Original Articles
Mohammad Hossein Sharifzadegan,; Naghmeh Mobarghaei; Pouya Joudi
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The creation of environmental problems in both developing and developed countries has attracted more attention to the question of environmental conservation during the decision making process. Rapid development and its effect on the environment have resulted in impact assessment to become a part of development ...
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The creation of environmental problems in both developing and developed countries has attracted more attention to the question of environmental conservation during the decision making process. Rapid development and its effect on the environment have resulted in impact assessment to become a part of development activities and it has been necessary to assess strategies for selecting the best one. The implementation of sustainable development requires several support instruments of which the main one is environmental impact assessment which places more emphasis on access to sustainable forms in the development process. Recently, Regional Environmental Assessment (REA) has become known as an effective instrument in supporting the local sustainable development process. In this research, effort has been given to analyzing unsustainable socio-economic development patterns by applying REA in Sahand region.In addition some strategies have been created for localizing Agenda 21 and promoting sustainable and multi-sectoral development in this region. These results indicate that most environmental problems in the region are due to unsustainable socio-economic activities and too little attention being paid by the responsible institutions at the regional level. Hence, in order to minimize environmental problems and supporting the local sustainable development, not only is it necessary to propose development actions by considering the environmental parameters at the beginning of plans and policies, but we should also proceed to develop the necessary strategic actions in order to modify the causes of environmental problems due to unsustainable socio-economic development.
Original Articles
Shahram Jafarnia; Seyed Mohammad Hojjati; Yahya Kooch
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
In this study, a statistical survey of the mangrove habitat of Qeshm Island was carried out for better public recognition and its structure and the vegetative mangrove forest components as well as their relationship to the physical and chemical characteristics of soil and water were examined. In order ...
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In this study, a statistical survey of the mangrove habitat of Qeshm Island was carried out for better public recognition and its structure and the vegetative mangrove forest components as well as their relationship to the physical and chemical characteristics of soil and water were examined. In order to do this, six transects were chosen in three regions of mangrove with closed, medium, and low canopy density, respectively. In 60 sample plots, the vegetative parameters, tree density per hectare, canopy percentage, aerial root density and height, regeneration, and tree height were measured per unit area. In the center of each sample, fifteen physical and chemical soil and water parameters were measured. Finally, the relationship between the various vegetative characteristics at different cover densities and soil-water characteristic levels was studied using principal component analysis (PCA). The results of PCA on fifteen recorded environmental variables showed that the first and second principal components explain 86.63% and 13.36% of the evaluated parameter changes, respectively. Generally, the soil organic matter and clay percentage as well as the sodium level in areas with high densities of cover are considered to be factors impacting on the vegetative characteristics of Hara trees.
Original Articles
Ali Akbar Matkan,; Mohammad Yazdi,; Davood Ashoorloo; Narges Sadati
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The Siyah Bisheh area is located in the central part of Alborz zone, 40 km to the south of Amol. Rock units exposed in the area consist of sedimentary (carbonates, sandstone, siltstone), volcano-sedimentary (andesite to andesitic tuff, tuff), ignimbrite and basalt. Once erosion and tectonism have rendered ...
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The Siyah Bisheh area is located in the central part of Alborz zone, 40 km to the south of Amol. Rock units exposed in the area consist of sedimentary (carbonates, sandstone, siltstone), volcano-sedimentary (andesite to andesitic tuff, tuff), ignimbrite and basalt. Once erosion and tectonism have rendered volcanic structures undetectable, remote sensing provides an invaluable tool for their identification and identifying the relationship between lithology and vegetation has shown that the integrated use of remote sensing techniques and field studies can be a powerful tool for distinguishing and mapping the relationships between rock units, structures and alteration zones associated with mineral deposits along the Seyih Bishe area. The main image analysis techniques involved in this study were principal component analysis (PCA) and false color composite (FCC).
Original Articles
Parviz Gholami,; Jamshid Ghorbani; Maryam Shokri
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The conversion of natural ecosystems into artificial or man-made ecosystems due to land use change can alter both ecosystem structure and function. The soil seed bank contains a source of viable and germinable seeds which can germinate under suitable environmental conditions. This can produce a new population ...
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The conversion of natural ecosystems into artificial or man-made ecosystems due to land use change can alter both ecosystem structure and function. The soil seed bank contains a source of viable and germinable seeds which can germinate under suitable environmental conditions. This can produce a new population or renew the present plant community. Information about the soil seed bank for Iranian flora is scarce and this study aimed to study the soil seed bank in rangeland which has been excluded from livestock grazing and the nearby area with a history of rangeland conversion into arable lands. We measured the seed bank in soils taken from two depths (0-5 and 5-10 cm) and how soil seed diversity and richness changes with land use changes. The results of this study showed that land use change significantly influenced soil seed bank diversity, species richness indices and functional group. The exclosure area showed the highest species richness, diversity and functional group while these indices significantly declined as rangeland became converted into arable lands. However, the abandoned area did not show significant differences from other two sites. Moreover, some functional groups such as annuals, therophytes, Gramineae and forb significantly reduced from the exclosure to the dryland area. This may show that abandoned areas have a potential according to their diversity and richness for returning into rangelands.
Original Articles
Sara Tajdoost,; Ramezan Ali Khavari-Nejad; Fariba Meighani,; Eskandar Zand; Zahra Noormohammadi
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The genetic diversity of 17 Cuscuta campestris ecotypes collected from different regions of Iran was assessed using ISSR and protein markers. Ten ISSR primers generated a total of 361 bands, of which 347 bands were polymorphic. PIC (polymorphism information content), based on ISSR and protein data, averaged ...
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The genetic diversity of 17 Cuscuta campestris ecotypes collected from different regions of Iran was assessed using ISSR and protein markers. Ten ISSR primers generated a total of 361 bands, of which 347 bands were polymorphic. PIC (polymorphism information content), based on ISSR and protein data, averaged 0.66 and 0.4 per primer, respectively. Cluster analysis and PCA plots derived from Dice’s similarity coefficientof the two-marker systems were highly concordant. The analysis of molecular variance allowed us to partition variation into: 81% (variance among populations) and 19% (variance within populations) based on ISSR data; and 85% (variance among populations) and 15% (within populations) for protein data. This high variation among ecotypes could be due to the high self fertilization, limited gene flow or the low rate of pollen and seed migration among ecotypes. Knowledge of the genetic variability of the weed acquired through using different molecular tools can be helpful in developing management programs in order to effective control of the weed in crop fields.
Original Articles
Azadeh Majdodin,; Mohammad Reza Nili; Hadi Veisi
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to identify and prioritize the educational needs of women teachers of environment at primary school level who, as the target population for the study, were selected from the 17th district of the City of Tehran (Iran). 196 teachers were selected through the stratified random ...
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The purpose of the study was to identify and prioritize the educational needs of women teachers of environment at primary school level who, as the target population for the study, were selected from the 17th district of the City of Tehran (Iran). 196 teachers were selected through the stratified random sampling technique from16 primary schools. The Borich needs assessment model was used to assess the perceived level of importance given by and competence of women teachers regarding 36 professional competencies. Training needs were analyzed and ranked using Mean Weighted Discrepancy Scores (MWDS). From the results of the Borich needs assessment model, four competencies were identified as having a greater requirement for environmental education by women primary school teachers, as follows: teaching methodologies, experiments and activities to facilitate the teaching of environmental subjects, ways of infusing motivation in field trips and evaluation of environmental education. All of these competencies refer to the competence of designing and implementing environmental education.
Original Articles
Hajar Rahimi,; Hamid Reza Pakzad; Mehrdad Pasandi
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
The fine grained sediments of Gavkhoni Playa Lake have the potential for concentrations of heavy metals due to climatic conditions, petrology and the presence of lead and zinc ores in the drainage basin and the passage of Zayandehrud River through industrial and agricultural regions. In this research, ...
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The fine grained sediments of Gavkhoni Playa Lake have the potential for concentrations of heavy metals due to climatic conditions, petrology and the presence of lead and zinc ores in the drainage basin and the passage of Zayandehrud River through industrial and agricultural regions. In this research, muddy sediments from the delta and playa of Gavkhuni Playa Lake were sampled to determine the levels of concentration of heavy metals and the geochemical/sedimentological parameters. Calcium carbonate, pH and organic matter increase while clay and Eh decrease from North to South of the playa. Clay minerals of muddy sediments in their order of frequency include, respectively, illite, chlorite, kaolinite and montmorillonite and the amount of these minerals does not vary from the delta to the south of the playa.Average concentrations of the heavy metals in ppm in order of abundance are: Zn (46.96), Pb (39.25), Co (8.14) and Cd (3.53). Cd and Pb concentrations are greater than normal while the Co and Zn concentrations are almost equal to the usual concentrations of these elements in shale. The Geoaccumulation index shows that the sediments are highly polluted by Cd, slightly to unpolluted polluted by Pb and not polluted to the other heavy metals. Exchangeable cation contents are much lower than the total concentrations. Organic matters play a more important role in the exchangeable concentration of the heavy metals relative to the type and content of clay minerals and their increase has augmented the exchangeable concentrations.
Original Articles
Sadegh Salehi,; Hossein Mahmoodi,; Narges Dibaei; Sara Karimzadeh
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between environmental attitudes and environmental behavior (namely, household energy consumption) in Urumia. In this study, attitudes of individuals at two levels of general environmental attitude and specific environmental attitude (energy consumption) have been ...
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This paper investigates the relationship between environmental attitudes and environmental behavior (namely, household energy consumption) in Urumia. In this study, attitudes of individuals at two levels of general environmental attitude and specific environmental attitude (energy consumption) have been studied. According to the research hypotheses, there is a positive and significant correlation between general environmental attitudes and specific environmental attitudes. General environmental attitudes were evaluated based on NEP and, methodologically, a survey method was applied with cluster sampling to choose the samples. The overall results showed that subjects for both attitudes received a high score, and there is a significant and positive relationship between general environmental attitudes and significant environmental behavior (energy consumption). The possible reasons for this result are discussed later in the paper and several suggestions are put forward for further studies.
Original Articles
Mansoureh Karimi,; Gholamreza Savghebe; Babak Motesharezadeh
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
ntensive agriculture and industrial activities in several parts of Iran have reduced soil quality. This research was conducted to investigate the effect of organic and mineral amendments on polluted soil around the Angouran zinc and lead mines. The experimental treatments included two organic treatments: ...
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ntensive agriculture and industrial activities in several parts of Iran have reduced soil quality. This research was conducted to investigate the effect of organic and mineral amendments on polluted soil around the Angouran zinc and lead mines. The experimental treatments included two organic treatments: bagasse and rice husk at three levels, namely 1.25%, 2.5% and 5%, and three minerals treatments as follows: zeolite in three levels (5%, 10% and 15%); phosphate rock at three rates (1%, 3% and 5%); and triple superphosphate in three ratios (0.0075%, 0.015% and 0.3%) accompanied with the control treatment. After three months incubation, the heavy metal (lead, zinc, iron, manganese) concentrations were measured. After that, garden cress was planted in pots and, after completing its vegetative period and harvesting it, heavy metals in the garden cress shoots were measured. The results of data Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that the treatments had a significant effect on the reduction of heavy metal concentration in the soil and in garden cress shoots. The least lead concentration (28.17 mg kg⁻¹) was observed in the first level of rice husk and the highest reduction percentage of zinc concentration (34%) in garden cress shoots was found in the second level of rice husk. According to the effect of organic treatments on heavy metals fixation in soil and reduction of plant uptake, usage of organic matter in polluted soils can be a useful way to control the transfer of pollutants.
Original Articles
Saeed motesaddi Zarandi,; Maryam Alipour; Faramarz Moatar
Volume 9, Issue 4 , July 2012
Abstract
One of the global issues of air pollution is global warming. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) prevent the Sun's rays from returning back into space from the Earth's surface. Transport is the main source of GHG emissions whereby CO2, CH4and N2O gases released into the atmosphere from the consumption of fossil ...
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One of the global issues of air pollution is global warming. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) prevent the Sun's rays from returning back into space from the Earth's surface. Transport is the main source of GHG emissions whereby CO2, CH4and N2O gases released into the atmosphere from the consumption of fossil fuels by cars. This study has been conducted in Tehran, in 2010, with the aim of determining the quantity of emissions resulting from the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) systems as compared with conventional buses.The research methodology is based on the method of the IPCCand using Global Emission Factors. By employing statistics obtained from the Bus Company in Tehran and the Department of the Environment, emissions per passenger, emissions from the BRT system, baselines emissions, and emission reductions due to the introduction of the BRT system in Tehran, have all been calculated for 2010. The results of this calculation show that emissions per passenger in the BRT System, on Lines 1, 4 and 7, respectively, are 188.9, 189.1 and 282.7 (gr/p). The total amount of the BRT system’s emissions in the same lines is, respectively, 3.3×1010, 0.3×1010 and 3.1×1010(tCO2 e). Baseline emissions would be 7.5×1010, 1.4×1010 and 4.8×1010(tCO2 e) if those passengers wish to be transferred by conventional buses. Emission reductions achieved by the BRT system on these lines are 4.2×1010, 1.1×1010 and 1.7×1010(tCO2 e).Results have shown that the average emissions reductions per passenger made by the BRT System over the conventional system is 300 grams per passenger. The total average amount of emissions reductions has been 2.3×1010(tCO2 e), so the BRT system, in addition to raising the quality of the transport, also reduces the level of GHG Emissions compared to the conventional system.
