Journal of Environmental Studies
Year:2015 | Volume:40 | Issue:4|Papers Count:24

Introduction: Persian Gulf is one of the most important water pathways in the world that has been heavily developed for crude oil production, transportation and exportation. It is well established that such activities result in contamination of the marine environment by petroleum and petroleum productions. The Persian Gulf represents a highly stressful environment due to prevailing natural conditions and development pressures along its coastline. It has approximately two-thirds of the worlds proven oil reserves and currently account for approximately one-fourth of the world oil production. The Persian Gulf is greatly intensified by oil spills and accidental discharges of various magnitudes have been reported in the region.

Introduction: Frost is one of the most hazardous natural phenomena which it is at times accompanied by abundant damages in the life and properties. Freezing and frost are very important for agricultural products in different stages of the growth. This is because, in case of happening, it results in the reduction of the products. Frost is the stage of water freezing. In such condition, when the air temperature decreases to dew point, ice cover is formed over the surface. Mojarrad Gharehbagh in addition to presenting a new definition of frost, he analyzed and extracted the frost characteristics based on 16 indices systematically. Mirmousavi and Hosseinbabaei studied the temporal-spatial distributions of the frost occurrence probability in Zanjan province. They found that, on average, the first frost events of the region are occurred in autumn season from 19th of September to 15th of November, and generally the frosts events are ended from 9th of April to 20th of May.

Introduction: Due to the proximity to the sea, beaches always attracted tourists. On the other hand the coastal ecosystems are the most important and sensitive dual nature (land, naval), and variety of animal species are within themselves.The most important (and also longest) coastal area in Iran are Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in south with about 2530km long and Caspian Sea in north with about 922km long. Coastal pollution in developing country cause various difficulties for these sensitive ecosystem. For example In Mahashtera Seashore especially in its Mangrove forests different kind of municipal and industrial waste scattered and large area is covered by plastic bags.

Introduction: Reducing and optimizing energy consumption and consequently environmental pollution reductions, besides improving building performance providing occupants comfort conditions, make the building's concept closer to the concept of green building and sustainability. Once the decision to build green has been made, one of the first steps in the green design process is to establish firm environmental goals for the project.

Introduction: According to the shortage of water resources in the world, it seems necessary the use of refined water, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas such as Iran. The correct treatment, management and the control of refining process needs to investigate effective parameters in this process precisely. Therefore, because of the uncertainty and complexity in refining qualitative parameters and their relationship, artificial intelligence such as a fuzzy model (FL) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used in this study for modeling the behavior of Tabriz plant wastewater treatment.

Introduction: Coastal towns have specific positions due to the possible utilization of sea and attraction tourists. Finding useful methods of sewage disposal at lower costs and higher efficiency and also expandable in terms of the capacity of coastal towns is very important. Releasing residential sewage of Chalous city into the Caspian Sea makes marine environment a source of raw wastewater and the receiving water body affected by entering these contaminants.

Introduction: When there is no determined value for water (as a public asset) by its trustees and beneficiaries and its allocation method is more dependent on the requirements of water consumers than comparing water affairs benefits with its real value, decision making on which interested group, when and to what extent can use water is a game. This study is aimed to determine sustainable policies for water allocation to interested groups such that high quality sufficient water is available to survive water bodies and economic purposes of interested groups are satisfied by sustainability agreement with the environment. For this, the environment is recognized as an independent water user in optimization model and as an independent player in the game theory. Thereby, Zayandehrud basin has been studied as a case study.

Introduction: With the rapid development of industries such as metal plating facilities, mining, fertilizer producing industries, tanneries and paper industries heavy metals enriched wastewaters are directly or indirectly discharged into the environment. Zinc is a trace element that is essential for human health. It is important for the physiological functions of living tissues and regulates many biochemical processes. However, too much zinc can cause eminent health problems, such as stomach cramps, skin irritations, vomiting, nausea and anemia. It is present in effluents from various industries such as galvanization and metal-plating facilities, manufacture of batteries and other metallurgical industries.

Introduction: Environmental pollution specially sea pollution is one of the complex and minatory problems‚ human faced with these days. Many of human activities have irrecoverable outcomes and effects on marine environment in a way that destruction of marine zones becomes a threat.Sea was one of the important sources with special advantages for mankind in all the times and still is, so protect of its environment and animal live in it has a significant role in mankind process of life.

Introduction: Wetlands are classified into four kinds of flows as subsurface, surface, vertical, and hybrid flows. Usually, wetlands are planted with common reed (Phragmites Australis), a rhizomatose plant of the Graminae which produces a good yield in green biomass and whose roots can reach a considerable depth and plays a significant role in the wetland self-purification. The treatment efficiency of these systems mainly depends on the wetland design, hydraulic loading rate (HLR), and type of contaminant, microbial interactions and the climatic factors. For best treatment efficiency these systems require a low hydraulic loading rate and a long hydraulic retention time. The hydraulic retention time, including the length of time the water is in contact with the plant roots, affects the extent to which the plant plays a significant role in the removal or breakdown of pollutants. Whereas plants significantly affect the removal of pollutants in horizontal subsurface systems with long hydraulic retention times used to clean municipal wastewater, their role is minor in pollutant removal in periodically loaded vertical filters, which usually have short hydraulic retention times. With respect to the necessity of the research and above descriptions, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of reed and the increasing hydraulic retention time from 1 day to 10 days on lead removal efficiency in horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland to reduce the negative impact generated by lead in the environment.

Introduction: Climate change happens due to abnormal changes of climate within the earth’s atmosphere and their consequences. One of the most significant effects of climate change is the irreversible damage to some floral species and forest ecosystems. Tree species reflect the impact of climate changes on their ring width. Generally, tree rings vary in size each year depending upon the environmental conditions or climate variables that the tree experiences. In fact, tree rings are severely dependent on the changes of climate variables. It is considered a basis for “dendrochronology” which is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree rings or investigation of climate variables effects on tree ring width. Many national and international studies have been conducted on dendrochronology. However, the national researches investigated the effects of temperature and rainfall changes on radial growth of trees. Unfortunately, due to lack of long-term solar radiation data in the most of meteorological stations in Iran, the effect of this parameter on the radial growth of trees has not been studied so far. Meanwhile the solar radiation has a significant effect on the width of tree rings-especially in tolerant shaded species like oak. One of the most important species of trees in Iran is the Oak tree (Quercus castaneifolia), due to its being spread in different areas of the country and its high economic and environmental value. Unfortunately, in recent years, because of climate changes and droughts, and also overcutting of Quercus castaneifolia for wood and live-stokes food supply, this precious species has been subjected to serious threats. In this regard, the role of climate in addition to improper management is significant. To protect Quercus castaneifolia, the first and most important step is the scientific planning of forest management, through knowing the effective parameters of climate change on the growth and physiology of the trees. Therefore, implementation of more research on the oak species and utilizing the results is essential for their protection.

Introduction: Dust storms, one type of dust event, are in most cases the result of turbulent winds, including convective haboobs, which raise large quantities of dust from desert surfaces and reduce visibility to less than 1 km. This dust reaches concentrations in excess of 6000 mg m3 in severe events. The major dust source regions are areas of arid and hyper-arid, with mean annual rainfalls of less than 100 mm.The temporal and spatial investigation of dust storms shows the interference of various factors in their occurrence and expansion. These factors is divided into two groups; environmental and human parameters. The climatic (such as low rainfalls, high evaporation, intense wind, drought and atmospheric general circulation) and geological (for example lithology such as Quarts, Clay, Silicate and feldspar) factors are natural parameters, and factors such as over grassing and crop production, wastage of vegetation, increasing growth of population, battle and political problems are human parameters.

Introduction: Determining the importance of environmental impacts is one of the main issues and concerns in the process of environmental impact assessment (EIA) of projects. Ecological impacts assessment is very complicated and requires estimates and anticipates of all environmental impacts and thus always associated with uncertainty. A major problem in assessment of ecological impacts is that they cannot be formulated in one algorithm, because the vital elements and their interactions cannot be identified completely unambiguous (Crisp). On the other hand the spatial heterogeneity of ecological systems and the complexity of decision making have made the impact assessment more difficult. Therefore, the concept of environmental impacts is often ambiguous. The main problem is that EIA models are incapable of managing qualitative data. Fuzzy inference will avoid these difficulties. Fuzzy logic brings a method for a broad range of objective data, quantitative data, opinions and subjective judgments to a natural language to describe the environmental impacts. Fuzzy logic is an especial, powerful technique for classifying and describing the environmental conditions, with both natural and human origin. Fuzzy logic has the ability to quantify and classify the environmental impacts with subjective nature. The main objective of Fuzzy inference method for EIA is to calculate the significance of effects based on fuzzy logic. In this study, fuzzy logic used to determine and rank the significance of impacts, as a method to assess qualitative data. Thus the performance of fuzzy logic inference method in comparison with mathematical matrix method is discussed.

Introduction: Today, human society is faces to the tremendous challenge such as the environmental problems, so if the same process continues and serious efforts not pay to resolve this crisis, it will turn into a disaster. Although NGOs have a long history but unfortunately have not found a suitable place in the area of environment and natural resources yet and always there is one concern: what factors attract people to participate in environmental activities effectively.

Introduction: In general and based on a simple division, the e-wastes can be considered as a subset of municipal solid waste which combines homemade, administrative, commercial and industrial wastes. Therefore, the electronic wastes have become one of the most important issues for global community. Because of much increasing of these wastes, collection and recycling of them are necessary. In economic terms, electronic waste recycling has high potential and today recycling of such material is considered as a profitable business for many credible firms such as Bodian in Sweden, Vias in Norway and Catriana in England.

Introduction: Development of natural resources and mining activities are prerequisite for economic and industrial growth in many countries. In many cases, such mining areas lie within residential or agricultural lands or natural habitats intensifying the contradiction between land use and environmental protection.Different components of mining activities including exploration, extraction and processing impose extensive physical, chemical and biological changes on the environment due to nature and characteristics of the activities.

Introduction: So far, many evaluation methodologies for assessing urban plans have been introduced, but comprehensive and systematic evaluation methodologies up to now have received little attention. In recent years the Plan - Process - Results (PPR) approach as a comprehensive and systematic evaluation methodology based on the Policy- Plan/Programme-Implementation-Process (PPIP) methodology has been used in the assessment of urban plans. The PPIP model criteria - conformity, rational process, optimality ex-ante, optimality ex-post and utilization-in planning the subsequent questions of policy, plan or programme, or the planning process under study and its results are considered. Despite the influence of PPIP model in the planning literature, from the early 1990s to the best of our knowledge PPIP has not been used in real case studies, or not reported but PPR methodology since the two cities, Lisbon and Porto are applied.

Introduction: Water shortage is a crucial challenge that threatens future of landscape development in Iran. Naturally it intensifies by climate change that will be led to water stress of ecosystems. The water stress have confronted universities campus landscape with serious challenges especially those that located in arid and semi-arid areas such as center of Iran. Malayer University has had serious challenges due to water shortage in green space development in spite of fast growth. Local adaptation and mitigation actions have a high priority in dry context.

Introduction: Using greenways could be one of the ways which fulfill the improvement of urban streets. Greenways, as they are known, improve the pedestrianism and related qualities like climatic comfort, visual complexity and desirable serial visions. The objective of this research is to evaluate the capacity of Madies [1] network in Isfahan to function as greenway. This research aims to assess in what extent they can play as main part of a vast green network. Madies are several streams divided directly from Zayandeh-Rood River. They constitute the main part of the historic-natural structureof Isfahan. There are about 250 km of these manmade streams which are perfectly planned, designed and constructed according to the topographic characteristic of the plain of Isfahan. Originally, Madies were created to irrigate the farmlands surrounding the river in the plain of Isfahan since the Safavide period. Today their role is completely changed; in one hand due to the drought of Zayandeh-Rood River (source of water in Madies) and expansion of city and land use transformation from agricultural to different urban land uses in the other hand. By the way, today Madies could play a vital role in improvement of environmental qualities despite their changing role. They are fundamental elements of urban structure in the city and reinforce the organic and natural aspects of urban planning and design as basic parts of greenway characteristics. Therefore they could be considered as main structure of green network in the city of Isfahan. As it is known, greenways enhance quality environment, aesthetic, recreation, education, relaxation, and preservation of habitation. Greenways can help the protection of ecological continuity. They are managed, planned and designed for several functions such as environmental, recreational, cultural, aesthetic and other purposes. So we can extract greenway characteristic from existing definitions such as their linear form, organic design, social inclusiveness and their perfect adaption to the urban environment. Madies can play a central role as part of a structure which is greenway network. To do this, it is necessary to know in what extend they are apt to this function. This paper tried to define what the strengths are and weakness of Madies to fulfill the task of being greenways.

Introduction: Iranian traditional cities represent a real symbol of stability and health. These conditions indicate that such urban planning design and program have been done thoughtfully and wisely. In these cities, the natural resources are used with minimal damage to existing endowments, and the highest efficiency is provided. But it often destroyed due to some people's ignorance and legal rules. For this reason, identifying and describing the position of such infrastructure and spaces can affect their conservation and sustainability. So that, this paper is to discuss one of these spaces-the garden Akbarieh of Birjand - and identify its location in this desert town. It is considered internationally as one of the nine important Iranian gardens. For this reason, this study is set out to provide and identify new information for people who are interested in the case. As the matter of fact, lack of winter and summer rain fall increasingly reduced green space and natural green area. It concerned the public greatly. In addition, the politician traffic had increased after Birjand were regarded as gate of East and Indian. Some countries such as English government established a political office in Birjand. This traffic make the political representative try to consult with local authorities before central government conservation. Such meetings and traffics required particular situations. So, the proper condition designed and constructed regarding to natural and social condition in a different eras. Various reasons caused the garden remains ordinary or destroyed over time. Undoubtedly, remained cases have a particular condition. Introducing these attractions could improve their maintenance and it encourages some creative people to build such gardens.