Forest Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Nutrient Availability, Stand Age, And Canopy Structure On Isoprene Flux In A Eucalyptus Saligna Experimental Forest, Jennifer L. Funk, Christian P. Giardina, Alexander Knohl, Manuel T. Lerdau

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Eucalyptus plantations occupy approximately 10 million ha of land in the tropics and, increasingly, afforestation and reforestation projects are relying on this genus to provide rapid occupation of degraded sites, large quantities of high-quality wood products, and high rates of carbon sequestration. Members of the genus Eucalyptus are also very high emitters of isoprene, the dominant volatile organic compound emitted by trees in tropical ecosystems, which significantly influences the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere. While fertilization growth response of these trees has been intensively studied, little is known about how fertilization and tree age alter isoprene production from plantations of …

Genetic Variability, Correlation And Path Analysis Of Yield, And Yield Components In Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.), Derya Özveren Yücel, Adem Emi̇n Anlarsal, Celal Yücel

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was conducted to determine variability, heritability, and correlations between yield and yield components in 15 kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes for 2 years. Direct and indirect effects of yield components on seed yield per plant were investigated. Genotypic variance was the highest for 1000 seed weight, followed by seed number per plant. Broad-sense heritabilities ranged from 5.47% (days to flowering) to 51.66% (seed number per plant). Heritabilities for seed number, 1000 seed weight, and number of full pods were greater than those for the other traits. Positive and significant (P < 0.05) relationships were determined between seed yield per plant and plant height, first pod height, secondary branch, total pod, and number of full pods and seeds per plant. The path coefficient analysis based on seed yield per plant, as a dependent variable, revealed that all of the other traits, except days to flowering, first pod height, and total pod number, exhibited high positive direct effects. Number of seeds and full pods showed the highest direct influence with 47.49% and 44.73%, respectively. Therefore, this research suggests that seed and full pod numbers can be good selection criteria for improving seed yield per plant in kabuli winter chickpea.

Agronomic Potential And Industrial Value Of Madder (Rubia Tinctorum L.) As A Dye Crop, Hasan Baydar, Tahsi̇n Karadoğan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) is a valuable dye crop due to its roots, which are rich in anthraquinone pigments, one of them being alizarin. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic potential and industrial value of madder plants under rainfed conditions in Southwest Anatolia, Turkey. Three different propagation materials (seeds, seedlings and root cuttings), and 5 different propagation methods (autumn root transplanting, spring root transplanting, autumn seed sowing, spring seed sowing, and spring seedling transplanting) were used in the study. At the end of the 3-year growing period, fresh root yield varied from 1640.1 kg ha^{-1} (in the spring root …

Wood Measurement Rules, Maine Department Of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources

Maine Collection

Wood Measurement Rules

Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources, Division of Quality Assurance & Regulations, Augusta, Maine, 2006.

Contents: Chapter 380: General Provisions / Chapter 381: General Requirements for Wood Transactions / Chapter 382: Measurement of Wood and Declaration of Quantity / Chapter 383: Measurement and Prompt Furnishing of Measurement Tally Sheets / Chapter 384: Complaints and Investigations / Chapter 385: Licensing of Wood Scalers / Appendix

The Complex Links Between Governance And Biodiversity, C. Barrett, C. Gibson, B. Hoffman, Mathew D. Mccubbins

Faculty Scholarship

We argue that two problems weaken the claims of those who link corruption and the exploitation of natural resources. The first is conceptual. Studies that use national level indicators of corruption fail to note that corruption comes in many forms, at multiple levels, and may or may not affect resource use. Without a clear causal model of the mechanism by which corruption affects resources, one should treat with caution any estimated relationship between corruption and the state of natural resources. The second problem is methodological: Simple models linking corruption measures and natural resource use typically do not account for other …

Integrated Weed Control In Sugar Beet Through Combinations Of Tractor Hoeing And Reduced Dosages Of A Herbicide Mixture, Riza Kaya, Şevki̇ Buzluk

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Weed control is performed by hand in 83% of the sugar beet growing area in Turkey. Due to the movement of the labour force to industry recently, the lack of labour has led to a huge problem. Therefore, the completely mechanised alternative methods must be introduced into the weed control of sugar beet. In this study, the effects of alternative control methods, based on the use of a tractor hoe combined with post-emergence reduced herbicide dosages, on weeds and on the yield and quality of sugar beet were investigated. Our data indicated that tractor hoeing twice + thinning (96.2%) resulted …

Multiple Criteria Activity Selection For Ecotourism Planning In Igneada, Kenan Ok

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Forests have many ecotourism attractions. Ecotourism can be defined as an opportunity to promote the values in the protected areas and to finance for related stakeholders. However, ecotourism can be classified as a possible threat to ecosystems because of ecotourism's attractions are based on fragile ecological relations. Activity selection regarding ecological, social and economic dimensions is important in forest and tourism management. Ecotourism activities were selected using a multi-criteria decision model based on an ELECTRE method. The model that was applied with a participatory approach consists of 19 alternates and 28 criteria. While horse-riding was determined to be the best …

Genetic Transformation Of Citrus Paradisi With Antisense And Untranslatable Rna-Dependent Rna Polymerase Genes Of Citrus Tristeza Closterovirus, Bayram Çevi̇k, Richard F. Lee, Charles L. Niblett

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Protein and RNA-mediated forms of pathogen-derived resistance (PDR) have been developed against many viruses in different plants. However, no resistance has been reported against Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), a closterovirus, in Citrus species transformed with coat protein genes or other sequences of CTV. The successful use of replication-associated genes in RNA-mediated resistance in other crops prompted the use of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of CTV for the development of RNA-mediated PDR in Citrus. The RdRP gene was amplified from CTV isolate DPI3800 from Florida and used to generate antisense (RdRp-AS) and untranslatable (RdRp-UT) constructs with point mutation consecutive …

Determination Of Crop Water Stress Index For Irrigation Scheduling Of Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.), Yeşi̇m Erdem, Sezen Şehi̇rali̇, Tolga Erdem, Di̇nçer Kenar

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the canopy-air temperature differential and the vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which can be used to quantify the crop water stress index (CWSI) under fully irrigated (100%) and maximum water stress (0%) conditions of trickle irrigated bean. The effects of 5 irrigation levels (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0% replenishment of soil water depleted when 50% of available soil moisture was consumed in the 0.60 m soil profile depth of fully irrigated treatment) on seed yields and resulting CWSIs calculated using the empirical approach were also investigated. The highest yield and water …

Potassium Exchange Isotherms As A Plant Availability Index In Selected Calcareous Soils Of Western Azarbaijan Province, Iran, Abbas Samadi

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Potassium (K) exchange isotherms (quantity-intensity technique, Q/I) and K values derived from the Q-I relationship provide information about soil K availability. This investigation was conducted to study the relationships among K Q/I parameters, available K extracted by 1 N NH_4AOc (exchangeable K plus solution K), potassium saturation percentage (K-index, %), and the properties of 6 different calcareous agricultural soils. In addition, the relationship of tomato plant yield response to the K requirement test based on K exchange isotherms was investigated. The Q/I parameters included readily exchangeable K (\DeltaK^0), specific K sites (K_X), linear potential buffering capacity (PBC^K), and energy of …

Effects Of Some Plant Materials On Phytophthora Blight (Phytophthora Capsici Leon.) Of Pepper, Fi̇kret Demi̇rci̇, F. Sara Dolar

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Effects of dried garlic, peppermint, cabbage, lentil, alfalfa, onion, radish, and garden cress plant materials on Phytophthora blight (Phytophthora capsici Leon.) of pepper were determined, in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Extracts of the plant materials were used in vitro. The plant materials were extracted in ethanol and were added to corn meal agar (CMA) at 5 and 10 µg ml^{-1}. The extracts of alfalfa, garlic, cabbage, and peppermint reduced colony diameter of P. capsici on corn meal agar between 3.46% and 13.73%, whereas mycelial growth of P. capsici was increased by onion, radish, garden cress, and lentil …

Changes In Some Quality Parameters Of The Perfect Delight Nectarine Cultivar During Cold Storage And Shelf Life, Murat Çeli̇k, Ahmet Erhan Özdemi̇r, Eli̇f Ertürk

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The objective of this study was to determine storage and shelf life periods of Perfect Delight nectarines grown in Mersin (Yenice, Tarsus). The fruit was kept at 0 °C and 85%-90% relative humidity for 8 weeks. After removal from cold storage at weekly intervals, the fruit was kept at 20 °C and 65%-70% relative humidity for 2, 4 or 6 days to determine shelf life in 3 replicates. Changes in weight loss (%), fruit skin color and flesh color (L*, a*, b*), fruit flesh firmness (N), total soluble solids (%), titratable acidity (g malic acid / 100 ml fruit juice), …

Impact Of Impregnation With Imersol-Aqua On The Yellow Color Tone Of Some Woods And Varnishes, Mustafa Hi̇lmi̇ Çolakoğlu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was performed to determine the effects of impregnation on the yellow color tone (YCT) of some woods and varnishes. For this purpose, the test specimens prepared from Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) and oak (Quercus petrea Liebl.) according to ASTM D 358 were impregnated with Imersol-Aqua according to ASTM D 1413-99 and the manufacturer's instructions by short-term, medium-term, and long-term dipping, and were then coated with synthetic, acrylic, waterborne, and polyurethane varnishes according to ASTM D 3023. The YCT of test specimens after the varnishing process was determined according to ASTM D 2244-02. As a result, the highest …

A Correlation And Path Coefficient Analysis Of Components In G. Hirsutum L. Hybrids By Usual And Fibre Quality Grouping, S. L. Ahuja, L. S. Dhayal, Ram Prakash

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Improvement in fibre length is important for the textile industry in utilising high speed yarn spinning technology and in expanding the array of yarn products. High tensile strength fibre is needed for good spinning, especially with fast modern spinning machines. The usual practice of estimating correlation coefficients and the direct and indirect effects of component traits of seed cotton yield is without grouping the genetic material on the basis of fibre length and strength. Hence, the present investigation was carried out on these aspects by grouping the 20 F1 hybrids into 3 sets on the basis of fibre length and …

Gge-Biplot Analysis Of Multi-Environment Yield Trials In Bread Wheat, Yüksel Kaya, Mevlüt Akçura, Seyfi̇ Taner

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Yield data of 25 bread wheat genotypes tested across 9 rain-fed environments during the 2002-2003 growing season were analyzed using the GGE (i.e. G, genotype + GEI, genotype-by-environment interaction) biplot method. E (environment) explained 81% of the total (G + E + GE) variation, whereas G and GEI captured 7.3% and 11.7%, respectively. The first 2 principal components (PC1 and PC2) were used to create a 2-dimensional GGE-biplot and explained 46.2% and 15.8% of GGE sum of squares (SS), respectively. Genotypic PC1 scores >0 detected the adaptable and/or higher-yielding genotypes, while PC1 scores

Spectral Sensing Of Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Density Using Field Spectrometry And Radiometry, Mustafa Mi̇ri̇k, Gerald J. Michels

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L., are aphid pests of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and other cereals worldwide. Greenbug and bird cherry-oat aphid infestation in crops is unpredictable over space and time. From these 2 aphids, greenbug infestation causes significant reduction in yield, and consequently large amounts of insecticides are used to control greenbug populations. Therefore, a repeatable and rapid method is necessary for monitoring aphid populations. Remote sensing appears promising for the monitoring of aphid density in crops. The present research …

Agro-Morphological Characterization Of Some Wild Wheat (Aegilops L. And Triticum L.) Species, Alpteki̇n Karagöz, Necmi̇ Pi̇lanali, Turgay Polat

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Wild wheat (Aegilops L. and Triticum L.) populations were collected from different regions of Turkey and characterized for 5 basic traits, in order to study their agro-morphological characteristics and variation among populations. Material of the study consisted of 112 populations of wild wheat and 12 populations of cultivated wheat. Cultivated einkorn (T. monococcum L. subsp. monococcum) and cultivated emmer (T. turgidum L. subsp. dicoccon (Shrank) Thell.) were used as checks for Triticum species. Among the Aegilops material studied, Ae. tauschii Coss. var. meyeri (Griseb. ex Ledeb.) has not been defined in the flora of Turkey before and is characterized agromorphologically …

Inheritance Of Cold Tolerance In Common Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.), Omid Sofalian, Seyyed Abolghasem Mohammadi, Saeid Aharizad, Mohammad Moghaddam, Mohammad Reza Shakiba

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Low temperature is one of the most severe abiotic stresses limiting wheat growth, productivity, and distribution. Understanding the genetic nature of cold and frost tolerance is regarded as the primary step in wheat breeding programs. This study used a winter wheat cultivar, Norstar, which has a high level of cold tolerance (LT_{50} = -22.3 ºC), and a highly cold-susceptible Iranian spring wheat variety, Zagros (LT_{50} = -3.5 °C), as parental lines to develop different generations. Seven generations, P_1, P_2, F_1, F_2, F_{2:3}, BC_1, and BC_2, were used for generation mean and generation variance analysis for estimating genetic effects and variances, …

Cambial Activity Of The Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea) In Belgrade Forest, İstanbul, Ünal Akkemi̇k, Hati̇ce Çinar Yilmaz, Orhan Sevgi̇

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The cambium activity of Quercus petraea (Mattuscha) Liebl. (sessile oak) in Atatürk Arboretum (Belgrade Forest, İstanbul) was studied by mounting 5 manual and 5 electronic dendrometers on 5 dominant trees very near to each other (2-5 m). Cambium activity began during the first week of May in 2003, and 1 month earlier, the first week of April, in 2004. The fast growing season for both years was May to July, accounting for 90% of diameter increase. Earlywood/latewood ratios measured on tree rings varied principally with changes in latewood widths, as affected by climate. The highest and most significant correlations were …

Effects Of Nacl On The Germination, Seedling Growth And Water Uptake Of Triticale, Mehmet Atak, Mehmet Demi̇r Kaya, Gamze Kaya, Yakup Çikili, Cemaletti̇n Yaşar Çi̇ftçi̇

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The lack of information about the effects of salinity on vegetative growth of triticale prompted us to study the salt tolerance levels of 3 newly registered cultivars, Karma-2000, Presto, and Tatlıcak-97. Moreover, the relative importance of the osmotic or toxic effects of NaCl on seed germination are not clear in triticale. In this study, germination percentage, seedling fresh and dry weight and water uptake of the seeds of 3 triticale cultivars were determined under various salt (NaCl) stresses with electrical conductivities of 2.4, 4.2, 5.9, 7.7, 10.6 and 13.2 dS m^{-1}. Roots and shoots were analyzed for uptake of Na^+ …

Determination Of The Apomictic Fruit Set Ratio In Some Turkish Walnut (Juglans Regia L.) Genotypes, Beki̇r Şan, Hati̇ce Dumanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was carried out to determine the amount of apomictic fruit set in 10 Turkish walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Yalova-1, Şebin, Bilecik, KR-1, KR-2, Şen-2, 07-KOR-l, Tokat-1, Kaman-1 and Kaman-5 cultivars and selections were used in the experiment. Female flowers were bagged and/or pollinated with pollen of the apple cv. 'Golden Delicious' (Malus x domestica Borkh.), and the apomictic fruit set was determined 8 weeks after anthesis. The percentage of apomictic fruit set without pollination ranged from 0.5% to 1.6% in 5 walnut genotypes, namely Yalova-1, Bilecik, 07-KOR-l, Tokat-1 and Kaman-1, in the …

Deficit Irrigation Analysis Of Red Pepper (Capsicum Annum L.) Using The Mathematical Optimisation Method, Cafer Gençoğlan, Serpi̇l Gençoğlan, Cuma Akbay, İsmet Boz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The objectives of this study were to analyse deficit irrigation with the mathematical optimisation method using the water-yield relationship and cost functions of red pepper, and to determine alternative deficit irrigation water levels. For this purpose, the effect of 5 different irrigation levels (I_1, I_2, I_3, I_4, and I_5) on dry yield (DY) was determined using a line source sprinkler irrigation system in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey in 1999 and 2000. The average water amounts applied with I_1 (non-water stress treatment) and I_5 (water stress treatment) for the 2 years were 913 and 296 mm, and I_2, I_3, and I_4 varied between …

Inheritance Of Grain Yield Per Plant, Flag Leaf Width, And Length In An 8 X 8 Diallel Cross Population Of Bread Wheat (T. Aestivum L.), Şahi̇n Dere, Meti̇n Bi̇rkan Yildirim

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The inheritance of grain yield per plant, flag leaf width, and flag leaf length was studied applying Jinks-Hayman diallel analysis in an 8 x 8 wheat cross population involving the bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) genotypes Cumhuriyet, Kaşifbey, Ziyabey, Marmara, Basribey, Malabadi, Yüreğir, and Seri-82. The crosses were made by hand, without reciprocals, in field conditions from March to May 2001, and the field experiment was conducted during the October 2002 to June 2003 growing season. The analysis of data showed that the additive variance component (D) was significant for flag leaf width (P < 0.01). The dominance variance component (H_1) was significant for flag leaf width and grain yield per plant. The dominance level variance component (h^2) and corrected dominance variance component (H_2) were significant for all 3 traits studied (P < 0.01). The Wr/Vr graphs indicated overdominance for grain yield per plant and flag leaf width, while partial dominance was inferred for flag leaf length. Flag leaf length was significantly and positively correlated with flag leaf width (r = 0.803). Yüreğir x Malabadi crosses should be considered for maximizing photosynthetic area of the leaf.

Clonal Selection Of A Winter-Type European Pear Cultivar 'Ankara' (Pyrus Communis L.), Hati̇ce Dumanoğlu, Nurdan Tuna Güneş, Veli̇ Erdoğan, Ahmet Aygün, Beki̇r Şan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Clones of the 'Ankara' pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivar, which is a winter-type of European pear, were investigated in terms of morphological and chemical characteristics, and sensory analyses, in the Ankara (Turkey) region in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Fruit weight, length, and diameter; core diameter; skin and flesh color; flesh firmness; soluble solids content; titrable acidity; pH; grittiness; melting degree in the mouth (buttery flesh); flavor; texture; and appearance were determined in 40, 17, and 26 clones in 2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively. Two clones #5 and #6, were selected as superior clones of 'Ankara' pear in 16 clones, which …

Effect Of Salinity Stress On Dry Matter Production And Ion Accumulation In Hybrid Maize Varieties, Seli̇m Eker, Gönül Cömertpay, Ömer Konuşkan, Ahmet Can Ülger, Levent Öztürk, İsmai̇l Çakmak

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The salt stress tolerance of 19 hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) varieties was tested in nutrient solution during the early growth stage under controlled environmental conditions. For the salt stress treatment, sodium chloride (NaCl) was applied to nutrient solution at a concentration of 250 mM for 6 days before the harvest. Plants were harvested after 17 days of growth and analyzed for shoot and root dry matter production, severity of leaf damage (necrotic patches on older leaves), and the concentrations of potassium (K), sodium (Na) and calcium (Ca) in the roots and shoots. The varieties differed greatly in their response …

Effects Of Organic Waste Substrates On The Growth Of Impatiens, Ömer H. Dede, Gülgün Köseoğlu, Sai̇m Özdemi̇r, Ahmet Çelebi̇

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The use of peat and peat substitute organic wastes as substrates for container-grown flowers was studied. Peat, hazelnut husk, and maize straw were considered as support materials and MSWC (municipal solid waste compost) and poultry manure as fertilizer supplements. Eight substrates were prepared by combining each additive with peat, hazelnut husk, and maize straw. Hazelnut husk and maize straw substitution by 50% and compost and poultry manure addition by 25% in peat exhibited acceptable physical and chemical properties that are important for container substrates. Nitrogen provided by the compost and poultry manure influenced plant growth and flowering. The lowest rate …

A Comparison Of The Development Times Of Trissolcus Rufiventris (Mayr) And Trissolcus Simoni Mayr (Hym.: Scelionidae) At Three Constant Temperatures, Müjgan Kivan, Ni̇hal Kiliç

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The effects of temperature on the development of the egg parasitoids Trissolcus rufiventris (Mayr) and Trissolcus simoni Mayr (Hym.: Scelionidae) were determined at 3 constant temperatures. Female development ranged from 6.9 days at 32 °C to 22.5 days at 20 °C for T. rufiventris, and from 9.2 days at 32 °C to 24.7 days at 20 °C for T. simoni. The average development time of males was shorter than that of females for each parasitoid species. The development of female T. rufiventris required 125.0 degree-days above the theoretical threshold of 15.5 °C and that of males required 111.1 degree-days above …

Acidification And Nutrient Cycling, Mary Beth Adams, William T. Peterjohn, Frank S. Gilliam

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Additions of acid anions can alter the cycling of other nutrients and elements within an ecosystem. As strong acid ions move through a forest, they may increase the concentrations of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) in the soil solution and stream water. Such treatments also may increase or decrease the availability of other anions, cations and metal ions in the soil. A number of studies in Europe and North America have documented increases in base cation concentrations such as calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) with increased N and S deposition (Foster and Nicolson 1988, Feger 1992, Norton et al. 1994, …

Soil Chemical Response To Experimental Acidification Treatments, Mary Beth Adams, David R. Dewalle, William T. Peterjohn, Frank S. Gilliam, William E. Sharpe, Karl W.J. Williard

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

One of the conclusions reached during the Congressionally mandated National Acid Precipitation Program (NAPAP) was that, compared to ozone and other stress factors, the direct effects of acidic deposition on forest health and productivity were likely to be relatively minor. However, the report also concluded “the possibility of long-term (several decades) adverse effects on some soils appears realistic” (Barnard et al. 1990). Possible mechanisms for these long-term effects include: (1) accelerated leaching of base cations from soils and foliage, (2) increased mobilization of aluminum (Al) and other metals such as manganese (Mn), (3) inhibition of soil biological processes, including organic …

Vegetation And Acidification, David R. Dewalle, James N. Kochenderfer, Mary Beth Adams, Gary W. Miller, Frank S. Gilliam, Frederica Wood, Stephanie S. Odenwald-Clemens, William E. Sharpe

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

In this chapter, the impact of watershed acidification treatments on WS3 at the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) and at WS9 on vegetation is presented and summarized in a comprehensive way for the first time. WS7 is used as a vegetative reference basin for WS3, while untreated plots within WS9 are used as a vegetative reference for WS9. Bioindicators of acidification impacts that will be considered include several measures of tree and stand growth rates, foliar chemistry, bolewood chemistry, and herbaceous species composition and diversity. These studies enhance our understanding of the inter-relationships of changes in soil conditions caused by the …