NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS OF IRAN
Year:2013 | Volume:4 | Issue:1|Papers Count:9

In the recent years, livestock grazing and utilization of rangelands has drastically increased. So, study on the changes of plant cover and soil characteristics during the time are necessary. For this purpose, an exclosure had been established since 2001 in Vaz grasslands. The purpose of this study was to compare plant species diversity and richness, also the soil physical and chemical properties between exclosure and grazing area. Therefore, soil and plant samplings were done using randomized-systematic method. 8 transects were established and Seven plots were established along each transect, in total, 28 plots were placed inside and 28 plots outside of exclosure and plant and soil samples were taken in each of them. The results showed that N, C and soil porosity (P) in grazing area were equal to 0.28%, 0.13% and 40.62% respectively, which were significantly lower than exclosure (N=0.54%, C=0.18%, P=60.89). In contrast, EC, pH, bulk density and soil relative humidity in grazing area with averages of 0.98 dsm-1, 8.57, 1.63 gcm-3 and 21.35% respectively, were significantly higher than exclosure with averages of 0.78 dsm-1, 5.93, 1.33 gcm-3 and 12.53%. Grazing increased diversity (3.41) in comparison with exclosure (2.67). In addition, grazing increased species with low palatability (Class III). So, the high frequency of these species (47.95%) in grazing area increased the plant diversity. Class II species had highest frequency with average of 51.34 in exclosure area. The results showed that relative percentage of species in the Raunkiaer system, were significantly different between grazed and ungrazed areas.

In this research Influences of planting distance on growth, species biodiversity (herbaceous and woody), and soil properties for the Alnus subcordata and Taxodium distichum plantation forest were investigated. For this purpose, in 17-year-old stands, growth parameters, herbaceous and woody species regeneration and soil physical and chemical properties were studied in rolevehs of 20×20 m in two planting distances with 3×3 m and 4×4 m dimension with 6 repetitions. The results of independent sample t-test and discriminate analysis with increase the planting distance in each species of Alnus and Taxodium showed that diversity (Shannon-Weiner and Simpson), richness (Menhinick and Margalef) and evenness (Sheldon and Pielou) indices value didn't change, but led to improve the growth parameter (diameter growth and percentage of survival ) and soil chemical properties. In general, Alnus subcordata and Taxodium distichum have better growth parameters and soil properties with 4×4 m planting distance that can product an abundant wood and will prevent a decrease in soil nutrient.

Study of difference of vegetation species diversity under the circumstances of enclosure and grazing are important for improving the management of rangeland habitats. This study by the aim of investigating the effects of livestock grazing on the change of species richness and diversity on the grazed rangelands and comparison of that with enclosure area were selected. For measuring the vegetation characteristics, suitable sampling plot size was determined using minimal area method. For this purpose, homogeneous units were selected inside and outside of the enclosure and eighty 1m2 plots using systematic-randomized method along of 8 transects with 50m long on the foothill were established and list of existing species, density, canopy cover, litter, stone and gravels and bare soil were measured. For evaluation of numerical diversity indices Ecological Methodology6.2 software was used and diversity and evenness numerical indices were calculated. Data analysis was conducted in the SPSS18 software environment and means comparison were performed using Duncun's method in the probability level of 5. Results show that on the study area 96 plant species belonging to 26 family and 68 genera are exist. Results of statistical analysis for species frequency on both study sites show that in the enclosure all of the numerical indices from richness, evenness and species diversity perspective were more than grazed areas. Moreover, results of mean comparison show that canopy cover, density and litters inside of the enclosure in comparison with outside of the enclosure are 16.71%, 4.21% and 7.69%, respectively increased and the amount of stone and gravels and bare soil in comparison with outside of the enclosure are 9.93% and 14.13%, respectively decreased. Thus, it can be concluded that practicing suitable management with reducing livestock from rangeland can be caused ecosystem sustainability and in conclusion increasing diversity, richness and evenness on these areas.

This study was forest for evaluating stakeholders’ preferences and determining priorities of forest functions in forest management using classical and fuzzy AHP techniques. A questionnaire technique was used for data gathering. Totally, 32 questionnaires that were filled in by stakeholders were analyzed using classic and fuzzy AHP. Forest conservation. Forest protection, forest based recreation, wood production, non-wood production and educational goals were considered as forest functions. These functions consisted of 14 sub functions including(Biodiversity, Ecosystem hot spot, Water sources, Soil sources, Fishing, Hunting, Recreation, Construction wood, firewood, Fruits, Medicinal Herbals, forage, Research, Education) Priorities of functions were different in two methods. Data from experts group were used as control. Priorities of others groups evaluated via experts group priorities. Results of comparison revealed that there was high correlation coefficient between priorities of others group with experts’ one in fuzzy AHP. So, Fuzzy AHP can be used as a convenient method in forest management.

Today urban green space is important element in the body of the city tat with population growth and urban development has invaded other users and its area in cities is decreasing other than users continuous. Amol city by having many potential enviromental inside urban green space per capita is very low. This city is affected by factores such as population growth resulting from the migration of villagers to city, that faced with an imbalance the number and percapita of parks. Purpose this research is determination of optimum location on based of social justice, efficiency and environmental quality in Amol city and is offer model fits to determination of location this user in area of country.For this purpose, at first, to assess the proportional distribution of existing parks in Amol city has attempted to distribute the questionnaire. In this context, after deretmination of effective indices in determination of locating of urban parks, by using of experts of green space, the them weighting was done by using the AHP model and by combining weighted index in GIS and suitable areaes for the construction of new parks in the study city were obtained. Results from the analysis of questionnaires in SPSS software Indicator of heigh effective of distribution of proportional this uses to the increasing popular reference to parks is. Analysis of resulting of determination of location also show that l distribution pattern of Amol urban green space have not Appropriate pattern in now location and time of access to the park is more than the standard and distribution of now is not based on the urban hierarchy.

In this study, using Insight Manager of land use planning program for development of tourism, with using the two approaches potential of Project planning and layout times of recreation was analyses. Stages of planning of this study include is analysis of current situation of functions area, identify condition of areas in classifying recreation, zoning of tourism and introduction of tourism opportunities. Also in process of layout of opportunities that was used Landscape ecology land use approach by using standards of physical, ecological and standard of spatial drawing the compatibility matrix of opportunities, zoning of landscape suitable in opportunities layout, determining criteria for opportunities’ layout, dividing areas of layout and zoning macro activities were the steps of this process. According to this research Abidar mountain promenade has urban-natural promenade aspect, that according to this character and its now function, 2 kinds of macro leisure- recreational tourism and forest tourism were zoned. Therefore 6 macro activities including recreational- cultural, recreational- natural, recreational -sports, recreational-mountainous, recreational-service, recreational- entertainment activities in the Leisure-recreational tourism layout and recreation- service activities in the forest tourism layout and totally 23 promenade opportunities, which were appropriate for planning in the region were introduced. After segregation of locating areas, macro activities and promenade opportunities were zoned in three fields of developed, developing and non- developed in the Abidar promenade area.

Environment education is the most fundamental way in protecting the environment that its aim is finding the most suitable and best practices presentations and activities that promote environmental awareness in the community. Objective of this study is investigation the impact of ecotourism and ecotourism guideline methods on parameters of environmental literacy. Therefore, in order to environmental education a hiking tour guide was used in ecosystem Lake Zarivar and in this field research, the 45 participants through the brochure and human guide were Participated. Outcomes and impacts on the environment literacy of Participants through assessment of environmental literacy components are: knowledge, attitudes, values, and environmental concerns as well as the behavior and intentions of individuals were evaluated. Results indicate that participation in this environment action led to a significant increase in knowledge and changes in attitude and behavior is considerable. So it can be said that the education action this research can be applied to transfer environment knowledge. The effect of the type of guidance method that has been one of the main aspects of this research Also, results showed that there are no differences between two guidance methods in terms of the influence of environmental literacy.

One of the biggest and most complex environmental problems is the unexpected climactic changes and its impact in the future. Study on precipitation changes, as a very important variable, is a key to better understanding of this problem. Geostatistical methods for spatial interpolation of precipitation data of rain gauge stations nowadays play an important role in water planning in every country. In this study, using geostatisticaltechniquesand30year precipitation data measured at 5 stations of Babolrud Basin, rain climatic characteristics are studied. The contour maps for precipitation were generated using geostatistical (Kriging) approach in ArcGIS. Investigations show that all station has the lowest monthly precipitation in June. The highest monthly precipitations are recorded in two southern stations in October and two northern Stations in the middle of December. The highest precipitation was received during the colder seasons, autumn and winter, due to Mediterranean to Siberian air mass entering the region. The highest and lowest precipitations were in the months of November and February, and the range of precipitation regimes in the region was irregular with a long term annual variation coefficient of above 40%.

Fluctuation of Caspian Sea water level during 95 years (1882-1977) with rate of 3.75m (-24.50 highest plane level and lowest plane level -28.25) was created many problems for land uses and human societies around Caspian Sea. Determining fluctuation of balance and limitation of sea area assures future coastal towns planning. In this research coastal area of 120m from Babolsar to Chaloos has been chosen for examination. At first, for analysis has been used statistics of fluctuation of water balance level in Baku, Anzali, and Noushahr at instrumental record period. Satellite images of 1976, 1988, 2000, 2006 and 2013 were downloaded and bond combined in ENVI software and in order to analysis in Arc GIS, Geo Tiff outcome obtained. And also submerged lands in 1356 to 1374 years were analyzed at 8 areas and geomorphologic hazards in coastal towns and seabed erosion analyzed according to the slope of coastal cities. And has been found that in Babolsar the slope of coastal area is 0.12% and the potential risk of flooding is higher and in Sisangan the slope of coastal area is 8.9 and the its potential flooding is lower, with the advance of seawater and violating the sea space, many motels, villas, coastal towns and farms drowned. The waves erosion power, noticed that in Babolsar, the depth of 20 meters sea located at 12 km from the beach and waves at this part breaks so far and waves erosion power reduced, but in Sisangan the 20m depth located at the 12kms distance from the coastline and waves breaks later and wave’s erosion condition is better.