DESERT ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERING JOURNAL
Year:2019 | Volume:8 | Issue:22 |Papers Count:8

Extended Abstract Introduction: Wind erosion is one of the main factors of soil degradation and air pollution. Roughness by creating an obstacle to wind flow, decreases wind speed and consequently reduces the amount of wind erosion, hence its measurement in wind erosion is important. Roughness is one of the most effective factors. In soil erosion by water and wind by accuracy measurement of soil surface roughness, can be used by them as indicators of ecosystem healthMethods for measuring of soil surface roughness using Roughness meter can be classified into two large classes. Contact methods which mechanical devices are directly in contact with the soil. Non-contact methods that the measuring instruments are far away from the soil surface and do not touch with surface of the soil. Pin meter includes a row of pins with equal distances which is placed in a frame that can be placed according to high and low levels of roughness. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: Lacking of the water and low availability of soil moisture are the subject matter of the dry and semi-arid areas of the world, which has caused the brittleness of the living conditions for plants. It is necessary the use of new technologies to solve the problem of water scarcity through storage rainfall methods in arid and semi-arid areas. Due to the variety of storage rainfall methods, the high cost of their implementation and their different performance, it needs to evaluate these methods base on different criteria to find the best and suitable method in dry and semi-arid climates. Since decisions will be faced with multiple criteria that they have a complex relationship in such a situation, decision is difficult to choose the best method. The use of multi-criteria decision-making methods is highly effective to solve this problem. This study was aimed to prioritize rainfall storage methods (flood spreading, pitting, turkey nest, arc basin and contour furrow) in rangelands of Jiroft plain according to ecological, economic, technical and social criteria using multi-criteria decision-making methods. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: Based on human needs, the usage of underground is increasing. By the time of the 12th century, the use of these waters was carried out in traditional ways, but at the beginning of this century, the technique of exploitation is developed which is caused to be water withdrawal and made many problems such as the drying of the Qanats and springs. Because of the importance, the study of these resources has been chosen. The oldest studies in this regard are related to Greek philosophers. AbouiryhanBeiruni and HamdollahMostofi also conducted studies in this regard in Iran, also in this field Nayak (2006), Zang (2009) by Plutp (2011), Jang (2012), Sins (2014), Yang (2012), Zaho (2015) have been studied in recent years. In spite of the fact that nearly one century passes from the usage of underground water through Safi Abad plain, but its underground water has not studied. In this research, it is attempted to identify the factors which are affecting the level of underground water changing in the Safi Abad plain that its results can be used to control and manage its groundwater. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: Groundwater is one of the main sources of drinking water, agriculture and industry. It is worth noting that groundwater is considered as reserve resources in some areas, while in other areas it may be used for supplying potable water due to their availability (Daliakopoulos et al., 2005; Nayak et al., 2006). Groundwater analysis is an essential factor in maintaining its access. Modeling and predicting the groundwater level for environmental protection, maintaining the balance of the groundwater system, controlling changes in groundwater levels and protecting the escalation of land subsidence are important. Groundwater management techniques and solutions, and control measurements by researchers and operators to address the long-term problems of land subsidence and groundwater conservation (Affandi and Watanabe 2007; Mohanty et al., 2015). The main aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of evolutionary neural network models in the monthly groundwater level estimation. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient for optimum plant growth and development. Zn deficiency is a constraint especially in calcareous soils located in arid and semi-arid zones of Iran. It is important to know the distribution of Zn among different chemical forms to understand the chemical reactions of this element in the soil and to develop soil testing procedures. Ziaeian and malakouti (2001) reported that due to different reasons such as high pH and exceed use of phosphorus fertilizers (Sepahvand and forghani, 2011), more than 60 percent of Iran's soils have a zinc deficiency problem, with an average product reduction of about 50 percent. Plant canopies keep a large percentage of plant and animals in itself. The characteristics of soils such as fertility and chemical forms of nutrients can be influenced by plant canopies because canopy with different mechanisms improves the nutritional status of the soil. Higher microbial activities in the soil beneath canopy is due to more rhizosphere leakage than the interspace soil resulted in increasing the organic matter mineralization, nitrogen fixation and solubility of potassium, phosphorus and zinc elements (Meena et al, 2017). ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: Desertification, the process of land degradation in arid semi-arid and sub humid areas, is one of the most complex environmental and socio-economical threatening events. Global desertification has serious implications for biodiversity, environmental safety, poverty eradication, socioeconomic stability and sustainable development around the world. The most suitable method for determining the severity of desertification hazard is the use of empirical models. To evaluate desertification, various studies have been carried out both inside and outside the country, which has led to the provision of many regional models, including ESAs and IMDPA models. In the Jaz_Murian basin, the presence of natural constraints along with the lack of suitable economic and cultural infrastructures has led to excessive utilization of natural resources and has exacerbated secondary problems such as migration and poverty. In addition, in recent years, the Jaz_Murian wetland has been wrecked and the desertification signs are intensifying in the region, so that the studied area has been identified as one of the centers of refuge in Iran. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to use IMDPA and ESAs desertification hazard models to assess the hazard of desertification. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: The occurrence of droughts in a region is closely related to water supply. Since water supply in each region is related to the climatic regime of that area, so the definition of droughts varies according to the conditions of each region. Drought can be attributed to a period of abnormally dry conditions that is sufficiently long to produce an imbalance in the hydrologic state of an area. Monitoring systems play an important role in the management of drought plans. The beginning of droughts is due to the occurrence of the meteorological drought caused by the precipitation shortages. The hydrological droughts are usually more delayed than the meteorological or agricultural droughts. ...

Extended Abstract Introduction: The rapid concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) especially carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered as the main cause of global warming and climate change. Todays, the change and conversion of forest lands and rangelands to agricultural lands has become one of the important concerns in the world in terms of environmental degradation and global climate changes. Land use change causes disturbance of the ecosystem and can influence the carbon stocks and fluxes. Soil organic carbon tends to be decreased when transforming grasslands, forest or other native ecosystems to croplands or agricultural lands. Therefore, the estimation of carbon storage would be useful to evaluate the amount of carbon potentially emitted to the atmosphere due to land use changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the soil quality indices and amount of carbon sequestration in four land uses namely oak forest (natural), pine and cedar (plantations), agriculture, and under tree crown cultivation in oak forests in Chaghasabz forest park in Ilam. ...