Piptatherum denaense is described as a new species from south west of Iran, Dena Mountain. It is close to P. laterale but differs from it by having glabrous lemma in lower half and toward the apex, narrower vegetative shoots and unbearded anthers. Piptatherum holciforme subsp. holciforme var. glabrum is not accepted as a distinct variety. Piptatherum sphacelatum formerly known as a synonym of P. molinioides is established as a separate species due to having distinct morphological characters as well as molecular differences based on literature. Thus, the number of taxa in the genus Piptatherum changes to 9 species, 2 subspecies and 4 varieties in Iran. An identification key to Piptatherum taxa occuring in Iran is provided. The distribution map of P. denaense with P. laterale subsp. laterale and the illustration of the new species are included.

In order to determine the fumonisin producing isolates of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), associated with infected spikes, and ear rot of grass plants, we examined 78 samples collected from Kermanshah province, Iran. Based on morphological characters, twenty two isolates assigned to the FFSC and were identified as F. proliferatum (ten isolates), F. verticillioides (seven isolates), and F. subglutinans (five isolates). This was additionally approved using the specific primers of F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, and F. subglutinans, i.e. VER1/VER2, PRO1/PRO2, and SUB1/SUB2, respectively. PCR–based detection of the fumonisin–producing isolates of FFSC was also achieved using the primers FUM1 F/FUM1 R. Out of twenty two isolates, eleven isolates (50%) determined as fumonisin chemotype.

Forecasting changes in the environment has now become one of the important branches of environmental studies. One of these predictions is to investigate the possible effects of temperature changes on plant and animal species. In this research, the aim is used the land surface temperature (LST) of the MODIS satellite, separately for spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons, to investigate the changes in the average LST in the protected areas and the habitat of focal species. Focal species of the province include Panthra pardus, Acinonyx jubatus, Capra aegagrus, Ovis orientalis, Gazella subgutturosa and Gazella bennettii. In a field study, the presence points were collected between 1399 and 1402 from all over the province and protected areas, and the seasonal average of LST from 2003 to 2033 was prepared using MODIS satellite products (MYD11A1) in the Google Earth Engine system. species habitat was modeled by using SDMs and combining regression models and machine learning. Also, the TSS threshold was used to convert the habitat desirability probability map into a binary map. Man-Kendall (MK) trend analysis test was used to analyze the trend of increasing and decreasing temperature changes at a significance level of 95%. The findings show that the decreasing changes in the earth's surface temperature have occurred in a scattered and non-continuous manner on the surface, but the increasing temperature changes are associated with more spatial continuity. The highest decrease in temperature occurred in the spring season with 15,212.69 hectares in the Iranian deer habitat, while there was no decrease in temperature in the winter season. Protected areas have experienced the least increasing and decreasing LST trends in spring.

Onobrychis sanandajensis is described as a new species from W. Iran. This taxon belongs to sect. Onobrychis. The new species differs from O. megataphros, O. shahpurensis and O. neychalanensis by the number of pairs, shape and size of leaflets; calyx size; corolla size and features of pod. The description of the new taxon along with the illustrations are given. An identification key comparing the new species with the closest species is presented.

Ants are a major part of the ecosystem as they assist in the decomposition process and improve soil quality. In this study the species richness and biodiversity of these arthropods was assessed in the habitats with varying degrees of human impact in Shiraz, Fars Province, southern Iran. To this end, six habitats including three city parks with the least amount of human destruction (Be’sat, Janat, Babakoohi), two habitats with high amount of manipulation in order to agriculture and urbanization (a field and a destroyed garden) and a natural park without any human manipulation as control, were chosen and sampled bimonthly during 2015 and 2106. A total of 6270 ant workers belonging to 30 species, 12 genera, and three subfamilies were recorded. The most abundant subfamily was Formicinae (16 species) followed by Myrmicinae (12 species), and Dolichoderinae (two species). The biodiversity indices showed a greater diversity in both natural park and urban landscape: Be’sat and Janat parks, with the lowest amount of human effects, respectively as well as Babakoohi and the lowest in the field and destroyed garden. Although a significant difference was observed with the habitats (F= 4.255, P=0.004) and the months (F= 4.327, P=0.002) of sampling, there was not a significant difference between Babakoohi, natural park, Janat and Be’sat parks (P>0.05) nor between field and destroyed garden (P>0.05).

The research was conducted in Ustyurt that is one of the arid zones of Central Asia (Uzbekistan). The method of the research was rout-floristic and classical of morphologic-geographical studies. Two new records including Astragalus vulpinus Willd. & Centaurea apiculata Ledeb. are reported for the flora of Ustyurt. These specimens were collected by the author have been entered in the database for the flora of the Ustyurt in TASH.

The genus Elymus has been studied to prepare the draft of Elymus for the Flora of Iran. In this research, the plant specimens of Central Herbarium of Iran (TARI) were identified and a new key of the Iranian species of the genus Elymus is presented. Delimitation of the genus is discussed. Among the specimens, a new species from Zagros Mountain ranges was recognized which is described and illustrated as E. shirazicus. The new species is well characterized among the Iranian species of the genus by caespitose habit, having densely imbricate spikelets with none or short awns. Elymus shirazicus seems to be related to E. transhyrcanus but well distinguished by narrower spikes and much shorter rachis internodes. Elymus dorudicus based on E. nodosus subsp. dorudicus is introduced as a new combination. Elymus lazicus subsp. iranicus is described as a new subspecies.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different culture mediums based on the Walne medium on the growth rate, chemical composition, and fatty acid (FA) profile in I. galbana and N. oculata. This experiment was done in a factorial design with two culture media (Walne and modified Walne media) and two microalgae species, including I. galbana and N. oculata. The results showed that the modified culture medium increased total and daily fresh and dried biomass production of I. galbana and N. oculata. Modified culture media increased crude fat (CF) and crude protein (CP) content and total and daily lipid production in both the studied species. However, in both the studied culture mediums, N. oculata had higher growth and production performance compared to I. galbana. Modified growth media also affects the FA profiles of the studied microalgae species. Total saturated and unsaturated FA content was not influenced by the growth medium but modified media increased poly unsaturated FA (PUFA) at the expense of mono unsaturated FA (MUFA). Omega- 3 FA content (linolenic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) was increased as a result of the medium modification in both species. However, linoleic acid content was affected differently in I. galbana and N. oculata. The linoleic acid concentration was reduced in modified medium grown N. oculata but increased in I. galbana. Palmitic acid and stearic acid contents were also decreased in both of the studied species in the modified medium. This study develops microalgal cultivation using a modified Walne medium for higher CP, CF, EPA, DHA contents, the ratio of omega3: omega6 FA, and biomass production in N. oculata and I. galbana microalgae.Microalgae species can produce oil and protein in non-cultivable lands, reducing the need for defrosting and can have an important role in reducing carbon foot-print of animal production. One of the most valuable products of microalgae is their oil, which ranges from 20 to 50% of the dry weight of microalgae (Brennan and Owende 2010; Leonga et al. 2018). The I. galbana is often grown on farms to produce oils that contain large amounts of PUFA rich in omega-3 long chain FA, such as EPA and DHA (Gouveia et al. 2008). species of the genus N. oculata are also known to be rich in EPA (Kagan et al. 2014; Borges et al. 2016). Factors such as nutrient quantity and quality, light, pH, turbulence, salinity, and temperature are the most important parameters on which, the growth of microalgae depends (Lavens and Sorgeloos 1996; Converti et al. 2009; Emmanuel and Nelson 2016). Vitamins regulate biochemical reactions in microalgae (Hakalin et al. 2014) and the growth rate of some microalgae species is highly dependent on some the vitamins such as cobalamin, biotin and thiamine (Tandon et al. 2017). However, the effect of vitamins on the growth, diversity, and productivity of microalgae has been poorly studied (Arif et al. 2019). The effects of different Nitrogen and phosphorus concentration as the main limiting nutrients on growth performance and biomass production of I. galbana and N. oculata had been evaluated previously (Andersen 2005; Zarrinmehr et al. 2020). However, there was not any report about effects of modifying the availability of culture medium sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. In the composition of the Walne medium, No3-, Po4-, and Cl- are considered as anions, and Na+, Mn+, Co+, Zn+, and Cu+ are considered as cations. Cations chelating anions and making them less available to microalgae. So, we hypothesize that changing the concentration of cations in the culture media, without increasing the concentration of N and P sources, will change the availability of anionic compounds for microalgae and consequently affects microalgal production and composition. Therefore, the effects of lower levels of cations including ZnCl2, CoCl2. 6H2O, (NH4)6Mn7O24, and CuSo4. 5H2O and higher levels of B1 and B12 vitamin in Walne medium on the growth rate, biomass production performance, chemical composition, and fatty acid profile of I. galbana and N. oculata, were investigated in this study. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different culture mediums based on the Walne medium on the growth rate, chemical composition, and fatty acid (FA) profile in I. galbana and N. oculata. This experiment was done in a factorial design with two culture media (Walne and modified Walne media) and two microalgae species, including I. galbana and N. oculata. The results showed that the modified culture medium increased total and daily fresh and dried biomass production of I. galbana and N. oculata. Modified culture media increased crude fat (CF) and crude protein (CP) content and total and daily lipid production in both the studied species. However, in both the studied culture mediums, N. oculata had higher growth and production performance compared to I. galbana. Modified growth media also affects the FA profiles of the studied microalgae species. Total saturated and unsaturated FA content was not influenced by the growth medium but modified media increased poly unsaturated FA (PUFA) at the expense of mono unsaturated FA (MUFA). Omega- 3 FA content (linolenic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) was increased as a result of the medium modification in both species. However, linoleic acid content was affected differently in I. galbana and N. oculata. The linoleic acid concentration was reduced in modified medium grown N. oculata but increased in I. galbana. Palmitic acid and stearic acid contents were also decreased in both of the studied species in the modified medium. This study develops microalgal cultivation using a modified Walne medium for higher CP, CF, EPA, DHA contents, the ratio of omega3: omega6 FA, and biomass production in N. oculata and I. galbana microalgae.