Journal of Natural Environment
Year:2020 | Volume:73 | Issue:3|Papers Count:15

Anguran-Zanjan lead and zinc mine is the largest producer of lead and zinc in Iran and the Middle East. The volume of tailings produced by this mine is very large, which unfortunately is accumulated in different parts of Zanjan province without any protection operations. These tailings contain a variety of heavy metals, especially cadmium, whose disposal or spread into the environment can have very hazardous effects on soil and water resources. The present study investigates the concentration, distribution, leaching behavior and release of cadmium from Zn-Pb mine tailings (S1 and S2). In order to investigate the distribution of cadmium among different tailings components sequential extraction method and to classify the tailings in terms of environmental risk level, leaching protocols include toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP), field leach test (FLT) and leaching extraction procedure (LEP) was used. The effect of contact time, particle size, liquid to solid ratio and pH on cadmium release from tailings was also studied. The results showed that the cadmium release was the same in different particle size ranges and with the increase in leaching time, the release of cadmium almost reaches a constant value. It was also found that the cadmium release behavior was cationic and solubility controls the concentration of cadmium in the leaching solution. Both tailings were classified as highly hazardous residues based on the mobility index. The results of the TCLP test also show that tailings are one of the substances that should be protected by very good management practices because they have a high potential for contaminating the soil and water resources.

Due to the various uses, sugar beet is of economic and commercial importance in today's world. Regarding that this crop is the raw material of sugar factories, the government has recently paid a particular attention to its production. The main aim of this study was to specify environmental convergence of production factors among sugar beet growers in the country during the 2013-2017 years. The required data retrieved from the statistical reports of Ministry of Agriculture Jihad and then were analyzed using GAMZ2. 1 and Ewiews9 software. For this purpose, the standard technical efficiency and the environmental technical efficiency of the sugar beet factors were first calculated using the data envelop analysis model of the window data under the conditions of variable return to scale. Consequently, the environmental convergent of sugar beet production factors was examined through the Dickie Fuller test. The findings showed that the average standard technical efficiency and environmental efficiency were 0. 76 and 0. 67, respectively. With regard to the average level of technical efficiency of the environment, it can be concluded that there is an environmental inefficiency in these provinces. Based on these results and further investigation of upon the efficiency and transferring these results to the provincial farms using agricultural extension and education system and supportive polices, the technical efficiency of the environment in production of this strategic crop can be increased. Environmental convergence tests showed that environmental convergence of production factors exists in the all studied provinces. It means that all sugar beet growers have a tendency to increase the technical and environmental efficiency of production factors. Given the issue of environmental pollution in the present century, this conclusion is very promising for future generations in terms of protection of the environment. Promoting and disseminating new technologies including pressurized irrigation systems and minimizing the application of pesticides and chemical fertilizers are among the policy solutions to increase the technical efficiency of the environment in the provinces dealing with the issue of environmental efficiency.

Sustainable rural development is based on the long-term behavior of the rurals to ensure future sustainability and productivity of land and resources and focuses on food security, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental protection. Therefore, in providing a model of environmentally friendly rural development and environment should provide the basis for sustainable agricultural development of rurals. The main purpose of this study was to investigate and explain the model of rural environmental sustainability development in rural areas of Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province. The research was applied and its statistical population consisted of 130 assistants in 130 villages of 16 villages from 6 cities of Chaharmahal Bakhtiari province. The sample size was 130 people based on Cochran formula and sampling was done by proportional stratified random sampling. The research tool was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by the opinion of a group of rural sustainable development experts and faculty members of University of Tehran and Tabriz. Also diagnostic validity using the index mean of variance was extracted and the reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by using Cronbach's alpha and combined reliability. To explain the model of environmental sustainability development of the method Confirmatory Factor analysis was used with LISREL 8. 80 software. In the ranking of structures related to the dimensions of sustainable development Rural environment in second-order factor analysis model, "Natural Resources and Ecosystem Managemen", "Energy Management", "Biodiversity Management", "Integrated Pest Management", "Water Management" and "Soil Management" have the most role in factor structure and the most valid type second factors on the first factor are natural resource management and ecosystems with a load factor of 0. 93.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount of carbon dioxide and methane emissions to the atmosphere in two seasons, autumn and spring. The study area is located in some parts of Behbahan city in the southeast of Khuzestan province. The area comprised agricultural, rangeland and palm tree land uses. In agricultural land use, the majority of the area is cultivated by wheat, rapeseed, bean and alfalfa crops. Hence, the locations of the gas sampling points were selected in a way that includes all land uses with major crops in the area. The closed Static Chamber (CSC) was used for collecting and harvesting gas samples. Accordingly, an experiment based on randomized complete block design with 2 replications was run in SAS v 9. 2. To compare the averages, the Duncan test was used. The results showed that the averages of carbon dioxide and methane emissions were significantly (p < 0. 05) different among land uses. The highest amounts of carbon emissions occurred in agricultural land uses. The alfalfa cultivation with an average of 1. 09 g carbon / m2 per day and bean with an average of 0. 5 g carbon/m2 per day had the highest and the lowest rate of gas emission, respectively. Lands with palm tree cultivations (0. 54 g/m2/day) and rangelands with an emission rate of 0. 33 (g/m2/day) placed in the next orders. The results also showed that carbon dioxide emissions were higher in spring than in autumn but methane emissions are higher in autumn than in spring. There was no significant correlation between soil properties and carbon emission levels except sand percentages. The overall results showed that the effect of season and land use on carbon gas emissions is more than soil properties.

Sustainability as a turning point in the reciprocal and harmonious relationship between society and nature has made the environment as a third dimension to play the role, alongside with economics and society. One of the important problems for scientists at present is to identify the suitable indicators to make decisions and to study the relationships and interactions between society and nature. Material and Energy Flow Accounting (MEFA) based on socioeconomic metabolism approach provides an important analytical framework for the interaction of society and nature. This research aimed on evaluating the human disturbance using Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production (HANPP) and its methodology as well as the effect of landscape structure on energy flows which effects landscape function. HANPP as one of the MEFA indicators has gotten more attention of various researchers due to its function on a variety of global to local scales. The results of this study showed that Qazvin province has 90. 658 million GJ Net Primary Production potential (NPP0) and from this potential, the real production is only 34. 552 million GJ NPPact. As a matter of fact, only 9. 446 million GJ remain in nature as NPPuh to meet the biodiversity needs from NPPact in Qazvin province, and the rest are harvested by humans and entered in the social system as NPPh. As a result, just 10. 42% of Qazvin's potential net primary production is spent on biodiversity and the rest is either destroyed or consumed by humans. The results of this study can be used to gain a systematic insight into landscape and socio-ecological system analysis in order to preserve biodiversity needs, along with human needs.

The Balouchi Black bear as an endangered subspecies, has a limited distribution in Iran, including the provinces of Kerman, Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan. In this study, multi-criteria evaluation method was used to model the suitability of the land as a habitat of the black bear. For this purpose, by literature reviewing and experts’ knowledge, the most important criteria for evaluating the suitability of the land as black bear habitat were identified, were standardized by fuzzy and Boolean methods and criteria weights were determined using the hierarchical analysis process (AHP) method. The highest weight is related to slope criterion. Criteria and constraints maps were prepared by satellite image interpretation and available data. Results have shown 0-20% vegetation cover crown with 6945673 ha has the highest portion in study area. The study criteria and constraints were overlaid using the Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) method and the land suitability model was produced for the Balouchi black bear. In habitat suitability map, 261615 ha were identified with very high habitat suitability for black bear. Field studies and overlaying areas with the highest habitat suitability on the suitability maps of the used criteria, show that these areas mostly include mountainous areas with wild date (Daz) and farm land date. The results of this study with producing 81% total accuracy show the capability of multi-criteria evaluation methods by producing suitability maps with considering the importance of habitat evaluation criteria in modeling the suitability black bear habitat and the possibility of trade-off the criteria which causes criteria with more importance, support lower importance criteria.

Soil pollution and accumulation of heavy metals is one of the most important environmental issues threatening plants, animals and humans being. The aim of this research is to study the sorption of heavy metals of copper, lead, nickel and cadmium by soil clay particles around Ilam cement factory. This research was carried out based on the topographic maps, field examinations and satellite images of the Earth, and 5 soil profiles were drilled in the agricultural land, forest and pasture. Soil samples were taken from the surface and subsurface horizons of the profiles, as well as from the factory's output dust in different months, and the amount of heavy metals was measured by the atomic absorption spectroscopy. Clay mineralogy was studies using x-ray diffraction method (XRD). In order to separate the clay particles standard sieve series was applied. The sorption of metals by the clay samples was performed using a mixed solution of multi metals in three replicates (21 samples), and 7 different concentrations of nitrate salts of copper, lead, cadmium, and nickel. The results showed that vermiculite, illite, kaolinite and chlorite were formed in fine clay minerals and kaolinite, illite and chlorite in coarse clay minerals. The amount of heavy metals in the soil samples around the factory, as well as in the factory's output dust, was less than the global standard, so it can be said that the Ilam Cement Factory did not have a significant impact on the pollution of the region. Competitive adsorption results showed that in all concentrations the sorption of copper metal by the clay particles was high, but nickel was low, Meanwhile, in higher concentrations (80 and 100 mg/l) sorption of cadmium and lead showed a sharp decrease. Generally the results revealed that, the amount of metal sorption is reduced as follows: Cu> Pb> Cd> Ni.

The aim of this research is to assess and compare the sustainability of agricultural products at the regional level in Gorgan County. In this study to assess agricultural sustainability, data are collected by using face to face questionnaires (110) and Gorgan agriculture-jahad management. Also, for weighting the criteria and sub-criteria determining sustainability were used views of the specialist in agricultural economics, agricultural extension and education, environment and agronomy. The weight of sustainability criteria (economic, social and environment) based on specialist views were considered 0. 35, 0. 25 and 0. 4 respectively. The results indicated that potato with a score of 0. 276 is the most sustainable crop. In addition, wheat, rice and irrigated soybean respectively with the scores of 0. 249, 0. 245, and 0. 23 are in the next priorities. Also, according to the social indicator, rice with a score of 0. 266, according to the environmental indicator, irrigated wheat with a score of 0. 421 and according to economic indicator; potato with a score of 0. 412 had the highest sustainability level. Generally, economic sustainability was lower than social and environmental sustainability in the agronomy sector in Gorgan County. Based on the performance sensitivity analysis of sustainability by changing the weights of the environmental criteria over 0. 46, the sustainability level of irrigated wheat will increase. Regarding research results to increase the sustainability level suggest the selection species with higher yield and the biologic strategies for pest management.

In the development of a country, natural resources and the environment are of great importance. Given the fact that Iran is one of the developing countries, and in terms of semi-desert vegetation, for sustainable development, we must pay special attention to the issue of the environment, including desert and desertification. Wilderness monitoring and desertification require extensive and continuous studies. Remote sensing technology can play a significant role in our studies due to the high regional use of satellite imagery along with temporal resolution and less cost, and time consuming than field study. In this thesis, satellite images of Landsat-7, ETM + and Landsat-8, OLI with time series were used in two time intervals of 15 years between 2002 and 2017. For each series, four images were taken with one month interval from each other, Of the months May, Jun, Julay and August from Qazvin plain area. After performing preprocessing on images, images were classified into four classes desert, vegetation, wet soil and otherobjedcts based on the spectral features and performing object based image analysis. After determining the classes for each of the four images per one year, classifier fusion was done based on the voting method. A final image was obtained from all four images in each year. Finally, detection of the changes between the two final classification results of 2002 and 2017 was performed, and the change map generated for desertification in the study area during these 15 years. Which reflects the desertification and rising deserts and the destruction of vegetation and soil moisture significant during these years in this plain.

Mining has an impact on changing the landscape, soil quality and water resources. Hence, assessing environmental impacts on ecological, economic and social sections of mineral projects and other developmental plans will help to identify, predict and mitigate the consequences of such operations. Cain's Cement Plant supplies primary raw materials for the production of cement from two mining and quarrying mines. After recognizing the different phases of the project, four physical-chemical, biological-ecological, socio-cultural, and economic-technical environments were identified. The evaluation and analysis of these effects was carried out using RIAM software and Rapid Assessment Matrix (RIAM) in the exploitation phase. The highest negative impact of the soil mine mining project was-81(Related to the parameters of the biological-ecological environment) and the highest positive effect was 36+ (In the Sociological-cultural environment of the soil mine), with the highest negative points related to the parameters of the biological and ecological environment of the soil mine. Also, in the Stone mining, the most negative points with-54 were physical chemical parameters and the highest positive scores with 36+ were related to economic parameters. The results indicate a multitude of negative effects in these mines, with the necessary corrections such as the use of environmental improvement methods, the development and creation of green areas and trees around the mines as green belts and the soil stabilization of the studied areas are reduced.

Forests are often the only freely accessible natural areas near cities to spend some leisure time, but uncontrolled recreational activities can disturb forest ecosystem. The objective of present study isevaluation the effects of recreational activities on some soil physical properties in fandoghlou forest including mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, particle density (Dp), bulk density (Db), total porosity (n), percent of sand, silt, clay, saturation moisture, field capacity moisture (FC), permanent wilting point moisture (PWP), available water capacity (AWC) and organic carbon (OC). The experiment was conducted with randomized completely design at 3 treatmentsincluding no recreational use, middle recreational use and high recreational use) with 30 replications. Soil sampling conducted along transects. The result showed that increase of recreational activities significantly (P <0. 01) increased organic carbon 4. 2 and 6. 77 percent, MWD of aggregate 9. 3 and 30 percent, clay 121 and 153 percent, bulk density 3. 09 and 23 percent, particle density 0. 45 and 6. 39 percent, permanent wilting point moisture 41. 47 and 62. 45 percent and decreased sand 11. 2 and 14. 39 percent, field capacity moisture 7. 11 and 18. 1 and available water capacity 39. 45 and 71. 75, respectively in middle and high recreational areas rather than no recreational area. Effect of recreational activities on total porosity, silt and saturation moisture was not significant. According to the results of present study, recreational activities by increasing bulk density causedincreasing of soil compaction, decreasing of soil physical quality and ability of soil to surviving plant.

Continuous quality monitoring of water resources are important tools to manage and protect these valuable resources. Kurdistan province is one of the most important provinces in Iran in terms of surface and underground waters, and the Garan reservoir (Marivan) has important rules in drinking water supply, agricultural and industrial activities. For this purpose, 9 water physicochemical and microbial characteristics were studied to determine water quality using NSFWQI index at four sites of Garan reservoir from July 2017 to August 2018. Results showed that the average temperature of water was 11. 13 ± 6. 7 ° C and the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentration was 8. 44 and 3. 87 mg/l for surface and deep layers respectively. Also the annual mean value of Nitrate, Phosphate, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Total Solids (TS) and pH were 0. 66, 0. 052, 1. 32, 156. 91 mg/l and 7. 99 respectively. The mean of fecal coliform was 20. 15 MPN so that the minimum of value was seen in October (0. 25 MPN) and maximum of value was observed in March (208 MPN). As well as Lake Water had good quality according to NSFWQI index value (70. 72). In general, although temporal and spatial variations were observed in some of the measured parameters, but based on the results of the physico-chemical characteristics and NSFWQI index, the Garan reservoir is categorized in having middle to good levels therefore, it was evaluated as desirable for agricultural, industrial activities and even drinking water after regular treatment.

Quantification of plant tolerance to air pollution (APTI) besides other criteria can be helpful in order to reduce air pollution and developing green space. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of smoke from gasoline combustion in engine on some physiological and biochemical characteristics, especially the Air Pollution Tolerance Index of three species of houseplants. This laboratory study was performed in a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design in two control and treatment groups. At first, houseplant plants of Scheffleraarboricola, Euphorbia pulcherrima and Dieffenbachia amoena were exposed to pollution due to motor fuels. Then, by measuring two physiological factors of relative water content and the PH of leaf extract, as well as the two biochemical factors of total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid, APTI values were determined in control and treatment plants. In addition to these factors, two parameters of proline and soluble sugar were measured to evaluate the physiological responses of plants. Results showed that among the studied species the highest acidity and relative water content were found in Dieffenbachia amoena and the highest proline, ascorbic acid and APTI were measured in Euphorbia pulcherrima. There was also no significant difference in the amount of soluble sugar and chlorophyll among the three species. The degree of APTI in Scheffleraarboricola, Euphorbia pulcherrima and Dieffenbachia amoena were respectively measured as 10. 37, 15. 63 and 10. 55. The amount of APTI value in treated plant of Dieffenbachia amoena was lower than the control plants. Also, the amount of proline and relative water content in treated plants of Scheffleraarboricola was lower than the control plants. Since Euphorbia pulcherrima plant had the highest air pollution index compared to the other two plants of Scheffleraarboricola and Dieffenbachia amoena in the exposure to the smoke due to gasoline fuel combustion in engine, the development of green space in apartments with Euphorbia pulcherrima plant compared to the other two plant species has more priority.

Goitered gazelle is one of the mammals of Iran that its population has declined as a result of several threats such as habitat destruction. The reduction of gazelle populations has happened around the country including, Khorasan Razavi province, in which gazelle populations significantly reduced and the species has been extinct in some regions. In this study, a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches including SWOT, AHP and QSPM were used to investigate the most important internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (threats and opportunities) factors and to present the best management strategies to improve the status of the species. Results showed that high biodiversity, presence of key species and people`s respect to gazelles were the most important strengths, and drought and water shortages, and the lack of appropriate management and conservation programs were the most important weaknesses. The most important opportunities were zoning of protected areas and using their potentials, livestock management on rangelands and creating hunting areas for locals and economic profitability. Illegal hunting, illegal grazing and habitat destruction were the major threats. Overall SWOT in these protected areas revealed a mini-mini strategy (WT) with a final value of 0. 438. According to the definition of this pattern, conservation strategies should be adopted in which minimize weaknesses and threats. Thus, short and long term plans should be prepared to reduce the threats for this species in Khorasan Razavi Province. Developing management plans in cooperation with relevant agencies and the department of environment to deal with prolonged drought and water shortages in protected areas and providing equipments and facilities for wildlife protection was identified as the best conservation strategy.

With increasing population growth, the need for food has increased, resulting in increased agricultural production needs. To produce more, there are three important sources of soil, water and fertilizer, the unskilled use of chemical fertilizers by farmers leads to damage to the soil and to water and, consequently, to human health. Over the last few decades, attention has grown to the environment, and hence the preservation of natural resources, including water and land, has become more important. Of the most widely used fertilizers, nitrate fertilizers (urea) and phosphate fertilizers are introduced into the environment after the use of additional amounts through agricultural drainage, which has led to phenomena such as nutrition, as well as dangerous diseases such as cancer. Filtration of these elements requires high costs. But a new method in drainage science is being studied and studied, which, along with controlled drainage, can solve many of these problems. This method uses bioreactors that have a natural background and can provide a good environment for the activity of the biologists. Regarding the costs and availability of wheat in all parts of Iran, wheat straw were selected as a bioreactor bed. The research was carried out in 24 hours with three replications of this experiment with a wastewater with about 54 mg/L nitrate. All measurements were carried out on the test site with a 7100 photometer. The results of this study showed that nitrate concentration decreases over time. The results of this study showed that the decrease in nitrate concentration increased over time. Minimum reduction rate of nitrate was 54% and the maximum reduction was 100%, which showed acceptable performance of the bioreactor. Also, the results of statistical tests such as t and analysis of variance showed that 51 days of wheat straw had no difference in the reduction of nitrate concentration (bioreactor yield). There was a significant effect of temperature and initial concentration on the results. In the first step, the initial concentration was ineffective in this study and the covariance test was performed to examine the effect of temperature on the longevity of straw and straw that showed a lack of temperature effect. According to the results, we can use the bioreactor with wheat straw to reduce nitrate concentration of drain water in downstream fields.