فهرست مطالب راضیه رحیمی

Birds, especially resident species, are valuable indicators of potentially toxic element (PTE) pollution in aquatic environments. These organisms are critical for assessing environmental health. This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (zinc, copper, cadmium, lead, selenium, and arsenic) in the feathers of the common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) in the Zayanderud River.

Thirty feather samples were collected from common moorhens across various regions along the Zayanderud River. After collection, the feathers were prepared using an acid digestion method. The concentrations of the elements were determined using ICP-MS.

The mean concentrations of zinc, copper, cadmium, lead, selenium, and arsenic were 59.07, 10.73, 0.49, 5.52, 2.33, and 2.66 μg/g, respectively. Based on established threshold levels, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and selenium concentrations were considered unfavorable. The proximity of the study area to industrial effluents and human sewage discharge points suggests that these pollutants in the common moorhen feathers likely originate from anthropogenic sources.

The findings of this research demonstrate that the common moorhen can be utilized as an indicator for assessing the concentrations of potentially toxic elements. These results emphasize the importance of assessing the environmental impacts of human activities on aquatic resources. 

Liliaceae include 73 species that covers about 1 percent of Flora of Iran. In addition approximately 27% of mentioned taxa are classified in endemic flora of Iran. Gagea with 31 species is the largest genus liliaceae in scale of Iran. These taxa were categorized based on topographic zonations including basins (less than 300 m a.s.l.), lowlands (300–1000 m a.s.l.), semi–mountainous (1000–1500 m a.s.l.), mountainous (1500–2500 m a.s.l.), alpine (2500–3500 m a.s.l.), and subnivale (3500–4500 m a.s.l.). Iranian Liliaceae included critically endangered (CR): 22 spp, endangered (EN): 5 spp., near threatened (NT): 37spp), vulnerable (VU): 1 spp.), In addition, the Kurdistan–Zagros range and the Atropatenian phytogeographical units feature the highest richness of mentioned taxa and form the first class in conservation value and priority. Several endangered species in this family, a wide range of which is located outside protected areas, so In situ as well ex-situ conservation actions seems to necessary for their conservation.

Due to the scope and volume of activities, the petrochemical industry has a high potential risk to humans and the environment. This study aimed to evaluate and rank the health, safety and environmental risks caused by the ammonia and urea production process.

The Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) method was used for qualitative risk analysis and screening of the health, safety and environmental risks identified in the follow-up phase. The severity and probability of occurrence of risk factors were calculated using PHA tables, and the level of risks was determined. To rank the final risks, the criteria “severity,” “probability of occurrence,” “probability of detection,” and the “extent of contamination” for environmental aspects and the criteria “severity,” “probability of occurrence,” “probability of detection,” and the “exposure” were first weighed by the fuzzy Shannon entropy method. Then, each risk was prioritized based on the mentioned criteria and using fuzzy Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS).

According to the results, among 24 environmental aspects, CO2 emissions from the disposal tower with a value of 0.702 and among the 36 safety and health risks, falling from a height with a value of 0.713 have the highest score.

Finally, suggestions were made to correct and mitigate the high-level risks. Also, the research results showed that using the multi-criteria decision-making technique in the fuzzy environment increases the study’s accuracy and facilitates access to the knowledge of experts.

In this study, environmental and climatic variables were used as independent variables to determine the habitat suitability of Cyprinion tenuiradius in Fars Province and to investigate the impact of climate change on its distribution. Modelling was conducted in an R software environment using the MaxEnt algorithm. Based on the results, the performance and accuracy of modelling were good (AUC = 0. 790). Also, the mean annual temperature and annual precipitation were the most important variables in determining the habitat suitability and distribution of this species, respectively. According to the species prediction under optimistic and pessimistic scenarios of climate change in 2050 and 2080, it is expected that the distribution range of this species will decrease slightly under the optimistic scenario of 2050 and 2080. However, the distribution range under the pessimistic scenario of 2050 will be increased slightly while in the pessimistic scenario of 2080, its suitable habitats will be significantly increased. It is recommended to use the obtained results for management and conservation purposes.

Camel breeding is common in East of Iran due to its semi-arid climate and desert conditions. It transmits some diseases to other ruminants and humans due to carrying common blood parasites between humans and animals. This work aimed at studying the presence of Trypanosoma and Piroplasmida (Babesia and Theileria) species in camels in South Khorasan province using parasitological and molecular methods.

In this study, blood samples were taken from 200 camels in South Khorasan that were randomly selected in 2020. Then, thick and thin smear were prepared from the samples and stained with Giemsa staining technique and examined under a light microscope. For molecular detection of Trypanosoma, Theileria and Babesia, specific primers of each genus were used.

Microscopic examination showed that out of 200 blood samples, 8 samples (4%) were infected with Trypanosoma and no samples were infected with Theileria and Babesia. According to molecular experiments, six samples (3%) had DNA of Trypanosoma evansi and five samples (2.5%) were found with Trypanosoma brucei DNA. But the DNA of Theileria and Babesia were not observed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sample isolated in the present study had a high genetic affinity with genotype A of Trypanosoma evansi.

To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to investigate the prevalence of Surra in South Khorasan province. The presence of Trypanosoma in the blood of camels in this region signifies the need for a careful monitoring system and evaluation studies as a prerequisite for controlling blood parasitic diseases in camels in South Khorasan.

According to villagers' perspective on creative tourism, the common definition is that local residents should be proud of the creative space of the village, accept active participation in tourism development programs, and have an appropriate hospitality with regard to tourism. The purpose of this perspective is not considering local residents as a tourist destination and not assuming that only tourists can achieve a notable evaluation of the local creative space. Instead, residents should be considered as a group having an understanding of the originality of the creative space in their living place which will explain their attitude to the environment and be better hosts for tourists. In other words, tourist destination should not be regarded as a commercial package being sold to the tourist and causing destruction in the space (i.e. the sold out products). Cultural and legal discourse, as well as the attitudes and perceptions of the residents should be considered in this package. Preserving the natural environment of the living place is one of the concerns of residents in the villages of Iran and they expect tourists to pay more attention to creative tourism (cultural tourism, village tourism, etc.) to protect the natural environment and consider other aspects. In addition, the status of host and the areas with better acceptance are of great importance in the villages of Isfahan province, being visited by many tourists. In this regard, the present study pursues two main objectives. The first goal is to cluster tourism villages based on behavioral and environmental factors and the second goal is to investigate the effectiveness of behavioral and environmental factors on hospitality by residents being tested using the structural equation approach.

The present study was survey in terms of method. The main tool was a questionnaire in which the scoring method was adjusted based on five-option Likert scale ranging from very high to very low. Amos software was used for modeling and k-means clustering analysis was used for separating the target villages. The obtained data were displayed in the Scatter plot. The statistical population included the residents of the target villages of Isfahan province. A number of 187 subjects were selected using the convenience sampling method and the questionnaires were distributed randomly.

The items related to "villagers’ attitudes" variables were higher than the average. In variable "participation", the items of participation in environmental preservation, participation in guidance, and interaction with tourists had a good average. In variable "perception ", all items gained a good average. In variable "physical infrastructure", the status of the target villages was acceptable and finally, the villagers were satisfied with hospitality. The results of clustering indicated that the villages of plain region (hot climate) including "Mesr, Garmeh, Bayazeh and Qortan" were placed in cluster 1 (higher average) and the villages of mountainous region including "Abyaneh, Asfarajan, Khafr and Nashlaj, Abyaneh" were placed in cluster 2 (lower average). Scatter plot indicated that environmental factor improved the behavioral factor. The coefficient of determination (R2) revealed that 79% of behavioral factor was explained by environmental factor and there was a good correlation between environmental and behavioral factors.

In summary, the research model suggested that if two factors of behavioral and environmental in the village have creative features, they will affect the hospitality by villagers. In addition, the effect of behavioral factor was reported. In other words, perception, attitude, and participation of villagers are good predictors for the realization of hospitality. However, the role of environmental factor was highlighted. Furthermore, the environmental features of villages such as cultural, physical and environmental space had a serious effect on hosting tourists. The maximum average of creative hospitality variables was reported in the eastern villages of Isfahan province (Plain region with hot climate) and the villages of Mesr, Garmeh, and Bayazeh had the best conditions. Such results can be interesting for researchers in behavioral geography. Considering the behavioral factor and rural originality will significantly improve the hospitality by villagers and the interaction with tourists. The importance of the present study on this point indicated that no negative effect was found on damaging the rural originality and identity in the target villages of Isfahan, being visited by a large number of tourists.

This paper discusses the integration of biodiversity concerns with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures of Iran. Indeed, it compares and analyses this status in six south Asian countries. The analysis was based on the reports available from a number of EIA report references to biodiversity, and biodiversity related issues, level and compositional, structure or functional component of biodiversity. The analysis provides clear evidence that biodiversity is not being adequately addressed in EIA studies undertaken in Iran, and some of the studied countries. So, the impacts on biodiversity were not being adequately addressed and that functional biodiversity, in particular, was inadequately assessed. The results show that there are less consideration about biodiversity in Iranian EIA Guidelines (32%) comparing to Bangladesh and Bhutan (50%), Pakistan and Nepal (41%), but more than India (14%) and Seri Lanka (9%). For optimizing the role and importance of biodiversity concerns in EIA procedures of Iran, structural and institutional recommendations provided on those aspects of biodiversity that should be addressed in EIA. The recommendations should be used for the preparation of guidelines for integration of biodiversity in Iranian EIA.