TY - JOUR T1 - Modeling Production and Canopy Cover Parameters to identify the Most Effective Environmental Factors in Baghrou Semi-Steppe Rangelands of Ardabil Province, Iran TT - مدل‌سازی پارامترهای تولید و پوشش تاجی به منظور معرفی مؤثرترین عامل محیطی در مراتع نیمه‌استپی باغرو، استان اردبیل ایران JF - IJAE JO - IJAE VL - 10 IS - 3 UR - http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1068-en.html Y1 - 2021 SP - 1 EP - 15 KW - Simulation KW - Rangeland KW - Physiography KW - Climate KW - Soil parameters KW - Ecoregion N2 - The aim of the study was to determine the most important environmental factors (topography, climate, and soil) affecting changes in production and canopy cover of plant variations and to prepare prediction maps, based on the most important factor, in semi-steppe rangelands of Hir-Baghrou, Ardabil province, Iran. First, by detecting the vegetation types and different classes of environmental factors, the production and canopy cover were estimated in 1-m2 plots at full flower stage of dominant species. Then, to determine the most important environmental factors, affecting the production and canopy cover changes, the principal component analysis (PCA) was used. For modeling, first, the correlation between the most effective environmental factors was obtained from the PCA. Then, the highly correlated factors were eliminated and the quadratic polynomial models were obtained. Finally, the obtained models were simulated in GIS. The results of the PCA showed that the first six components with 71.65% had the greatest effect on the production and canopy cover changes. Based on the root mean squared error (RMSE), simulating maps of production (RMSE=0.76) and canopy cover (RMSE=0.48) by effective factor (annual precipitation) showed the highest accuracy. The results of this study can be used to manage the rangelands of Ardabil province to create a balance between supply and demand of production and also to balance carbon. M3 10.47176/ijae.10.3.5032 ER -