@article{ author = {HaghiVayghan, A. and Ghanbarzadeh, M.}, title = {Investigation of Sardinella Sindensis (Day, 1878) Stock Status Using the Catch-Maximum Sustainable Yield Model in the Southern Waters of Iran (Persian Gulf and Oman Sea)}, abstract ={Among the various species of small pelagic fish, Sardinella sindensis (Day ,1878) has high economic and ecological importance and is one of the most important species exploited by fishermen. In recent years, the catch rate of this species has increased, and due to the limited data available on its stock in southern waters, it is not possible to use models based on the complementary data to assess its stock. In the present study, the catch-maximum sustainable yield (CMSY) model was used to determine the stock status of Sardinella sindensis in southern waters. Catch data related to the last 23 years (1997- 2019) were collected and entered into the model to calculate fisheries reference points. The value for B/BMSY by the model was estimated to be more than 1.0 and the value of F/FMSY was less than 1.0, which indicates the healthy stock status of this species in the southern waters of Iran. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) was estimated to be  86,000 tons. In recent years, the catch rate has been exceeded this amount and has caused the stock to move gradually towards the overfishing zone. Based on the results, it is suggested to control and manage the fishing activities regionally (specially in Hormozgan province) by taking into account the fishery potentials, monitoring the exploitation status with regard to the environmental factors affecting the stocks of this species.}, Keywords = {Small pelagic fish, Sardinella sindensis, Catch-maximum sustainable yield model, Fishery management, Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {11-13}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.12832}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1082-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1082-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Koochakichenani, S. and Babaiekafaki, S. and Kiadaliri, H. and Ebrahimi, A. and Etminan, A.}, title = {Genetic Diversity of Avicennia Marina in Costal Ecosystems of Southern Iran Based on Molecular Markers and Morphological Characteristics}, abstract ={Iranian mangrove forests provides valuable information to prevent genetic erosion in the gene pool of these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity among mangrove forests located in four different regions of Iran, based on morphological characteristics and microsatellite markers. Cluster analysis of molecular data, using neighbor joining algorithm classified the 60 mangrove trees, sampled from different coastal areas, into four groups. Analysis of molecular variance showed that the majority (77%) of the variance explained by among-population variation and the highest values of genetic diversity parameters including number of effective alleles, Shannon’s information index, and Nei’s genetic diversity were obtained for the Qeshm population, indicating that region is the most diverse population among all the studied populations. Baced on the morphological analyses significant differences were observed between all populations in terms of height, diameter at breast height, collar diameter, leaf size, pneumatophore length and pneumatophore diameter. The present study, provides useful information about genetic diversity of mangrove habitats which can be used in evolutionary studies and conservation efforts for these valuable plant ecosystems.}, Keywords = {Genetic diversity, Costal habitat, Mangrove, Morphology, Molecular marker}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {15-26}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.13581}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1093-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1093-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Bahmani, F. and Soltani, A. and Mafi-Gholami, D.}, title = {Floristic Classification of Large-Scale Ecological Groups in the Forests of Central Zagros}, abstract ={Do climatic variations and drought magnitude affect large-scale vegetation composition in the Central Zagrosian forests, and to what extent do topographic variables of altitude and aspect play a role in these potential differences? To answer this question, in this research, the flora list of 15 Central Zagros forests was obtained in five plant life forms between the valleys of two rivers, Gerdbisheh and Bazeft, over the distance of 170 km, using 226 half-hectare sample plots. Two-way cluster analysis and multi-reference permutation procedures (MRPP) were used to validate significant differences in plant composition at the landscape level. Subsequently, plant communities were divided into three ecological groups: eastern, central and western. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to determine the correlation between changing plant composition and climatic and topographic variables as well as plant life forms. The results showed that forests in the western ecological group are significantly and positively correlated with the De Marton aridity index, while the drought magnitude differentiates the other two ecological groups. Also, altitude had a significant effect on differentiating the eastern and central ecological groups. The main difference between the three ecological groups in terms of plant life forms, was due to the significant correlation of Therophytes, Cryptophytes and Hemicryptophytes with the driest ecological group (eastern). Despite the fact that all the plots were covered with forests, Phanerophytes were not effective in distinguishing ecological groups.}, Keywords = {Canonical correspondence analysis, Climatic indicators, Drought gradient, Multi-response permutation procedures, Plant life form, Two-way cluster analysis}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {27-43}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.13721}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1092-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1092-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Geranmayeh, A. and NematiVarnosfaderany, M.}, title = {Monitoring the Frequency Changes of Ostracod Shells in the Sediment Core (Case Study: Gavkhooni International Wetland)}, abstract ={Monitoring the frequency changes of hard and non-degradable ostracod shells can provide valuable information about the past conditions of inland wetlands sediments as a biological index. In this regard, a sediment core with a length of 38 cm was harvested using a static sediment core sampler at the beginning of the delta of Gavkhooni international wetland (Shakh-Kenar station) in April 2019, and the number of ostracod shells were counted in five groups of particle size simultaneously with determining the physical characteristics of sediments (particle size distribution, density, and moisture content). The results show that there is a significant negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.686 to -0.477) between the density of the dominant size groups of ostracods with the percentage of gravel and sand. Also, the results show a significant positive correlation coefficient (r = 0.579 to 0.638) between the density of these groups with the amount of silt and clay.Based on  to the negative correlation of ostracods with coarse particles, it can be inferred that high-energy environmental conditions such as seasonal floods and massive floods during the wet season have potentially reduced the density of ostracods in this region. While the disruption of the natural hydraulic regime of the Zayandehrud River and the lack of heavy  floods in the river delta in the last three  decades have  reduced the environmental energy of the delta and increased the percentage of silt and clay particles, and the density of ostracods.}, Keywords = {Ostracod, Core sediment, Environmental archive, Zayandehrud delta}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {45-59}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.8651}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1113-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1113-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {HosseiniTayefeh, F. and Ashoori, A. and Izadian, M. and GhorbanzadehZaferani, S. Gh.}, title = {Analysis of Population, Breeding Status and Wintering Habitats of White-Headed Duck (Oxyura Leucocephala) in Iran}, abstract ={In this study, the trend of overwintering and breeding populations of the endangered white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala was studied using 52 years of mid-winter waterbirds census in Iran (1969–2020) and breeding reports of the species in the 2010s. The trend of species population changes was calculated using RTRIM statistical package in R software. Species population in Iran indicates a substantial increase of 21.3% per year and a moderate increase of 4.4% per year over the last ten years. The results showed that the average annual total population of white-headed duck, overwintering in Iran, was 470.4 ± 126.3 over the past 44 years, covering 14 provinces and 45 wetlands. On average, 41.6% of the population was in Mazandaran province, 25.1% in Fars province, 18.6% in Golestan province, 4.4% in Khuzestan province, and 10.3% in other provinces. The breeding population of white-headed duck in Iran was estimated between 103 and 301 pairs, showing that the breeding population of the species in Iran has increased compared to the past decades. In order to protect this species, it is appropriate to develop a coherent and species-oriented action plan based on the climatic and geographical conditions of the wetland habitats of the species at the national level.}, Keywords = {Endangered species, Endangered, Census, RTRIM statistical package, Wetland, Conservation}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {61-75}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.13781}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1099-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1099-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Rasoulzadeh, A. and Hazbavi, Z. and AziziMobaser, J. and Mostafazadeh, R. and Alaei, N.}, title = {Hot Spots Analysis of Landscape Metrics and Runoff Landscape Index in Ardabil Province}, abstract ={Hot spots are often associated with places where an abnormal process has occurred. Accordingly, their identification can help experts and managers to scrutinize the state of health and sustainability, from an ecological point of view. The present study was therefore conducted to analyze the spatial autocorrelation and identify hot spots of 11 landscape metrics, the new Runoff Landscape Index (RLI), and its related factors in 28 watersheds of Ardabil province. The average positive values of the z score obtained from Moran's index indicate the presence of spatial correlation in the studied watersheds. In addition, the results of local Moran's showed that the landscape metrics have a structured spatial pattern and are not randomly distributed. A completely unipolar pattern was obtained for land cover factor (λC), soil factor (λK), and RLI. Furthermore, the negative values of the local Moran's index for the topographic factor (λS) proved the scattered pattern. Spatial distribution of hot and cold spots, using the Getis-Ord-Gi index, showed no significant pattern in the λC of Ahmadkandi, Akbardavod, Deru, Mashiran, Firozabad, Lai, Nir, and Hir watersheds. Cold spots were observed in the Eiril, Namin, and Nanehkaran watersheds at the 90% confidence level and the rest of watersheds had hot spots at a 95% confidence level. The RLIs of Ahmadkandi, Akbardavod, Deru, Mashiran, Firozabad, Lai, Nir, and Hir watersheds lack a significant pattern, and the rest of watersheds showed the hot spots at a 95% confidence level.}, Keywords = {Autocorrelation, Hydrological metric, Landscape, Moran's index, Spatial pattern}, volume = {11}, Number = {1}, pages = {77-96}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.1.13791}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1101-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1101-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Ruholamininejad, H. and Morovati, M and Karami, P.}, title = {Investigating the Habitat Patches of the Baluchistan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus gedrosianus), Using Landscape Metrics (Case Study: Bahr Asman and Zaryab Areas, Kerman Province)}, abstract ={Habitat analysis using landscape metrics can be efficient in better management of habitat. As a critically endangered subspecies, the Baluchistan black bear is scattered in the Bahr Asman and Zaryab areas in Kerman province. The purpose of this study was to model the distribution of the sub-species and evaluate the quality of its habitat patches, using landscape metrics. Distribution modeling was conducted using an ensemble approach, resulting from the combination of presence-only and presence/pseudo-absence data in ModEco software. True Skill Statistic (TSS) threshold was applied to the ensemble model and the habitat patches were analyzed, using landscape metrics. The results showed that the distribution rage is beyond the border of the studied protected areas and the variables related to humidity had the greatest effect on the presence of the species. Based on the metrics analysis, habitat patches in the Zaryab wildlife refugee have higher connectivity and less margin than Bahr Asman protected area. In Bahr Asman protected area, the number of habitat patches is greater than the Zaryab wildlife refugee and the lack of continuity among the patches has led to the edge formation. The results of this study can be used for the habitat management of this critically endangered subspecies  }, Keywords = {Black bear, Ensemble model, Habitat patches, Landscape, Kerman province}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {1-17}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.10803}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1118-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1118-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Sayedzadeh, F. and Soltani, S. and Modarres, R.}, title = {Prediction of Net Primary Production Changes in Different Phytogeographical Regions of Iran from 2000 to 2016, Using Time Series Models}, abstract ={Vegetation cover is an important component of terrestrial ecosystems that changes seasonally. Accurate parameterization of vegetation cover dynamics through developing indicators of periodic patterns can assist our understanding of vegetation-climate interactions. The current study was conducted to investigate and model vegetation changes in some phytogeographical regions of Iran including, Khazari, Baluchi, semi-desert, temperate steppe, warm semi-steppe and arid forest and to compare their stochastic behavior. To study the vegetation changes the net primary production (NPP) was used, based on the products of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor (MOD17A2 series). Seasonal Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) time series model was used for modeling NPP. The Autocorrelation Function (ACF) and Partial Autocorrelation Function (PACF) of time series showed that these areas were static with seasonality in 12-month periods. It also showed that the vegetation in Khazari region was more stable, which indicates a stable environmental condition with the least deviation in water, light and nutrients. We also found that most of the vegetative regions of Iran can be modeled with SARIMA and its changes can be reliably predicted. Estimated models for Khazari (Root-Mean-Square Error, (RMSE) = 0.12, R2 = 0.87, Mean Relative Absolute Error (MARE) = 0.083) and semi-desert (RMSE = 0.12, R2 = 0.95, MARE = 0.048) were more suitable models than other regions.  }, Keywords = {The autocorrelation function, Partial autocorrelation function, Box-Jenkins model, Seasonality, Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA)}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {19-35}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.4332}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1119-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1119-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Ahmadi, M. and Hemami, M. R. and Kaboli, M. and Malekian, M.}, title = {Ecological Niche Modeling of Mountain Vipers from the Raddei Clade in Iran, Caucasus and Eastern Turkey}, abstract ={Mountain vipers of the genus Montivipera, generally, and the species of the Raddei clade, specifically, are interesting examples of species neo-endemism in Iran, Anatolia, and the Caucasus. Given the critical conservation status of these species, it is necessary to identify their suitable habitats for prioritizing conservation measures. We modeled ecological niche of each species based on four species distribution models, including generalized linear models, generalized boosting models, random forest, and maximum entropy and combined them in an ensemble model. Also, using a new principal component analysis (PCA-env), the ecological niche divergence of the species was investigated. Results indicated that all models with AUC and TSS > 0.9 had excellent predictive performance. The species of the Raddei clade showed different patterns of ecological niche occupation and the greatest differentiation was seen in the gradient of temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, and topographical ruggedness. M. latifii and M. kuhrangica, despite the great geographical distance, revealed the highest degree of niche overlap and niche similarity. Due to the restricted distribution and limited evolutionary adaptability of mountain vipers in the mountainous regions of Alborz and Zagros, it is imperative to plan conservation measures to reduce the factors that threaten the long-term survival of these species.  }, Keywords = {Habitat suitability modeling, Niche conservatism, Evolutionary flexibility, Conservation planning}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {37-49}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.8531}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1126-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1126-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Khosravi, R. and Pourghasemi, H. R. and Moveseghi, Y.}, title = {Assessing Land Use Changes in Areas with High Risk of Human-Brown Bear Conflict in Fars Province}, abstract ={Assessing habitat changes is an important step in the spatial prioritization of management efforts, aimed at reducing conflicts. We assessed landuse/cover change in areas with high risk of human-bear conflict in Fars province. In the first step, we predicted the conflict hotspots, using bear damage incidents, a suit of predictors, and the Ensembles of Small Models (ESMs) approach. In the second step, we assessed the trend of landuse/cove changes in a 30-years period in the areas with medium to high risk of conflict, using remote sensing techniques. Results of conflict risk modeling showed that proportion of suitable habitats, distance to village, density of forest patches, and corridor bottlenecks were the main predictors, contributing to bear damaging risk. A total of 3.75 and 6.91% of the landscape were identified as the areas with high and medium risk, respectively. Assessment of landuse/cove changes showed that in a period of 30 years, the extent of croplands and orchards has increased from 12,167 to 52,662 hectares. Such a substanitial landuse/cover changes can increase the risk of bear damages. The obtained results emphasize that inter-organizational planning is an emergency effort in mitigating human-bear conflicts.}, Keywords = {Human-brown bear conflict, Landuse changes, Risk modeling, Conflict hotspots}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {51-64}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.833}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1137-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1137-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Hemmatzadeh, A. and EsmaliOuri, A. and Mostafazadeh, R. and Golshan, M. and Hazbavi, Z. and Alaei, N.}, title = {Spatio-Temporal Changes of Natural Vegetation Disturbance in the Ahle Iman Watershed, Ardabil Province}, abstract ={The present study aimed to assess the spatio-temporal changes in the natural vegetation cover of Ahl Iman watershed, Ardabil province. For this purpose, land use maps of the three years (2000, 2010, and 2020) were extracted from Landsat satellite images. Then, seven landscape metrics (patch density, edge density, patch richness, splitting index, contagion index, Euclidean nearest neighbor distance, and mean perimeter–area ratio), Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), and road density were calculated. Finally, the Disturbance Index (DI) was calculated by the sum of the values of the criteria multiplied by their weight in the 11 sub-watersheds. The disturbance index (DI) was classified into very low (0-87), low (88-163), medium (164-239), high (240-315), and very high (>316) categories. Results showed DI of 177.77, 95.17, and 135.07 for the three studied years (2000, 2010, and 2020), representing a moderate, low, and low disturbance respectively. There was no significant difference between the three years in terms of disturbance. Further, the eastern and northern parts had higher disturbance indices compared to the southern and central parts of the watershed.}, Keywords = {Ecological degradation, Index-based approach, Land management, Landscape integrity}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {65-82}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.13801}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1106-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1106-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {GhorbanzadehZafarani, Gh. and HosseiniTayefeh, F. and AhmadiGivi, A. and Tollab, M. A. and Saber, A.}, title = {Ecological Health Assessment of the Surface Sediments of the Coral Reefs of Khark and Kharko Islands (Persian Gulf, Iran)}, abstract ={To assess the ecological risk of the coral reef habitats of Khark and Kharko islands in the Persian Gulf, (Bushehr province), the surface sediment samples were collected from seven stations, in September 2019. The islands have a great ecological value due to the presence of coral reefs. The amounts of potentially toxic elements, sediment texture, total organic matter, total phosphorus and total nitrogen in the sediments were measured by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, sieve analysis, furnace burning method, spectrophotometer, and Kjeldahl, respectively. The mean concentrations of Al, Fe (%) and Ni, Pb, Zn, V, TP and TN (mg/kg) in the sediments were recorded 0.76±0.53, 0.55±0.35, 35±19, 2.1±1.5, 22±10, 40±25, 0.7±0.3 and 14.7±6.2, respectively. Based on the amount of Ni and Zn enrichment factors (moderate to very sever, respectively), their source around Khark Island could be related to human activities, such as oil industries. Pollution load index (0.06-0.25) showed all stations without pollution. The amount of Ni in stations 1 and 7 were higher than the "range of moderate effect" and "level of possible effects", which indicates the possible biological effects of this element on the benthic organisms. In general, the ecological quality of surface sediments around Kharko was better than Khark Island.  }, Keywords = {Sediment, Khark and Kharko Isalnds, Potentially toxic elements, Total phosphorus, Total nitrogen}, volume = {11}, Number = {2}, pages = {83-101}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.2.14221}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1141-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1141-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Mazloomi, Z. and NematiVarnosfaderany, M. and Modarres, R.}, title = {Evaluating the Environmental Flow of Beshar River, Using Tennant\'s Hydrological Method Based on the Biological Requirements of Indicator Fishes}, abstract ={Environmental flow of the Beshar River was evaluated using Tennant's hydrological method, the comparison of the depth and speed of the water in the transverse sections of the river, and the needs of indicator fish species in different stages of the life cycle. Field samplings were conducted in October and January 2021 to monitor the status of fishes in the Beshar River and to collect cross-sections of the river. Indicator species were selected based on the expert judgement survey method. Among 23 fish species of the Beshar River, five species from the Cyprinidae family recieved the highest scores. The biological requirements of these species were extracted and used as the basis of comparison with the data of cross sections of the river. The obtained results showed that in the upper reaches of the river (between the two hydrometric stations of Qalat and Shah Mokhtar) the good class of the Tennant method, that includes 40% of the average annual discharge for the period of high flow (April to May) and 20% of the average annual discharge for the period of low flow (June to November), is suitable to provide the biological requirements of adult and larva of cyprinid species of the Beshar River, respectively.}, Keywords = {Beshar River, Tennant method, Indicator species, Habitat suitability}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {1-19}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.8654}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1139-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1139-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {KhazaeeFadafan, F. and Soffianian, A. R. and Pourmanafi, S. and Morgan, M.}, title = {Naturalness Mapping of Fereydounshahr County with Respect to Ecotourism, Using Ordered Weighted Averaging Operator}, abstract ={The importance of the economic aspect of tourism usually overshadow many natural tourism destinations. Fereydounshahr county in Isfahan province, with pristine mountainous landscapes and diverse natural features, has high potential to attract many tourists. However, pristineness over much of its area suggests limiting the public access based on the degree of naturalness. Hence, the aim of this research was to classify Fereydounshahr county based on naturalness. Accordingly, nine effective indicators were weighted, using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Idrisi software was then employed to overlay the digital layers of criteria and produce a naturalness map, that consisted of five classes (from very natural to developed), based on Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) approach under six different scenarios. Results showed that developed areas under the AND scenario and the natural areas under the OR scenario have the largest range. The extent of desirable areas, including natural and relatively natural, increased when moving from risk aversion to risk taking scenarios. Based on the results, most of the natural areas were concentrated in western parts of the region, due to the long distances from the main roads, high presence of wildlife, and the presence of steep slopes.}, Keywords = {Naturalness, Ehcotourism, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Ordered weighted averaging approach, Fereydounshahr}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {21-35}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.14163}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1133-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1133-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Pourbabaei, H. and Poorrostam, A. and Salehi, A.}, title = {Modeling the Degradation of Hyrcanian Forests Using Logestic Regression Method (Case Study: Shenrood Forests, Guilan)}, abstract ={Having accurate quantitative and qualitative information about the state of forest stands, is necessary for any basic management and planning, to reduce the effects of forest degradation. The current study aimed to model the destruction of Hyrcanian forests under the effects of density and volume (per hectare) variables, using logistic regression. In total, 252 plots of 1000 m2 area were measured. In each sample plot, species name, Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), height, density, volume and the presence or absence of forest degradation were measured and recorded. To model forest degradation, logistic regression model was utilized and Omnibus test, log-likelihood and pseudo r-square (Cox&Snell and Nagelkerke) coefficients were used to evaluate the  model. Results showed that the mean of density and volume of trees were 136.8 tree and 239.9 m3/ha, respectively. In addition, the results indicated that 46.82% of the study area was degraded. The results of correlation test showed that there was a srtong negative correlation between quantitative variables and the forest degradation. The independent variables of density and volume of trees were respectively explained 61.6 to 82.3% of the variance of the dependent variable (forest degradation). Among the input variables of the regression model, the effects of density and volume were significant on the forest degradation and it was possible to predict the changes of dependent variables (presence or absence of forest degradation).}, Keywords = {Degradation modeling, Logestic regression, Structure changes, Shenrood forests of Guilan}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {37-46}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.14051}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1117-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1117-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Divsalar, N. and Hashemi, M. and KarbalaySaleh, S.}, title = {Assessment of Land Surface Temperature Trend and Its Spatial Correlation with Landscape Structural Elements in Rasht Watershed, Guilan Province}, abstract ={Remote sensing data play an important role in environmental planning and monitoring. The current study aimed to investigate the land surface temperature (LST) and the effect of environmental factors on the LST, to identify the temporal-spatial patterns and determine the hot spots in the period of 2013 to 2019, using Landsat 8 images. The effect of spectral indices: Normalized Difference Build-up Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) on the surface temperature was investigated. Results indicated that the lowest average temperature has occurred in 2019 and the highest LST was in the 2017. The results of Moran's index correlation also showed that the most clustering pattern of LST, with the Moran value of 0.85 was obtained in 2019, the highest correlation between LST and NDBI, with the R value of 0.76 in the 2015, the highest correlation between LST and NDVI in the 2015 (R = -0.56), and the highest correlation between LST and NDWI in 2013 (R = -0.53). Rasht watershed in Guilan province is affected by human factors and land use changes. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the vegetation cover in urban areas, reduce the change of pasture to agricultural area, and reduce forest destruction.}, Keywords = {Land surface temperature, Hot spots, Moran statistical test, Thermal remote sensing, Rasht watershed}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {47-59}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.13831}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1103-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1103-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Gholipoursoloshi, M. and DianatiTilaki, Gh. A. and Abedi, M.}, title = {Comparison of Vegetation Characteristics under Three Management Treatments (Heavy Grazing, Exclusure and Exclusure with Restoration Practices) in Kiasar Chardange Rangeland of Sari}, abstract ={Choosing management strategies are influencing the vegetation characteristics and plant diversity in rangelands. We have studied the effects of three management treatments including overgrazing, exclusure, and exclusure with restoration operations on vegetation characteristics of plant cover, composition, and diversity in Kiasar Chardange summer rangelands. In each management treatment, three random transects with the length of 50 m were established in the pasture and in five random plots of one square meter nested in the transects, the percentage of canopy cover, the composition of three palatability classes were recorded and the indices of plant diversity, plant evenness, species richness were calculated. For comparing the effects of different treatments on vegetation characteristics and diversity indices, an analysis of variance with equal subsamples was performed. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used to interpret the scattered patterns of plant compositions in relation to different management treatments. The results showed that all diversity, evenness, and richness indices were significantly different in three management treatments (p<0.05) The exclusure with restoration treatment had the highest indices of Simpson diversity (0.74), Shannon-Weiner diversity (2.12), Margalov richness (1.44), Mehnick (1.04), alpha diversity (6.13), and beta diversity (20.87). In contrast, the overgrazed site had the lowest values. The Camargo (0.77) and Smith-Wilson (0.87) evenness indices had the highest values for exclusure and the lowest values for exclusure with restoration treatments. Our findings could be a road map for future planning in similar sites. For rehabilitation of rangelands and improving plant diversity, restoration treatments in exclusures are recommended.}, Keywords = {Sowing , Alpha diversity, Species richness, Palatability, Restoration plan, Species diversity, Beta diversity, Evenness}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {61-76}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.6062}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1144-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1144-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Delpassand, J. and Ghasempouri, S. M.}, title = {Evaluating Genetic Diversity of Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus, Linnaeus, 1758) Colonies in Iran}, abstract ={Whooper swans have two old and new populations, the new population has reported since 2007. The current study aimed to investigate the genetic structure of this species and compare their gene pool, especially the new population. For this purpose, 110 samples from Iran and four European countries were analyzed, using six microsatelite loci. In addition to the samples of the emerging population in Fereydoonkenar International Wetland and the old population of Gilan, samples from Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Poland were also examined. The observed average heterozygosity ranged from 0.598 to 1.0 and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.661 to 0.950. Iceland in the extreme west of Palearctic had the highest observed heterozygosity of 1.0 and Iran in the easternmost part of the study area had the highest effective allele frequency (12.72). Also, the population of Iran showed deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, except for one loci. Based on the STRUCTURE 2.3.4 results, the Iranian swan population had the highest gene flow due to the high dispersion of breeding colonies in northern latitudes. Therefore, the autumn and winter migrant swans have two populations in Fereydunkanar and one separate population in Guilan. Generally, the high allelic richness in the new population indicates a high conservation value of  the Fereydoonkenar wintering colony.}, Keywords = {Population genetics, Microsatellite marker, Genetic bottleneck, Gene flow}, volume = {11}, Number = {3}, pages = {77-92}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.3.10092}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1146-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1146-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Jafari, F. and Jafari, R. and Bashari, H.}, title = {Comparing Actual and Potential Productions of Rangeland Ecosystems of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in Different Rangeland Conditions}, abstract ={ Spatiotemporal changes of net primary production (NPP) is one of the essential indicators in determining rangeland ecosystem condition. Therefore, the aim of current research was to map and monitor the actual and potential NPP of rangeland ecosystems in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, using CASA and Miami models, MODIS and field data from 2009 to 2018. The accuracy of the produced NPP maps was assessed in 253 sampling sites located in different vegetation types with good, fair and poor rangeland conditions, using linear regression. Results showed that the difference between actual and potential NPP was greater than 56 gr C/m2/month, which can be a sign of human impacts and interferences in the rangeland ecosystems of the region. The highest and lowest relationships between modeled and field productions were observed in the Astragalus spp. - Bromus tomentellus vegetation type with good rangeland condition (R2=0.84) and Astragalus sieberi- Stipa capensis vegetation type with poor rangeland condition (R2=28), respectively. The present research findings indicated the importance of drought conditions, vegetation type and rangeland condition in estimating the actual and potential NPP and the difference of these productions can be used as an index to determine and monitor the condition of rangeland ecosystems.}, Keywords = {Vegetation type, Net primary production, CASA model, Miami model, Remote sensing, Drought}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {1-14}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.1533}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1134-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1134-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Shahbazinasab, K. and Ashrafzadeh, M. R. and Mohammadi, A.}, title = {Factors Affecting Fear of Local Communities Toward Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran}, abstract ={Human fear of large carnivores can affect human willingness to share the landscape with these species. Also, fear has the potential to influence decision-making processes and the implementation of management interventions. People who fear of large carnivores show more opposition to protect these carnivores and are more likely to support killing them. This study was conducted to investigate the factors affecting the fear of local communities toward brown bears in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. In order to find out the attitude of the local communities towards the bear, a specialized questionnaire was designed and the sample size was estimated at 332, using Cochran's formula. Social network analysis was used to assess the vulnerability of local communities towards brown bears. Based on the results, inadequate knowledge of local communities about bears leads to fear and behavioral changes, when facing this species. Efforts to reduce the human fear of bears should be focused on communication with local people. In order to reduce the conflict between human and bears, it is recommended to increase knowledge and awareness of local communities about the brown bear behavior along with other management measures.}, Keywords = {Attitude, Large carnivores, Brown bear, Human- bear conflict, Central Zagros}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {15-31}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.10024}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1154-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1154-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Safari, J. and Khoramivafa, M. and Ramedani, Z. and Yousefi, M.}, title = {Evaluation of Energy Indices and Environmental Impacts of Tomato Agroecosystems and Tomato Paste in Kermanshah Region, using a Life Cycle Approach}, abstract ={In the current study, the environmental impacts of tomato paste production were investigated based on the total life cycle of tomato including cultivation, processing, packaging and transportation, using the Centrum voor Milieuwetenschappen Leiden Impact Assessment, (CML-IA) method in Kermanshah regions. The required information was obtained through interviews, questionnaires and, Ecoinvent, LCA Food DK and IDMAT databases. Results showed that among the influential groups, during the production process of one kg of canned tomato paste, the ozone layer depletion and the reduction of organic resources were least effected and the open waters ecotoxicity received the highest impact. In the cultivation process, electricity consumption had the greatest impact on open waters ecotoxicity followed by the nitrogen fertilizer. The factory processing phase had the lowest impact among the influential groups (except open waters ecotoxicity). The energy efficiency was calculated as 0.63 kg/MJ. The net energy gain and the total energy consumption in the tomato farm were -42700 and 44.86 MJ/ha, respectively. The consumption of electricity and chemical fertilizers were the highest amount of input energies with 75.43 and 16.94% respectively. According to the results, the cultivation phase has the adequate potential to reduce the environmental impacts during the tomato paste production through the improvement of irrigation systems to reduce electricity consumption.}, Keywords = {Electricity, Energy indicators, Environmental effects, Tomato paste, Tomato cultivation}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {33-48}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.14331}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1151-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1151-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Karimian, M. and BeyraghdarKashkooli, O. and Modares, R. and Pourmanafi, S.}, title = {Analysis of the Correlation Patterns of Sea Surface Temperature and Chlorophyll-A Concentration in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea}, abstract ={Chlorophyll-a concentration is among the most important parameters used to investigate the primary production in marine ecosystems. Chlorophyll-a concentration is influenced by climatic/environmental factors, including Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Satellite sensors are able to provide reliable products of chlorophyll-a concentration and SST data with an adequate spatiotemporal resolution. In this study, level 3 (resolution 4 km) MODIS monthly products of chlorophyll-a concentration and SST  from year 2003 to 2018 of the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea were used. The data were transformed into a raster format and the values of each pixel were extracted. Several gaps were observed in MODIS products of chlorophyll-a concentration. The Data INterpolating Empirical Orthogonal Functions (DINEOF) algorithm was used to reconstruct these gaps. Pearson correlation procedure was applied to analyze the correlation between chlorophyll-a concentration and SST. Results showed that during the study period, the correlation between the two parameters was negative (-0.44 to -0.67) and significant in the most part of the study area. The correlation coefficients in December were negative (-0.67 to -0.05) and significant in the Oman Sea and the most areas of the Persian Gulf, while in July those relationships were mostly positive (0.13 to 0.64) and significant. }, Keywords = {Sea surface temperature (SST), Chlorophyll-a concentration, MODIS, Pearson correlation, Persian Gulf}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {49-62}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.13113}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1161-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1161-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {mirshekari, s. and Asgharipour, M. R. and Ghafarimoghadam, Z. and Hashemi, S. A.}, title = {Sustainability Assessment of Greenhouse Cucumber and Tomato Production Agroecosystems Based on Emergy and Economic Analysis in Sistan Region}, abstract ={Taking the advantage of the emergy approach in estimating the stability of greenhouse systems leads to the use of correct management methods to increase the stability of production in these systems. In this research, two production systems of cucumber and tomato in Sistan region were assessed, using emergy indices. For this purpose, 166 cucumber and 111 tomato greenhouses were selected. The result of measuring 13 indicators showed the relative stability of the cucumber production system to the tomato system. The highest and lowest values of transformity index in tomato and cucumber systems were 2.77×103 and 2.00×103 (solar MJ per gram), respectively. Physiological characteristics of cucumber such as longer growth period and the greater use of free renewable energies, more production and the effective use of labor, made this system more sustainable, compared to the tomato one. In the tomato production system, the high proportion of purchased non-renewable resources was responsible for unsustainability. In order to increase the sustainability in greenhouse production systems, it is necessary to select plants with a higher capacity in using free environmental energies, capability of a more efficient labor use, and to use of greenhouse structures with the technologies aimed at reducing the inputs and the purchased non-renewable inputs. }, Keywords = {Environmental load, Environmental monitoring, Energy index, Intensive agriculture, Environmental inputs}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {63-77}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.14361}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1152-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1152-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} } @article{ author = {Tarkesh, M. and Monsef, N. and Vahabi, M. R. and Pourmanafi, S. and Amiri, M.}, title = {Determining the Potential Habitat of Astragalus verus using the CART Regression Decision Tree Algorithm (Case Study: West of Isfahan Province)}, abstract ={In the present study, the relationship between the distribution of Astragalus verus, climate, soil and topography in Isfahan province was investigated using the CART (Classification and Regression Trees) non-parametric regression. According to the vegetation types dominated by Astragalus verus, 287 sites were selected using stratified-random sampling and 106 presence points were recorded. Non-normally distributed soil variables were normalized according to the skewness type by data transformation. For variables that were not normalized by the data transformation, the inverse distance weighted and for normally distributed variables, kriging methods were used for mapping. To investigate the spatial continuity of these variables, the best variogram was selected. Using the principle component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrix, the most effective factors on distribution were clay percentage, mean temperature of the coldest (Bio11), and driest (Bio9) quarter, minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), annual mean temperature (Bio1), saturated moisture and organic carbon, respectively. Model evaluation using replacement method and using independent data indicated high accuracy of the model. According to the optimum threshold of 0.41 and fuzzy-based habitat suitability map, the suitable habitat for the species was 34.5 % of the area. The results are used in sustainable rangeland management, conservation and their restoration.}, Keywords = {Habitat suitability, Geostatistics, Decision tree, Variogram, Principal component analysis}, volume = {11}, Number = {4}, pages = {79-95}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.11.4.1842}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1147-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1147-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2022} }