plain located in the northeastern Iran to determine the changes in the plant physiognomic, species composition, and diversity after overgrazing. We compared life-forms spectra, change in the RIVI of the recorded plant species, species composition, and species diversity before and after the grazing. Our results showed that therophytes were the dominant life-form in the area, and decreased after overgrazing. The community composition of the area remained unchanged after overgrazing. Species diversity at the level of rare and frequent species reduced after overgrazing. Our findings implied that overgrazing could not immediately affect the community structure of degraded arid areas. However, it causes changes that might reduce ecosystem services in them. It is not possible to completely exclude grazers in such areas, fencing or reducing the number of the livestock entries should be applied to restore the vegetation in the area. M3 10.52547/nbr.7.4.431 ER -