ECOPERSIA
Year:2016 | Volume:4 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:7

This study tries to make a distinction between factors affecting adopters and non-adopters of domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) in Golestan Province, Iran. In order to better comprehend the differences, nine dimensions were considered in this study, including (1) social background (including respondents‟ demographics, water sources, issues in accessing water sources, primary awareness of the DRWH systems, information communication channels, and their dwellings characteristics), (2) economic and financial scale (including construction, maintenance, investment rate of return), (3) scale (including law and regulation) (4) social scale (effect of social determiners on person’s decision making), (5) compliance with every day’s needs, (6) past experience, (7) image (importance of adopting DRWH systems on person’s social image and position), (8) providence (person’s outlook of the future), and (9) risk adoption. Results show that the surveyed groups vary remarkably in terms of considered dimensions. It seems that lack of experience and observation are the underlying reason of low adoption rate in this area.

The performance of the SWAT2012 model for estimation of hydrological budget in Gharasou watershed, west of Iran, during 1995 to 2005 was assessed. Digital Elevation Model, hydro-climatological data, soil and land use maps with their properties relevant to the watershed were considered to fulfill the model. A branch program in SWAT-CUP software (SUFI2) program implemented to simulate and validate the model. Both coefficients of determination (R2) and Nash- Sutcliffe coefficient exploited reliable analysis for simulation of the model from 0.37 to 0.87 and 0.39 to 0.73, respectively. Results showed that evapotranspiration was the main source of waste water (49.3%) in the study area. Surface runoff, subsurface flow, groundwater flow, and variation of soil moisture are 14.8, 0.8, 29.9 and 5.2 percent during the study period, respectively. The monthly proportions of different water pathways of input to the river flow take place from intense storms and snow melt during April to the end of May. This study has produced a technique with reliable data base for water budget in Gharasou catchment, which could be successfully developed to manage water resources by many government agencies.

The effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and physiological characteristics of seedlings Corylus avellana were determined in a forest nursery. For this purpose, in a completely randomized design (CRD) and four replicates, three putative bacteria, including Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter cloacae, as alone and mixed, were examined. The greatest height (26.88 cm), collar diameter (7.11 mm), leaf area (23.87 cm2) net photosynthesis (17.23μmol CO2 m-2s-1), transpiration rate (3.22 mmol H2O m-2s-1 (, stomatal conductance (0.189 mol CO2 m-2s-1), water use efficiency (5.33 μmol CO2 mmol-1 H2O) and chlorophyll content (26.16 SPAD) allocated to seedlings inoculated with a combination of three bacteria. The greatest root dry weight (3.98 g), root volume (10.87 cm3), total plant dry weight (9.91g) was detected in seedlings inoculated with P. putida. In total, for the beneficial effects of PGPR on growth and physiological traits of C. avellana seedlings, all three bacteria either as individual or as mixed were found suitable for seedling inoculation. In fact, it is affirmed that inoculation of root with PGPR can be a proper approach to produce healthy and strong seedlings in nursery.

Carbon sequestration in soil, leaf and litter of three tree species, viz. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Prosopis juliflora and Ziziphus spina-christi, plantation was investigated in the Dehloran city, Iran. Results showed that the amount of sequestered C in leaf, litter and soil was significantly different among these species. The highest amount of sequestrated C was in leaf and the lowest amount in the soil. The results of this study would be useful for selection of appropriate species to develop green space and forest parks. Forest plantation of these areas would capture significant amounts of atmospheric C, and would be expected to contribute to soil quality and conservation.

In a completely randomized design, the effect of the extract from Trifolium alexandrium (0, 0.2 and 0.4%) on the germination, some morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, and nutrients uptake of Prosopis cineraria was evaluated. The highest germination rate and percentage (9.16 and 21%, respectively) were recorded in the 0.2% treatment. The maximum and minimum lengths of radicle (6.58 and 3.16 cm) and pedicel (6.56 and 14.23 cm), and dry weight were recorded in the control and 0.4% treatments, respectively. The highest level of chlorophyll a (16.80 mg g-1 fresh weight) was found in the control. The highest and lowest chlorophyll b (9.65 and 7.96 mg g-1 fresh weight) were measured in the 0.2%and control, respectively. The extract adversely affected the nutrient uptake by P. cineraria, the minimum and maximum of which were recorded at the 0.4%and control treatments, respectively. In general, although the extract of T. alexandrium increased the P. cineraria germination in the 0.2% treatment, the increased concentrations led to its reduced growth and nutrient uptake. Therefore, the simultaneous cultivation of these two species in the dry lands is not recommended.

Directional felling of trees plays a key role in reducing of damages to forest residual trees and can also facilitate skidding. The aim of this study was to present a practical linear model for estimation of tree falling direction error in an uneven-aged mixed stand in northern forests of Iran. To conduct the study a number of 95 trees of four species Fagus orientalis lipsky, Carpinus betulus L., Alnus subcordata and Acer platanoides were randomly selected, and assumed felling direction were marked on the trunk of these trees. The trees were felled by experienced chainsaw operators, and the differences between the assumed and actual direction were measured as the felling error. The results showed that among the 12 effective factors, the elements of foot slope, diameter at the breast height (DBH), horizontal and vertical angles and area of the backcut surface (HABS, VABS, BA), vertical angle and area of undercut surface (VAUS, UA) were significantly correlated with the felling error; the determination coefficient (R2) of the presented linear model was 52.0 % (P<0.01). Among the model factors, DBH, VABS, and HABS had the three most pronounced impacts on felling error.

MeHg and total mercury concentrations were determined in the muscle tissues of four fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Rutilus frisii, Carassius auratus and Esox lucius) from Anzali wetland (Guilan, Iran). Fish with the highest amount of MeHg was selected to determine the thermodynamic parameters of MeHg extraction. The extractions process was performed in the range of temperatures 331.15 to 367.15 K and at atmospheric pressure. Results show the extraction of MeHg from SH groups of sulfhydryl proteins was an endothermic process with a positive value for entropy and Gibbs free energy changes at the room temperature. Significant difference was found between MeHg content at T=367.15 K and other temperatures. Correlation coefficients results showed that the mercury concentration in muscle tissue was significantly related to the length and weight of fish (p≤0.01). Also, thermodynamic parameters of methylmercury extractions had significant correlation (p≤0.05) with length and weight of the six fish specimen.