In recent years, the destruction of biodiversity in Iran and worldwide has been increasingly attributed to the alarming effects of climate change. To effectively address the negative consequences on living organisms, the utilization of modeling methods is essential. This study focuses on the habitat and distribution of an unidentified species of black cobra in the southern and southwestern regions of Iran. By considering habitat variables and current/future climate conditions, specifically under two scenarios of future climate change (2040 and 2100) - mild (SSP126) and severe (SSP585) - the study employs the maximum entropy method with six climate models for modeling using Rstudio software, covering 64 present points and 18 environmental layers. The results revealed a predicted expansion of the black cobra's potential habitat beyond the previously documented areas in Iran. Furthermore, a comparison between future and current models demonstrates an estimated increase in the species' habitat by 14.27% and 18.58% under the mild and severe scenarios respectively, by 2040, compared to present conditions. However, by 2100, the favorable habitat for the black cobra is projected to decline to 12.11% and 12.19% under the mild and severe scenarios respectively. The findings underscore the influential factors in the distribution of the black cobra, with the human footprint emerging as the most significant. Climatic variables also play a crucial role in determining the habitat suitability for this species, as rising temperatures and reduced precipitation affect its desirability. In conclusion, the expanding range of suitable habitats for the black cobra until 2040 is expected to result in population growth and an escalation of conflicts between this species and residents of the south and southwest regions of Iran. However, if global warming continues to worsen until 2100, it will yield a grave impact, jeopardizing the availability of favorable habitats and putting the black cobra, like many other species, at a heightened risk of extinction.

The production and proper utilization of medicinal plants in natural habitats need to review and identify the natural conditions and climate of the habitat of these plants and separating them from harmful and poisonous plants. The current study was aimed to introduce and determine the distribution of medicinal plants from Lamiaceae family in Mazandaran province as well as the introduction of natural habitats in order to provide information for executive agencies and administrators of land use plan to be used for optimal utilization of potentials of natural resources. In this study, after collecting the documents, the aromatic and medicinal species (wild species) of Mazandaran province were identified and their distribution was investigated. According to the obtained results, the medicinal species of Lamiaceae family in Mazandaran province contain 23 species, belonging to 11 genera among which Stachys spp. with seven species is known as the riches genus in Lamiaceae family, distributed in an area of 16322 km2 in Mazandaran province. As a result of this study, the distribution map of natural habitats, habitat conditions, life form, and utilizable organs of medicinal species belonging to Lamiaceae family in Mazandaran province have been provided. According to the rich flora of Mazandaran province, the results of this study could help in financing, planning, cultivation and production of medicinal plants at industrial levels. In addition, the production of herbal medicines could be used in pharmaceutical, medical and food industries.

Background and objectives: Thymus lancifolius Celak. is one of the exclusive species of thyme genus in Iran, possessing high economic and medicinal value due to its high phenolic compounds. Considering the indiscriminate harvesting from thyme habitats, low production and non-standard quantity and quality of bioactive ingredients due to the high genetic diversity of thyme, the domestication of T. lancifolius Celak. species and its standardization is one of the goals of this study. In this regard, the quantity and quality of this species' essential oil (EO) were investigated and compared in habitat and field conditions.Methodology: In order to investigate the effects of environmental factors on the quantitative and qualitative production of T. lancifolius Celak. in the field and habitat conditions (five habitats of Rezen, Asadabad, Hamedan, Malayer, and Toyserkan), this species was planted in the Ekbatan station through seed propagation, in the form of a complete randomized block design with three replications. The EO of plants at the full flowering stage were extracted using the hydrodistillation method, and the chemical compounds of EO were measured and identified by GC and GC/MS devices.Results: The comparison of the EO percentage of T. lancifolius populations shows that there is a significant difference in the habitat, so the Asadabad habitat had the highest EO percentage (3.85%), and the Malayer habitat had the lowest EO (1.94%). The amount of EO of the populations in the field also has a significant difference, so the highest percentage of EO (4.18%) is related to the Asadabad population and the lowest is related to Malayer (1.78%). In the populations of Asadabad and Toyserkan, the percentage of EO from the field was more than that of the habitat, but in the populations of Razan, Hamedan, and Malayer, the higher EO belongs to the habitat. Compounds in all populations are almost similar in habitat and field conditions but differ in the type of dominant compounds and their amount. The result of the cluster analysis of the important bioactive constituents of the EO in the five studied populations indicates the existence of two types of chemical types (chemotypes), including thymol (chemotype 1) and geraniol/geranyl acetate (chemotype 2) in both field and habitat conditions. In the EO of four populations of T. lancifolius related to chemotype 1, the main compounds include thymol (habitat: 52.2-71.4%, field: 49.4-68.1%), carvacrol (habitat: 4.5-23.5%, field: 3.9-25.5%), p-cemen (habitat: 4.3-6.1%, field: 4.6-6.6%), and γ-terpinene (habitat: 3.9-9.3%, field: 5.7-8.9%). In this chemotype, the highest amount of thymol (71.4%) was observed in the Hamedan habitat, and the highest amount of phenolic compounds (80%) was found in the Malayer habitat. In the Razan population related to chemotype 2, bioactive constituents including geraniol (habitat: 52.1%, field35.8%), geranyl acetate (habitat: 22%, field: 16%), linalool (habitat: 6.3%, field: 14.7%), and thymol (habitat: 7%, farm: 12%) formed the main compounds of the EO.Conclusion: According to the results of examining the quantity and quality of EO of different populations of T. lancifolius Celak., two main chemotypes, including the thymol chemotype and the geraniol/geranyl acetate chemotype, can be introduced for the domestication and cultivation of this species in Hamadan province to prevent the destruction of thyme plants while using them in the pharmaceutical industry.

In order to study the effects of environmental factors on quantity and quality yield of Thymus daenensis in habitat and field conditions, an experiment was conducted as a randomized complete blocks design with 3 replications in Fozveh and Ghahiz stations of Agricultural and Natural Research Center of Esfahan. The plant aerial parts were harvested at 50% of flowering stage in the field and habitat. Place had significant effect on all evaluated traits with the exception of 1, 8 cineole and essential oil percentage. The highest dry yield, essential oil yield and Thymol yield (2323. 3, 62. 4 and 53. 3 kg/ha, respectively) observed in Fozveh station with a significant difference by another places. The major components of oil were consisted of P-cymene, 1, 8-cineole, δ-terpinene, Borneole, Carvacrol and Thymol. The highest amount of Thymol and carvacrol were observed in Fozveh and Ghahiz stations, respectively. Oil percentage ranged from 2. 9-3. 02%. Dry yield and oil yield reduction were observed with increasing altitude. Also Carvacrol increased by increasing of soil potassium but decreased by increase in soil salinity. Based on the results, different soil and climate conditions, especially altitude, were affected thyme dry yield and oil components and caused economic or non-economic production.

Background: Meccus pallidipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is only found in Mexico and is one of the most important vectors for Trypanosoma cruzi transmission there. Because data concerning the ability of this bug to adapt to different environments are scarce, we aimed to elucidate its biology, behavior and ability to acclimatize to different environ-mental conditions. Methods: From the eclosion of 90 1st instar nymphs, development was followed until the adult phase. Adults were fed after 30 days of fasting, and the average amount of blood ingested, the time between the beginning of the blood meal and the production of feces, and the frequency of stools/insect were recorded during their meals. After taking a blood meal, couples were isolated and monitored for 21 days, during which eggs were collected weekly. Results: The development of M. pallidipennis took 171. 74± 7. 03 days to complete its life cycle, and females ingested larger amounts of blood than males. Oviposition was constant and did not demonstrate a significant decrease during this study. Conclusion: Meccus pallidipennis was able to acclimatize to fluctuating laboratorial conditions other than those nat-urally found in Mexico.

In this survey, we investigated the flora and habitat conditions of wild Fig (Ficus johannisBoiss.) in a part of its natural habitat in Yazd province. To obtain climatic information, the required data were obtained from the closest climatologic stations. With average precipitation of 177.4 mm/year and the average annual temperature of 14.4oC, the study area is a dry temperate region. Physiochemical analyses were conducted on previously-taken soil samples. Floristic investigation was conducted in two subdistricts (Sadegh-Abad and Mazrae-Ghebleh). Moreover, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of trees were recorded via transect sampling. Results of soil analysis indicated thatF. johannis grows in the soils featuring a pH ranging between 7.74 and 8.39 with sand-silt texture. Results also showed that there were 27 families, 64 genera and 73 species in the study area. The family of Compositae with 22% (16 species) and Labiatae with 14% (10 species) presented the highest richness among all families. In terms of biological forms, the following composition was indicated: Chaemoephytes with 34% (25 species), Throphytes with 12% (7 species), Hemicryptophytes with 40% (27 species), Microphanerophytes and Nanophanerophytes with 5% (4 species), Geophytes with 6% (5 species) and Mezophanerophytes with 1 % (one species). Among the total 90 species, 15 species were found to be endemic to Iran. F. johanniswas evaluated as a hydrophyte species according to its frequent growth in valley margins which is due to higher moisture content. The transect sampling resulted in calculating the population density and cover in Mazrae-Ghebleh (46 ha-1 and 3.51 %.ha-1) as well as in Sadegh-Abad district (49 ha-1 and 7.76 %.ha-1), respectively. Overall qualitative features of trees were moderate. Partial withering of branches was observed in majority of trees but no damage was observed on stems.

Black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) is one of adapted species in desert and saline soils areas and grows in sand dunes and can be used for dune stabilization. Accumulation of metabolites leading to plant osmotic regulation. The relative importance of these substances varies depending on the plant species, habitat and intensity. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of habitat conditions on photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant activity, amino acids, soluble sugars and ion content of black saxaul, in two areas in Bafgh, Iran under two soil conditions (saline sodic plaiya and non-saline sand dune) using a one way AMOVA with three replications in 2016. The results showed significant differences between two habitats for chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin, phenol and antioxidant activity (p<0. 01). The higher values of these indices were observed in saline sodic plaiya habitat than to sandy habitat. In contrast, for amino acids, as: aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine and glutamine the higher values of 13. 27, 13. 66, 17. 01 and 12. 21 μ g/g, respectively were obtained in sandy habitat than that that for saline sodic plaiya. For other amino acids, there were no significant differences between the two habitats. The higher values of soluble sugar 26. 24 mg g-1 DW was obtained in sandy habitat that was significantly (p <0. 01) higher than that for plaiya (13. 26 mg g-1 DW). Overall, the results showed that improved the antioxidant activity, increased pigment content and modulated the ions concentration, especially the accumulation of potassium in plant organs play a key role in black saxaul osmotic regulation under salinity stress. The role of other osmolality nutrients such as amino acids and soluble sugars are more important for black saxaul growth in the sandy area with low salinity.

Smirnovia iranica(Sabeti) synonym: Smirnovia turkestana (Bunge) is a deciduous perennial bushy species of the Fabaceae (Papilionaceae) family. The species grow on sand dunes of desert areas, having a deep vertical root and very long horizontal or lateral roots. They have an important role in natural vegetation of desert and sand dune stabilization. Limited growing areas, grazing due to good palatability, and foliage quality of the plant have put this species under threat. Seed preservation under cryogenic conditions at -196ºC is an important approach to conserve seeds for a long period. In this study, seeds of theS. iranica were collected from natural habitats of the plants and three pre-cryopreservation treatments including PVS2, Desiccation, and 30%Glycerol were applied before transferring the seeds into liquid nitrogen (LN) at -196ºC for 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year (in 2015). Subsequently, the seeds were removed from the liquid nitrogen, imposed to heat shock and evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse and natural habitat conditions. The cryopreserved seeds of various cryopreservation periods germinated normally under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. In laboratory conditions, there were no significant differences between periods of seed storage in cryogenic conditions for seed germination trait. The highest seed germination percent (84%) was observed in the desiccation pre-cryopreservation treatment. In pre-cryopreservation treatments as well as cryogenic storage periods under greenhouse conditions, seed germination and seedling establishment were significantly different. In natural habitat, the cryopreserved seeds germinate and grow to normal seedlings and plants. The results showed thatS. iranica seeds can be successfully stored in cryogenic conditions for a long period.