Effect of Different Improvement Applications to Soil Erosion in Shrubby Rangelands of Gökçeada (Canakkale)

In Gökceada, a total of 14 different improvement parcels (burned + reseeded + grazed, burned + reseeded + ungrazed, burned + unseeded + grazed, burned + unseeded + ungrazed, clipped + reseeded + grazed, clipped + reseeded + ungrazed, clipped + unseeded + grazed, clipped + unseeded + ungrazed, grubbed + reseeded + grazed, grubbed + reseeded + ungrazed, grubbed + unseeded + grazed, grubbed + unseeded + ungrazed, natural + ungrazed (control), natural + grazed) were used to aim to control the dominated species of prickly burnet shrub found in the rangelands. Each of four rainfall simulations was out in order to determine the effect of applied improvement process in each plot on soil erosion. Time to runoff start, runoff, maximum runoff, runoff coefficient, sediment concentration, peak of sediment, and total soil loss parameters were measured for each simulation. There were statistically significant differences within the plots in terms of time to runoff start. Runoff and runoff coefficient were determined to 17 and 30 times more in burned + unseeded+ grazed plot as compared to natural+ungrazed plot. Maximum runoff was measured as 4.32 ml sec-1 in burned + unseeded + grazed plot and 0.30 ml sec-1 in natural + ungrazed plot while the sediment peak in clipped + reseeded + ungrazed plot has been measured as 14.72 g l-1 but it was found as 4.27 g l-1 in natural+ungrazed plot. Sediment concentrations of grubbed+reseeded+ grazed plot have been identified as 10.82 g l-1 while in natural+ungrazed plot it was noted as 1.31 g l-1. Total soil loss has been found 57 times more in clipped + reseeded + grazed plot as compared to natural + ungrazed plot. Aggregate stability and bulk density analyses of the taken soil samples were done after rangeland improvement process. There were no significant differences in aggregate stabilities but some differences were detected in the values of bulk density among applications. Soil conservation measures should certainly be taken during the development works of enviable species while wiping out the dominated species in rangeland.