This research aimed at evaluating how different vegetation patch types and inter-patch zone affect soil properties/functions and ecological processes. Five main types of patches and one inter-patch zone were identified in an arid rangeland ecosystem in the Ghamishloo National Park and Wildlife refuge, central Iran. Next, twenty-nine soil samples were collected from the patches and the inter-patch to measure soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, bulk density (BD), soil organic matter (SOM), particulate organic matter (POM), basal soil respiration (BSR), hot-water extractable carbohydrates (HWEC), and aggregate stability (as quantified by mean weight diameter, MWD, of water-stable aggregates). At each six patch types and inter-patch zone, eleven soil indicators were measured along three 30-m transects to estimate soil stability, infiltration, and nutrient cycling indices as proposed by the landscape function analysis method. Results indicated that SOM, TN, MWD, HWEC, BSR, POM, and silt content varied significantly between the patch and inter-patch types. Moreover, the difference between shrub patch and inter-patch zone was significant for infiltration and nutrient cycling indices but not for soil stability. Substantial input of organic carbon is required in the soils of inter-patch zone and forb patch type to achieve greater soil functioning. Patches of shrubs, shrub-forbs, and grasses improved soil quality and ecosystem functioning more efficiently than forbs and inter-patch zone; hence, preserving these patches is recommended for conservational solutions in arid fragile ecosystems. The results highlighted the importance of SOM in evaluating functional status of arid rangelands.

这项研究旨在评估不同的植被斑块类型和斑块间区域如何影响土壤特性/功能和生态过程。在伊朗中部加米什卢国家公园和野生动物保护区的干旱牧场生态系统中，发现了五种主要斑块和一个斑块间区域。接下来，从斑块和斑块间收集了29个土壤样品，以测量土壤质地，pH，电导率（EC），总氮（TN），有效磷，容重（BD），土壤有机质（SOM） ），颗粒有机物（POM），基础土壤呼吸（BSR），可热水提取的碳水化合物（HWEC）和骨料稳定性（由水稳定性骨料的平均重量直径MWD量化）。在每六个补丁类型和补丁间区域，根据景观函数分析方法，沿着三个30米长的样条线测量了11个土壤指标，以估算土壤稳定性，入渗量和养分循环指数。结果表明，SOM，TN，MWD，HWEC，BSR，POM和淤泥含量在斑块类型和斑块间类型之间显着不同。此外，灌木斑块与斑块间区域之间的差异对于入渗和养分循环指数而言是显着的，但对于土壤稳定性却不显着。斑块间区域和Forb斑块类型的土壤需要大量输入有机碳，以实现更大的土壤功能。灌木，灌木丛和草丛的土壤质量和生态系统功能比灌木丛和斑块间区域更有效；因此，建议在干旱脆弱的生态系统中保留这些斑块作为保护解决方案。结果强调了SOM在评估干旱牧场功能状态方面的重要性。