Estimating groundwater required for the sustainability of Prosopis cineraria (L.) druce and ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. forests in Faryab county, Kerman province, Iran

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Desertification, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 Corresponding author, Associate Prof., Faculty of Natural Recourses and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

3 Associate Prof., Faculty of Natural Recourses and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

4 Assistant Prof., Faculty of Natural Recourses and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Prosopis cineraria (L.) druce and Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. are important species of Sahara-Sindhi vegetation. While being native, they have good adaptability, growth and regeneration. This study was conducted to estimate the amount of groundwater required for the sustainability of Z. spina-christi and P. cineraria natural forests in the watershed of Faryab county in Kerman province, Iran. First, using Google Earth images, networking establishment of ninety plots of 100 m2 in one-hectare networks, the average number of Z. spina-christi and P. cineraria trees were counted. Then, using the minimum water requirement of trees, estimated based on lysimetric studies, water consumption of Z. spina-christi and P. cineraria trees in the area was calculated. Using the MODFLOW model, the groundwater balance situation in Faryab plain aquifer for 2017-2018 was calculated. Having the volume of water consumption of Z. spina-christi and P. cineraria in the region, water balance and aquifer storage coefficient, the impact of the forests on groundwater of Faryab plain was calculated. The results showed that the average number of P. cineraria trees is 250 individuals and Z. spina-christi tree stands are 30 individuals per hectare. The results of the study of water balance and groundwater aquifer show a volume deficit of 25 million cubic meters of the reservoir and a 26-meter drop in groundwater level over the past two decades. According to the water balance calculated, the uncontrolled extraction of water by agricultural wells, which is about 160 million cubic meters per year, has caused such a decline in the region. Considering the importance of Z. spina-christi and P. cineraria trees for this ecosystem as the main species, the water right of this forest was estimated to be 2.6 million cubic meters per year in the planning of water resources in the Faryab plain.

Keywords

References

- Ameri, A.H. and Keneshloo, H., 2014. Effects of rain storage method and irrigation interval on growth and primary establishment of Prosopis cineraria and Ziziphus spina-christi at south of Baluchestan. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 21(4): 756-767 (In Persian with English Summary).
- Darini, J., Karimian, A., Mosleh Arani, A. and Iran Nezhad Parizi, M.H., 2021. Comparison of water requirement of plants Ziziphus spina-christi and Prosopis cineraria. Journal of Environmental Science Studies, 6(4): 4220-4229 (In Persian with English Summary).
- Ekhtesasi, M.R., 2003. Determination of minimum density of Haloxylon seedlings to design tree windbreaks and control wind erosion in Central Iran. Abstracts of the First National Conference on Haloxylon and its plantation in Iran. Kerman, Iran, 17-19 Jun. 2003: 2-3 (In Persian).
- Emtahani, M.H., Azimzadeh, H.R. and Ekhtesasi, M.R., 2009. An ecological and environmental effects study on Prosopis cineraria natural forest in south of Iran. Journal of Environmental Studies, 34(48): 81-88 (In Persian with English Summary).
- Farrar, N. and Karampour, F., 2008. Pests, diseases and biological control methods using natural enemies and other environmentally friendly methods: 445-571. In: Assareh, M.H. (Ed.). Biological characteristics of Christ's thorn jujube trees in Iran and introducing other species of the genus Ziziphus. Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran, 571p (In Persian)
- Golestaneh, S.R., Farrar, N. and Askary, H., 2004. Some biological notes on screw bean seed pest, Caryedon seruatus, (Col.: Bruchidae) in Bushehr Province. Iranian Journal of Forests and Rangelands Protection Research, 2(1): 49-56 (In Persian with English Summary).
- Haji Mir Sadeghi, M.M.A., 1987. Ecological needs of Prosopis cineraria and the value of their products. Published by Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization, Tehran, Iran, 30p (In Persian).
- Rad, M.H., Meshkat, M.A., Soltani, M. and Mirjalili, M.R., 2011. Determination of saxual (Haloxylon aphyllum) water requirements by lysimeter experiments. Arid Biome Scientific and Research Journal, 1(3): 14-23 (In Persian with English Summary).
- Risbaf, A., 2018. The Effect of wasteful ground water depletion and soil physical and chemical properties on dieback of Prosopis cineraria in Iranshahr rangelands. M.Sc. thesis, Department of Watershed Management, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran (In Persian with English Summary).
- Wu, X., Zheng, X.J., Li, Y. and Xu, G.Q., 2019. Varying responses of two Haloxylon species to extreme drought and groundwater depth. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 158: 63-72.
- Zare Chahouki, A., Barzegari, F. and Zare, A., 2018. Effect of Yazd-Ardakan afforested Haloxylon aphyllum on groundwater resources. Desert Management, 5(10): 87-98 (In Persian with English Summary).

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics