Iranian Journal of Forests and Rangelands Protection Research
Year:2016 | Volume:14 | Issue:1|Papers Count:8

Identification of the fuel models and subsequent recognition of the fire behavior can provide necessary tools for fire management and control. This study set out to identify the fire behavior in the loblolly pine plantations at Takhsam village in Gilan province that was evaluated by Flam Map model from Arc Fuels program in the ArcGIS. Fuel materials were estimated by line sampling of Brown and the fuel load method (FLM), chosen by systematic random sampling. Landscape file (LCP) was made by maps of slope, aspect, elevation, fuel model and canopy. Then fuel moisture layer was calculated and weather as well as wind layers from Rasht synoptic station were introduced in the fire model. With selection of fire spot, fire spreading and some of the fire behavior maps were simulated by the fire model. The results showed that Flam Map model with overestimated and underestimated areas of 1.35 and 0.54 ha, respectively, and kappa coefficient of 0.83 has high validity in evaluation of wildfire in this state.

This study was carried out to evaluate distribution and abundance of Syrphid flies population in Sari-Kiasar forest Region. Data collection was done in five stations including Alikola (1640 metres above sea level, m.a.s.l.), Haftkhal (855 m.a.s.l.), Alamdardeh (396 m.a.s.l.), Pahnekola (175 m.a.s.l.) and one station in Dasht-e-naz region (20 m.a.s.l.). The samples of syrphid flies were collected by set of Malaise trap, window trap, yellow pan trap and white pan trap in each station. The data collection was done every two weeks during spring and summer. Seven species were identified in the study site. The most abundant species was Melanostoma mellinum (L.) followed by Sphaerophoriascripta (L.) which was 43.54% and 33.39%, respectively. Results showed that altitudinal gradient affected the species abundance. For example M. mellinum was the most abundant in habitat with altitude 1640 m and 855m, S. scripta was the most abundant species in habitat with altitude of 855 m, Sphaerophoria rueppellii (Wiedemann) was the most abundant in habitat with altitude 20 m, Eupeodes corollae (Fabricius) was the most abundant species in habitat with altitude of 855 m and Merodonavidus (Rossi) was the most abundant species in habitat with altitude of 1640 m. Also results showed that peak of maximum abundance in studied sites occurred in May.

Nowadays, phytoremediation is considered as a new technique to remove a variety of contaminants from the environment. The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the uptake rate of heavy metals such as cadmium and zinc by two species of eucalypt including Eucalyptus microtheca and E. camaldulensis. For this purpose, the uniform 6-months seedlings of Eucalyptus were selected from the nursery of Golestan agricultural and natural resources research and education center. Eighteen seedlings of each E. microtheca and E. camaldulensis species were subjected to the heavy metals treatment, three concentrations for each elements of Cd (5, 10, 15 ppm) and Zn (1, 3, 10 ppm). In total108 samples were taken from leaf, root and stem of each seedling in three replicates. Dry acid digestion method was used for samples extraction. The concentrations of heavy metals in the samples were measured using ICP-OES. The results revealed that Zn content significantly differs between leaves and roots of two species with an average of 518.6, 426.5 for leaves and 476.2, 382.2 for roots in E. microtheca and E. camaldulensis, respectively. In contrast, there was no significant difference between stems of two species in terms of Zn content. Furthermore, Cd content in leaves and roots of two species showed significant differences with an average of 124.9, 179.7 for leaves and 435.8, 399.7 (unit?) for roots, respectively. Under low concentration of heavy metals in the soil, no significant difference was observed between two species. However, increasing heavy metal concentration in soil (Zn from 1 to 3 mM and Cd from 10 to 15 mM) demonstrated higher efficiency in E. microtheca rather than E. camaldulensis. These findings suggest that in general, in the wide use of two mentioned eucalyptus species in forestation projects for phytoremediation, the E. microtheca would have higher efficiency than E. camaldulensis in terms of Cd and Zn absorption.

Appropriate knowledge of the species ecological requirements will have an important role in the conservation and protection of the reforestation. Mobarakeh steel company created 1,500 hectares of artificial forest by non native tree species. Cupressus arizonica is one of this species. Tree species decline causing serious problems in this area. Plantation areas of this species were identified toinvestigate the causes of cypress dieback. A plot of 2000 m2 was considered in each area that planted by this species. In addition, quality and quantity characters of all trees in each plot such asdiameter, height and crown diameter and trees health were measured. The leaf samples offive healthy and unhealthy trees were collected separately for analytical measurements. The soil sampling and profiling was performed from the areas under healthy and unhealthy tree canopy in each plot. The results of this investigation showed that there are many limiting factors such as poor soil and water salinity as the main factors in reducing the absorption of micro and macro nutrients in unhealthy trees.

Forest is an important part of earth ecosystem; a great source for various usages and purposes of human, that its quantity and quality has been exposed on risk by recent population growth and wildfires. Hence in this study in order to manage this risk, Keetch-Byram and Mc-Arthur Indices were employed to determine potential areas of wildfire occurrence in North-East Hyrcanyan forests of Iran. The Mc-Arthur index has developed for assessing the wildfires for Australian forests and identifies the start and spread, fire intensity and capability of its control. Keetch-Byram drought index as a way to determine the potential of fires in forests is used in many countries. Therefore, the operating climate (maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, mean wind speed, daily rainfall and evaporation) for the years 1384-1393 in the fall with the highest incidence of forest fires in East Hyrcanian was used. With the help of this information, zoning of the Mc-Arthur index and Keetch-Byram drought index during the mentioned time was performed using geographic information system (GIS). The results of the mapping indicated that there is not a definite and significant relationship between fire indices Mac-Arthur and there drought index Keetch-Byramin the studied areas. In high-risk areas, Keetch-Byram drought index is not a good indicator of fire potential, while Mc-Arthur fire risk index determined the high-risk areas very well. Climate is not the source of fire occurred. So Mc-Arthur fire index identifying the potential areas of fire could be remarkably considered in forest fire prevention or damage reduction in Iran.

In order to assess the effect of mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus) on macro (Potassium, Sodium, Phosphor) and micro (Iron and Zinc) nutrients and leaf morphological traits including leaf area, especial area, dry weight and special weight of leaves, the Acer monspessulanum species as the prevalent host of mistletoe in some parts of Vezg forests of Yasouj in Kohgilooyeh and Boyerahmad province was selected. For this purpose, seven trees infected to mistletoe, and a healthy tree near each with similar situation were selected. The leaf sampling was prepared to compare the amount of elements, from mistletoe branches, infected and healthy branches of infected trees and also perfectly healthy trees with similar sampling direction. Results showed higher amount one, Na, K, Fe and Zn nutrients in mistletoe leaves as compared with healthy and infected leaves of infected trees and healthy trees. However content of P in mistletoe leaves was less in healthy and infected leaves of infected trees and healthy trees. The Na content in infected branches of infected trees was higher in healthy branches of infected and healthy trees. The findings revealed that there were not significant differences between morphological traits of healthy and infected leaves of infected trees and healthy trees. The second major finding was that L. europaeus species disturbed the nutrients balance in the host, but could not affect the leaf morphological traits including leaf area, leaf area index, leaf dry weight, and leaf specific weight of the host trees.

The box tree moth, Cydalimaper spectalis (Walker, 1859), is a native pest of Buxus trees in the subtropical regions of East Asia that has been recently introduced in Europe in 2007. Different instar larvae and pre-pupae of box tree moth were collected in July-August 2016 on Buxus hyrcana Pojark. in the Forest of Gilan province. The damage caused on box trees at the locality of research was found to be serious. Cydalima perspectalis larvae feed on leaves and bark of shoots. The late instar larvae have ashiny black head and they are light green with two longitudinal black thick stripes and white dots in between at the lateral part of the body; they also have black dots outlinedin white on the dorsal side of the body. The length of pupae is about 2.0 cm and conceal between the leave and shoots. The adult is easily recognizable based on external morphology. Adult wingspan is about 4.0 cm and the wings are completely brown with white discoidal spot on the forewings. This is the first record of this pest and its damages in Iran on B. hyrcana. It can be expected that the pest will rapidly spread to other parts of Iran, indicting a need for further studies.

During the faunistic survey of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in the soil of European hornbeam trees, Carpinusbetulus L. (Betulaceae) in Garmnab village of Arasbaran forests in northeast of East Azarbaijan province (Iran), in mid-August 2013, the species Pantelozet espaolii (Oudemans, 1913) of the family Oribellidae Kunst 1971 was collected and identified as the first report of family Oribellidae for Iran mite fauna. In this species prodorsum has long narrow, slightly convergent costulae that lamellar setae inserted at the end of them, sensillus pectinate unilaterally with 5-6 distinct barbs and legs are monodactylous. Additionally, a key for all known species of subgenus Pantelozetes (Pantelozetes) Grandjean, 1953 in the world including P. (P.) unitjumenienesis Ermilov, Salavatulin & Tolstikov, 2015, P. (P.) bayartogtokhi Ermilov, Salavatulin & Tolstikov, 2015, P. (P.) berlesei Fujikawa, 1979, P. (P.) tianchanicus Rakhimbajeva, 1995, P. (P.) paolii (Oudemans, 1913) and P. (P.) serratus Wang & Cui, 1996 is presented.