Effects of community camel and sheep grazing on vegetation cover in Al- Mayla rangeland in northern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of community camel and sheep grazing onvegetation cover and production at Al-Mayla rangeland enclosure in Arar, northern Saudi Arabia, protected for40 years. Following a first vegetation sampling conducted in August 2022, two different sites (Artemisia and Atriplex sites) were identified and management plan involving grazing for one month on the Artemisia site by769 heads of camels and the Atriplex site by 2739 heads of sheep was proposed. Upon pressure from thepastoral community, the number of sheep was increased to 7500 head and the grazing period was reduced to 2weeks in September 2022. Field data collection was conducted after grazing. Total plant cover and soil surfacestates, species cover and density, and biomass available for grazing were measured and compared to thesituation before introducing animals. Results showed that long-term protection (40 years) had a negative effecton vegetation cover dynamics through the development of more competitive and stress-tolerant low-rangevalue species and hard soil crust which reduces infiltration, emergence of seedlings, and growth of plants. Thefindings suggested that short-period grazing with a high stocking density of mixed herds of camel and sheepwhich reduced animal selectivity and improved soil structure is not harmful to vegetation cover and rangeproduction and had social implications by allowing the grazing of more herds from the community.