Picris strigosa is a valuable forage species in mountainous rangelands of Lorestan province, Iran, which produces suitable forage for sheep grazing. The aim of this study was to determine the allowable use and grazing tolerance of this species. For this purpose, 50 individuals of P. strigosa were selected in its typical habitat and marked for monitoring after applying four levels of harvesting intensities including control (0%), 25, 50, and 75% of the annual production during 2007–2011. Treatments were investigated by clipping and weighing method every month from May to July in vegetation period. The results showed a significant difference in terms of forage production between treatments (P≤0.01). The highest and lowest forage production with average values of 42.45g and 15.23 g per plant were obtained in 0% harvesting rate (control) and 75% intensity rate, respectively. In other words, harvesting higher than 50% coupled with early grazing (April and May, in accordance with the local pattern and research method of this article) weakens the individuals. Continuation of this process also increases the mortality of the individuals (death of 30% of the stands at a harvest intensity rate of 75%). Due to the sensitivity of the species to early grazing, it was recommended that for such a dominant species, livestock should enter the pasture in early June. Maximum forage production in control and the fast reduction in forage production of 75% treatment emphasize that overgrazing of this species would completely eliminate it from the field. It was concluded that P. strigosa is sensitive to grazing and its sensitivity should be considered in rangeland management plans. Manuscript profile

Wildfires annually occur as a threatening factor in natural resources at a large scale. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effects of fire on the structural and functional characteristics of vegetation in the Kaboudeh range site, Kermanshah province, Iran during three years (2018-2020). An unburned range (control) was selected near the burned range. Both sites had the same characteristics. Sampling was preformed at a stratified random with four 50 m transects and 20 m distances as well as 10 fixed quadrates (1 m2). The spatial correlation was performed between quadrates.Data were collected for plant density (no/m2), canopy cover (%), and production (g/cm) for species and palatability classes. The range condition and range trend were evaluated using four factors and balance methods. The results showed that the palatable plants in the fire site were decreased with density (1.7 no/m2), production (4.1 g/m2), and canopy cover (3.9 %) compared to the control. In the first years after the fire, the fire decreased the number of palatable plants, and decreased the average values of production and canopy cover both by approximately 75%, butthe class II plants had not significantly decreased.In the burned site, the invasive plants (Class III), dominated by annual grasses, have spread rapidly across the range.The range condition in the burned area was poor andrange condition trend was positive, but in the control area,range condition was medium and range condition trendwas constant.In the short term, fire drastically caused the increase of annual grasses,decrease of species diversity, and subsequentlyled to a decrease in the stability of the range. Manuscript profile