Azadeh Vaziri Nahad; Seyed Ali Jozi; Rokhshad Hejazi; Mohammad Reza Shokri; Saeid Malmasi
Abstract
Introduction: One of the ways to select conservation areas is to use decision support tools such as Marxan. The main purpose of this study is to prioritize and select suitable conservation areas in the coastal area of Kal-Mehran Sub-basin in Hormozgan Province under the different scenarios by using Marxan ...
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Introduction: One of the ways to select conservation areas is to use decision support tools such as Marxan. The main purpose of this study is to prioritize and select suitable conservation areas in the coastal area of Kal-Mehran Sub-basin in Hormozgan Province under the different scenarios by using Marxan software and comparing the conservation areas selected by Marxan with those introduced by the Department of Environment (DoE). Material and methods: In this study, the dispersion of 36 types of animal and plant species was used as conservation criteria to prioritize the conservation patches in the coastal areas using the decision support tool. Geographic Information System (ArcGIS software, v. 10.3) was used to generate the criterion layers and to provide the planning unit layer. Then, the dispersion map of each of these criteria was prepared as Boolean layers (zero and one) for entering into the Marxan decision support software, which is the most commonly used conservation planning software. After preparing the 5 input files of Marxan software (planning unit file, conservation feature file, planning unit versus conservation feature file, boundary length file, and input parameters file), the software was run in the form of three scenarios designed with the goal of protecting 30, 50, and 100% of each criterion and the most suitable patches were introduced for conservation. These patches were then compared with the areas protected by the DoE. Finally, the most suitable scenario was selected by comparing the three scenarios. Results and discussion: The results showed that the first scenario with the goal of protecting 30% of each criterion was successful in fulfilling the conservation goal of all 34 criteria and in total, 14.73% of the existing areas protected by DoE overlapped with those conservation areas selected by the first scenario. In the second scenario, the study area was prioritized with the aim of protecting 50% of each criterion. This scenario was successful in fulfilling the conservation goal of 35 criteria and in total, 26.27% of the selected areas overlapped with the existing protected areas of the DoE. In the third scenario, the study area was prioritized with the aim of protecting 100% of each criterion. This scenario was successful in fulfilling the conservation goal of 30 criteria, and 96.75% of the selected areas overlapped with the existing protected areas of the DoE. Finally, by comparing the results of the mentioned scenarios, it was found that in all three scenarios, the areas under the DoE's protection in the study area did not perform well in terms of achieving the different goals. The second scenario yields more acceptable results than the other scenarios and is only incapable of achieving the conservation goal of just one criterion. Conclusion: In this study, the scenario 2 (with the aim of protecting 50% of each protection criterion) can be considered as the most effective scenario. It is suggested that this scenario be used as a model to modify the boundaries of the DoE’s protected areas in the coastal area of Kal-Mehran Sub-basin in Hormozgan Province, in which case 87.373% (801349 ha) should be added to the current protected areas to remove the existing protective gaps.
Roshanak Torabi; Shahrokh Pashaei Rad; Mohammad Reza Shokri
Volume 15, Issue 3 , October 2017, , Pages 75-92
Abstract
Introduction:
Ants are the most well-known social insects that have a significant impact on the ecosystems of their habitat. The role of these insects in the physical and chemical changes of the soil and their interaction with plants, microorganisms and other living organisms is undeniable. Iran with ...
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Introduction:
Ants are the most well-known social insects that have a significant impact on the ecosystems of their habitat. The role of these insects in the physical and chemical changes of the soil and their interaction with plants, microorganisms and other living organisms is undeniable. Iran with extensive climate conditions and diverse of habitats, has vast variety of plants and animals specie. Family Formicidae fauna in Iran is far from complete and yet 213 species of 32 genera and 4 subfamilies has been reported.
Materials and methods:
The present investigation deal with the study of ant fauna in Shiraz city. The area was divided into 18 study sites with different ecological factors. Samples were collected equally in times and numbers in the spring, summer and fall season 2014. Collected species were transferred to 70% alcohol and identified with the help of stereomicroscope and available keys. The identified specimens were confirmed by Professor Brian Taylor in Royal Entomological Society of London in England. Ecological condition effects(as altitude, soli sedimentary organic matter (TOM), temperature, air humidity, soil humidity, soil pH and soil grading) on species richness were collected from study sites and analyzed by linear regression test using SPSS22.
Results and discussion:
Among the identified specimens, 19 species belonging to 13 genera of 3 subfamilies were identified which are as below: Subfamily Dolichoderinae: Tapinoma simrothi Krausse, 1911 Subfamily Formicinae: Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) xerxes Forel, 1904; Camponotus (Myrmosericus) armenaicus Arnol'di, 1967; Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) aethiops (Latreille, 1798); Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) sanctus Forel, 1904; Cataglyphis nodus (Brullé, 1833); Cataglyphis frigidus subspecies persicus (Emery, 1906); Lepisiota semenovi (Ruzky, 1905); Lasius turcicus Santschi, 1921; Paratrechina vividula (Nylander, 1846)Subfamily Myrmicinae: Cardiocondyla persiana Seifert, 2003; Crematogaster sp. (sp undet cf Safariyan, 2014); Messor melancholicus Arnol’di, 1977; Messor syriacus Thomé, G., 1969; Messor rufotestaceus (Foerster, 1850); Monomorium kusnezowi Santschi, 1928; Pheidole pallidula (Nylander, 1849); Pheidole teneriffana Forel, 1893; Tetramorium davidi Forel, 1911Conclusion: All the identified species except T.simrothi, C.frigidus, C.persiana, M.rufotestaceus and P.teneriffana were recorded for the first time from Fars Province and the species T.simrothi and P.teneriffana were recorded for the first time from Shiraz City.
Conclusion: Statistical analysis using linear regression in SPSS22 shows a significant difference between pH and species richness of ant communities.
