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Short-term effect of oil-mulch on vegetation dynamic; Integration of ecological and remote sensing-based approaches

July 16, 2025

Short-Term Effect of Oil-Mulch on Vegetation Dynamics: Integration of Ecological and Remote Sensing-Based Approaches

Wind erosion is one of the results of desertification and is among the natural processes that mostly occur under dry conditions and high wind velocity.

Using oil-mulches is one of the common methods for stabilizing sand dunes. The current study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of oil-mulch on vegetation attributes, including cover and diversity, and rangeland condition score (RCS) using integrated ecological and remote sensing-based approaches in arid regions of Southwestern Iran.

Methodology

A vegetation survey was carried out in 2019 in both the oil-mulched area and the control area. A remotely sensed vegetation index (MSAVI) was also calculated for 2017 and 2019 to evaluate vegetation changes during the study period.

Key Results

Evaluation Factor	Reported Result
Vegetation Cover	One year after treatment, vegetation cover increased significantly in the oil-mulched area compared with the control area (30 ± 17.11 vs. 17 ± 5.44%).
Litter	Litter increased in the oil-mulched area compared with the control area (4.6 ± 2.18 vs. 0.94 ± 1.55%).
Bare Soil	Bare soil decreased in the oil-mulched area (65.20 ± 17.34 vs. 82.31 ± 5.84%).
Diversity Indices	Species evenness, Shannon, and Simpson indices declined after applying oil-mulch (88%, 63%, and 71%, respectively).
Rangeland Condition Score (RCS)	The rangeland condition score was significantly higher in the oil-mulched area than in the control area (22 ± 1.86 vs. 12 ± 0.88; P < 0.001).
MSAVI	Comparing MSAVI between 2017 and 2019 showed that vegetation cover increased by 44.8%.

Interpretation

The results suggest that oil-mulch can improve some short-term rangeland indicators by increasing vegetation cover and litter while reducing bare soil.

However, the decline in diversity indices shows that increased vegetation cover does not necessarily mean improvement in all ecological aspects. Therefore, the effects of oil-mulch should be evaluated through multiple indicators, including vegetation cover, species diversity, rangeland condition, and management practices.

Based on the results, planting native palatable species in an oil-mulched area and excluding livestock grazing is likely to increase the benefits of oil-mulch treatment and lead to a better rangeland condition score.

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