جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "a" در نشریات گروه "آبخیزداری، بیابان، محیط زیست، مرتع"

Recognizing and mapping the sensitivity of forests to fires is crucial for the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. This study, utilizing the time-series capability of Landsat 8 satellite imagery and developing an efficient model within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, managed to map the sensitivity of Kurdistan province forests to fires over the the past decade, from 2013 to 2023, in two study areas located in the Marivan, Sarvabad, and Baneh counties. It provided valuable information for land use management and effective resource allocation to prevent and mitigate the impacts of forest fires in the Kurdistan region. The Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) index was applied to pre- and post-fire season images to detect forest fires. To enhance classification results, areas such as vegetation, residential zones, and water bodies were highlighted as non-fire regions. The Random Forest (RF) model within the GEE platform was employed to achieve the highest classification accuracy. Appropriate training samples were derived from the highlighted results, and image classification using the RF model with 50 decision trees was performed on the GEE platform.To ensure the reliability of the selected training samples, the fire mapping results were compared with point-based fire data from the Kurdistan Province Natural Resources Department. The classification results for the two forest study areas- Marivan and Sarvabad regions in 2016, 2018, and 2020, and the Baneh region in 2018-demonstrated an overall accuracy of 99% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.97. The findings of this study underscore the capability of Landsat 8 imagery in mapping forest fire susceptibility and confirm the acceptable accuracy of the RF model in this context.

Rangelands play an important role in the sustainability of the ecosystem and providing financial support to many people in the world. Rangelands destruction has caused many concerns at the global level. The results of the studies show that the level of rangelands, rangeland productions and the satisfaction of rangeland users have decreased in Iran. Therefore, the purpose of this research is the pathology and complications of range management policies in Iran towards sustainable exploitation of rangelands. This research is applicable in terms of nature and purpose and mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of research strategy. In the qualitative part, using the meta-synthesis method, the complications of pasture policy towards their sustainable use was determined, and then based on that, a research questionnaire was made and then based on the Delphi method, relying on the opinions of academic experts, for The significance of revealed complications was used. Also, in the qualitative part, articles related to the research topic in the last 15 years (2008-2023) were used, and the criteria for selecting sources was based on the theoretical saturation of the data. The statistical population of quantitative part was academic experts familiar with the subject and interested in cooperation, who formed the Delphi panel. In order to achieve the goal of the research, the opinions of 9 experts were used, and their selection was based on non-probability snowball sampling. The findings of the research indicate that 12 complications can be introduced as the main complications of range management policies in Iran.

Horul Azim Wetland is located in the southwestern Iran in Khuzestan Province, has 1180 km2. About 70% of the wetland is located in Iraq, which has faced the challenges of drought and oil drilling, and many of its southern lands have dried up and become dust center. The present study was conducted with the aim of assessing the levels of heavy metal pollution in the dried part of this wetland. At first, 15 stations were identified on the LANDSAT image and the dried soil of the wetland was sampled by quadrat and the Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe, Mn and Ni were measured by ICP-MS device. To assess the pollution levels, Igeo, ER, PLI, RI, CSI and mCd were used. The results showed that the concentration of Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb is higher than the shale standard. According to the Igeo, Cd pollution is high (moderate to severe). According to the PI, Cd and Pb pollution are high and moderate, respectively. The ER shows that the ecological pollution of Cd is significant, but other metals don't have ecological risk. The average of the cumulative indices ER and PLI were 193 and 9.7, respectively, indicating a possible ecological risk for all points. The CSI pollution safety for Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb was 0.52, 0.25, 4.02 and 0.34, and the mCd index was 0.27, 10.4, 13.9 and 8.9, respectively, indicating a very high severity of pollution safety for Ni and Cd.

Social capital is defined as a set of relationships, networks, trust, needs, and participatory systems within a society that enables it to confront challenges and improve the living conditions of its members. This study was conducted to analyze the intra-group social capital in three villages: Eskelabad, Eslamabad Kalleh-ye Espid, and Chah-e Ahmad in Tafatan city. Given the importance of participatory management and strengthening social capital, analyzing the link between trust and participation among individuals in these villages is essential. The network analysis method was used to examine the links of trust and participation among individuals and villages of interest. The results before the project implementation showed low levels of trust, participation, cohesion, and social capital. However, after the project implementation, these indicators improved, and trust, participation, and the speed of interaction among individuals increased. The project implementation has led to increased unity and cohesion among village residents, increasing the intra-group social capital. In other words, improved communications have led to increased social welfare and the expansion of trust and participation among the residents.

Soil organic carbon as a key factor in soil stability and fertility is considered as one of the important environmental challenges in the context of climate change. The aim of this study was to determine soil organic carbon zonation in Gonbad paired-watershed, Hamedan province. In this research, the information of meteorology, soil science and erosion and sedimentation study of Gombad watershed was used, including the information of 49 profiles in the 0-15 cm soil layer. After collecting data, tests of normality (Shapiro-Wilkα test <0.05), homogeneity of variance, and then the relationship between independent variables and organic carbon were performed using Pearson's linear correlation in SAS software. Also, determining the most effective independent variable using multivariate analysis, PCA factor analysis was used in XlStat 2.1 software. In order to determine the distribution and amount of soil organic carbon in the Gonbad representative watershed, modeling using SVM support vector machine learning algorithms and RF random forest was used in R software.The results showed that 78.18% of soil organic carbon changes depend on four components. Clay and nitrogen percentage were selected as the most effective variables on soil organic carbon content, so that the first component of clay content explained 34% and the second component nitrogen explained 18% of variations. According to the results of the implementation of the SVM and RF Models, the SVM model with a CE factor of 0.86 and RMSE of 0.05 in the test stage is a more accurate model in this study.

Various tools have so far been developed with different efficiency to measure the flow of wind deposits. In this regard, two types of absorption and maintenance efficiency tools are commonly used as technical criteria in selecting sediment traps, bearing the lowest amount of wastage. Accordingly, this study set out to compare and contrast the adsorption and retention efficiency of BSNE and Siphon (3rd generation) as wind erosion sediment trap tools.

The efficiency of siphon traps (3rd generation) and BSNE were investigated and measured at different wind speeds of 7, 8, 9, 11, and 13 m/s using the wind tunnel laboratory of the Faculty of Natural Resources and Desertology. The efficiency was also measured in different events within the natural environment using Wind Erosion Monitoring stations. On the other hand, to check the absorption efficiency, the test tray was filled with air sediments, and the sediment catchers were placed inside the device. Then the sediments collected in the device were measured in terms of different speeds. Moreover, to measure the retention efficiency, the sediment traps were filled with 100 grams of wind-induced sediment, and the amount of lost sediment was measured at different wind speeds. After the sediments were granulated with the help of a shaker machine, the granulation indices of the sediments were obtained using the grain gauge software G.R. Graph.2. Finally, the data collected regarding the efficiency and performance of the two types of sediment traps were analyzed. It should be noted that the results were obtained in terms of 7, 8, 9, 11, and 13 m/s speed rates under different laboratory conditions (wind tunnel) and natural environment or desert at the wind erosion measurement station of Yazd University.

According to the results of the study, the absorption efficiency of the siphon trap was found to be 2 to 5 percent greater than that of the BSNE trap. Moreover, the study found that while the increasing trend of the siphon sediment trap’s efficiency against the wind speed of 13 m/s reached its maximum at roughly 94.6%, the maximum efficiency of the BSNE sediment trap was recorded at the speed range of 11 m/s (92%). Both sediment traps experienced a decline in wind-borne sediment capture efficiency at wind speeds of 11 meters per second. In both traps, the capture efficiency decreased with increasing height above the surface. However, the siphon sediment trap consistently demonstrated a higher capture efficiency compared to the BSNE trap. On the other hand, it was found that at heights lower than 50 cm from the ground, the absorption efficiency of 3rd generation siphon traps was approximately 1.5 times greater than that of BSNE traps. While at higher altitudes, the absorption efficiency of both approaches. Furthermore, the 3rd generation siphon sediment trap could maintain almost 100% retention efficiency due to its special tank design when the wind speed increased to rates over 11 meters per second under super-critical conditions. However, due to the design of the BSNE sediment trap, approximately 3% of the total captured and trapped sediment was lost from the reservoir and escaped into the surrounding environment.The results suggested that the numerical index of the particles collected in siphon sediment traps was lower than that of BSNE, which could partly be attributed to the exit of some of the fine particles when trapped in the reservoir of BSNE sediment traps. Moreover, the numerical value of the skewness index of the sediments collected in each type of sediment trap decreased with an increase in wind speed, tending towards fine particles. In other words, the increased population of fine particles caused a decrease in the average value of the median diameter or D50.

The results indicated that the highest absorption efficiency rates were 94.6 and 92% for 3rd generation siphon trap and BSNE, respectively. Also, compared to the BSNE, the siphon trap performed relatively better in terms of sediment storage and retention under physical and aerodynamic conditions. On the other hand, as for the retention efficiency of both types of sediment traps, it was found that the 3rd generation siphon trap performed 100% successfully at all investigated speeds. However, the efficiency of the BSNE sediment trap decreased from 100% to 97% when the speed increased from 11 m/s to 15 m/s, indicating that by increasing the speed and creating a twisting current inside the chamber of the BSNE sediment trap, part of the fine-grained sediments were thrown out of the trap, thus reducing the retention efficiency of the trap. It could generally be argued that the absorption and retention efficiency of the siphon trap is about 10 to 40% greater than that of the BSNE. Therefore, as the siphon trap is designed and built in Iran, it bears more advantages than its American counterpart.

As one of the greatest natural disasters faced by mankind since time immemorial, drought can be defined as a long period of reduced precipitation (a season or a year, for instance) occurring in almost all climate zones, including areas with high and low precipitation rates. Moreover, drought is a globally intensifying phenomenon, with no region or country in the world remaining safe from its consequences. On the other hand, the extent, frequency, intensity, and duration of drought are increasing in many parts of the world due to climate change. In addition, the phenomenon influences a diverse range of biophysical resources in catchment areas, including the discharge and sedimentation of rivers. Therefore, awareness of the drought status, prediction of drought, and zoning of its severity can significantly reduce the risk of its potential damage. 

Covering an area of ​​3516 km2, Behbahan is located in the southeast of Khuzestan province between 50˚ to 50˚ 21´ east longitude and 30˚ 30´ to ˚31 north latitude. Various indicators have so far been developed for monitoring drought, each of which considers one or more parameters contributing to drought. As a widely applied drought index worldwide, The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) time series can be used to describe the intensity of historical and current drought events at a site and to estimate the potential prospective magnitude of drought.Auto-correlated integrated ARIMA model is frequently used in analyzing time series. The model was first proposed by Box and Jenkins when studying time series, inspiring many related models that have since been developed and applied in various branches of geosciences. To investigate and predict drought in Behbahan City, this study sought to model annual SPI time series, six-month SPI, and nine-month SPI using the ARIMA model. 

The results indicated that the ARIMA (5,0,11) was the best choice for modeling annual drought index time series in the validation stage, with its errors being R2=0.64 and RMSE=0.81 MAE=0.66 and MAPE=213.27 errors. The ARIMA (2,0,5) was also found to be the best model for modeling the six-month SPI drought index time series, where the R2 value of the model was equal to 0.50 (greater than that of other models), and its RMSE, MAE, and MAPE errors were reports as 0.84, 0.64 and 100.31, respectively (less than those of other models). Moreover, due to the non-normality of the residuals of the selected models, a suitable model was not found for modeling the nine-month SPI time series. Therefore, other methods such as wavelet analysis are recommended to be used in this regard. Discussion and

As a complex and often underestimated phenomenon, drought strongly influences different aspects of human life. Therefore, early prediction of drought plays a crucial role in strategic planning and management of water resources. In this regard, time series models are considered a suitable tool for predicting climatic events. This study used the time series of the SPI index to model drought in Behbahan City at annual, six-month, and nine-month scales, seeking to identify appropriate models in this regard. It appears that managers and relevant decision-makers should take similar studies into account to access a clear analysis of the region and develop optimal plans for the management of water resources. This is especially important in Iran, where a large area of the country is characterized by arid and semi-arid climates. Considering that the phenomenon of drought can be predicted and managed, it is necessary to implement basic measures to reduce the adverse effects of drought in the coming years.

Forests are the only ecosystems that offer all the classified services. However, such environmental services and functions are not provided freely, bearing seemingly latent economic values that are not fully considered within the framework of the market system. Moreover, these services are not sufficiently and quantitatively recognized in comparison to other economic services. In other words, the value of non-market services in natural ecosystems is far greater than that of goods. On the other hand, To streamline decision-making processes regarding the utilization of available resources, it is imperative to both quantify the quantifiable costs and benefits (exchangeable goods and services) and to incorporate non-market and intangible costs and benefits, which have primarily been considered from a consumptive standpoint, into the relevant economic framework and calculations Covering 31% of the land area, forests bear economic value and offer environmental services that must be valued through the economic valuation of biological resources.More than half of the world's forests are being deforested in just five countries, that is, an estimated 10 million hectares per year between 2015 and 2020, indicating that six million hectares decrease per year compared to similar statistics recorded in the 1990s. Characterized by its geographical and climatic conditions, Iran also deals with the issue of forestry, with annual afforestation reducing the net amount of deforestation within the country, highlighting the necessity of development and estimation of the economic and environmental values of planted forests. As most of the studies conducted in the field of conservation value are mostly related to the past decade and few studies have addressed this issue in recent years, the present study sought to estimate the conservation value of the planted forests of the Isfahan Steel Mill Factory using the contingent valuation method. 

As one of the preferred methods, which is also applied in the current study, the Contingent Valuation Method can theoretically be used to evaluate the resources and continuity of the existence of what people care about, even if they never visit it in person. Moreover, the method includes the development of a questionnaire to select appropriate options and increase the accuracy of the results, thus preventing potential prospective deviations. The population of the study comprised the areas that were most affected by planted forests, including a collection of seven cities adjoining the factory with a population of 2 million people, among whom 384 people were selected through random sampling. Then, the relevant questionnaire was developed and administered to participants in seven regions in 2017-2018.In this method, proposed amounts as annual payments for individuals to protect the afforestation projects of Isfahan Steel Company were presented to the selected individuals. Given that individuals maximize their utility, the logit model follows the cumulative logistic distribution function.The parameters of the logit model were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. It should be noted that predicting the effects of non-distributive variables on the probability of acceptance is of great significance in estimating logit models. The amount offered by an individual also bears special importance. After estimating the logit model, the expected value of the willingness to pay was calculated as the highest acceptance offer by numerical integration in the range of zero.

The results of the study in terms of social, economic, and environmental characteristics of the respondents indicated that the average age of the respondents was 31 years, who provided more acceptable answers in terms of income due to their independence. In addition, 64% of the respondents were male, 54% were married, and only 5% were members of an environmental organization. On the other hand, 84% of the respondents assessed the significance of protecting the forests of the factory as high and very high, and after reading the information provided in the brochure, only 18% of the respondents stated that they knew all the information provided, suggesting a lack of sufficient information regarding the environmental activities carried out by the factory. Furthermore, 41 percent of the respondents were highly concerned about the destruction of forest plantations, and almost 50 percent of the respondents evaluated the percentage of possible damage to forestry as relatively severe. The variables of income, education, membership in environmental organizations, number of employed people, taxes, and the level of concern about the destruction of forestry were found to have a direct relationship with the proposed price. In addition,The negative sign of the estimated coefficient for the proposed price variable is consistent with the current research theory and indicates that if the proposed amount for protection increases, the likelihood of acceptance in respondents' willingness to pay decreases.Considering the elasticity of the proposed amount variable (0.7736), a one percent increase in the price offered to respondents decreases the probability of acceptance in their willingness to pay for the conservation value of afforestation by 0.77%. Additionally, based on the marginal effect of this variable (0.02059), a one-rial increase in the amount proposed to individuals decreases the probability of accepting a payment for conservation by 0.02%.Furthermore, the annual conservation value of each hectare of Isfahan Steel plantation was equal to IRR 6048875. In other words, each family was willing to pay an average of IRR 193560.4 annually (according to the size of the household) for the protection of forestry. 

This study has achieved promising results. First, the study showed that people in the study population were aware of the significance of forest resources. Second, the results indicate that there is a willingness to pay significantly for the improvement and development of such resources, providing justification for policymakers and officials to support the quality of the environment and natural resources and prevent the underestimation and trivialization of natural resources. It is recommended that future studies address different functions of planted forests and the effect of various parameters such as tax on willingness to pay for the protection of ecosystems and reduction of damages. In addition, the ecosystem enjoys various other values, such as water and soil conservation, carbon dioxide absorption and oxygen production, and purification of air pollutants, each of which needs to be carefully estimated.

As a serious global environmental challenge that significantly influences arid and semi-arid regions, desertification brings about land degradation, reduced water resources, soil erosion, and a host of socio-economic problems. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the critical status of desertification in Saravan County, located in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran, which is characterized by its arid climate, low precipitation, prolonged drought periods, and declining water resources. These conditions adversely affect vegetation and soil moisture, leading to intensified desertification. Taking the aridity index into consideration, the area is classified as "very severe" with an aridity value of 1.48, highlighting its high susceptibility to desertification. Moreover, unsustainable land management practices and overgrazing have contributed to the further degradation of such a fragile ecosystem. On the other hand, the lack of sufficient vegetation has exposed the land to severe erosion, exacerbating the process of desertification. Thus, recognizing the interplay of natural and human-induced factors is required for tackling the challenges facing Saravan County.

This study assessed desertification in Saravan County using the MEDALUS (Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use) model and the LESA (Land Evaluation and Site Assessment) system. The study area is located in Saravan, covering 12,821 square kilometers. The required data were collected from governmental records on land management and groundwater resources, meteorological station data on precipitation, and field surveys of soil, vegetation, and wind erosion indicators. On the other hand, the MEDALUS model was used to assess desertification vulnerability in terms of six criteria, including climate, soil, vegetation, management and policy, wind erosion, and groundwater depth. Each criterion was then assessed through specific indicators and scored based on its contribution to desertification. Then, the criteria were combined geometrically to determine the vulnerability of each land unit. As for the analysis of data, climate analysis included precipitation data (to evaluate annual precipitation rate), aridity index, drought patterns, and geographical direction. Moreover, soil analysis included assessment of texture, drainage, gravel content, and slope, all of which play a crucial role in land degradation. Also, vegetation was assessed in terms of its percentage, resistance to erosion and drought, and fire risk. Furthermore, the implementation of sustainable practices and the severity of land use, including agricultural and grazing activities were assessed in terms of management and policy factors. On the other hand, wind erosion was examined using the IRIFR model, where landform, wind characteristics, soil and surface cover, vegetation density, erosion marks, and land use were taken into consideration. In addition, groundwater depth fluctuations were analyzed using piezometric data collected from 22 wells in a 20-year period (1982–2002). Also, the LESA system was used to assess the suitability of land for agricultural use in terms of two components: Land Evaluation (LE) and Site Assessment (SA). Accordingly, LE focused on soil properties such as texture, salinity, drainage, topography, and erosion, and SA evaluated non-soil factors, including proximity to urban areas, access to infrastructure, and compatibility with surrounding land uses. Finally, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to map the spatial distribution of desertification indicators, revealing severity levels across land units. The findings showed that vegetation and climate were the primary driving forces of desertification in Saravan County, with their values being 1.92 and 1.08, respectively. Moreover, the overall desertification severity value was found to be 1.02, indicating critical conditions in the northern and southern regions and the fragile status of the northwestern area. On the other hand, the LESA findings revealed heightened vulnerability in agricultural and residential areas, with the grasslands showing the highest suitability for sustainable land use.This study stressed the link between land use intensity and desertification severity, particularly in agricultural and residential zones, and recommended sustainable practices such as modern irrigation techniques, optimized cropping patterns, and controlled livestock populations.

According to the results of the application of the MEDALUS model, low precipitation and prolonged droughts were found as key contributing factors to the severe desertification in Saravan County. Moreover, the arid climate of the region exerts an adverse influence on vegetation and soil moisture, with the aridity index rate of 1.48 indicating very severe vulnerability. On the other hand, soil analysis revealed variations in desertification levels, according to which areas with exposed rock and poor drainage showed severe conditions. However, while agricultural lands were found to be less vulnerable, the region was found to suffer from moderate desertification based on soil texture analysis. Moreover, the study found that the region’s vegetation was sparse due to overgrazing and unfavorable climatic conditions. In addition, the results indicated that while areas with no vegetation suffered from severe desertification, agricultural lands displayed lower vulnerability in this regard. Generally, the geometric mean of vegetation indicators was reported to be 1.92, classifying the region as very severe in terms of desertification status.Furthermore, it was found that while management and policy factors played a moderate role in desertification, unsustainable practices like overgrazing made a significant contribution to desertification. On the other hand, based on IRIFR model assessments, the study found that wind erosion was moderate to very severe and that groundwater had significantly been depleted in the western region, both of which have led to exacerbated desertification. Moreover, according to the results found by the LESA system, while agricultural and residential areas showed higher vulnerability to desertification, grasslands are the most suitable areas for sustainable land use.Considering all the above-mentioned findings, this study recommends sustainable resource management, including modern irrigation, optimized cropping patterns, and conservation efforts as crucial strategies to be adopted for mitigating desertification.

The integrated use of the MEDALUS and LESA models provided comprehensive insights into desertification trends in Saravan County, confirming a critical level of vulnerability that is primarily driven by unfavorable climatic conditions, unsustainable land management, and inherent soil weaknesses. Sparse vegetation, prolonged droughts, poor soil quality, and overgrazing were found as key contributors to desertification, leading to the exacerbation of erosion, reduction of water infiltration, and diminishing of biological productivity. Moreover, the findings of the study underscored the significance of promoting sustainable land use practices to mitigate land degradation. On the other hand, wind erosion and groundwater depletion were identified as significant concerns, necessitating measures such as windbreak erection, application of conservation tillage, and adoption of sustainable groundwater management strategies. The study also highlighted the value of combining the data collected from field study, remote sensing, and spatial modeling for effective desertification assessment and mitigation planning. Furthermore, the study recommended the application of additional indicators such as soil shear strength and wind stress and emphasized the use of a multi-faceted approach involving scientific, policy, and community-driven initiatives to combat desertification and ensure the ecological integrity of Saravan County.

Analyzing the morphological patterns of rivers is crucial for better comprehension of the rivers’ current status and their potential for prospective alterations, thereby enabling effective river management. Meandering is one of the most important river issues that influences human activities along riverbanks. Therefore, this study sought to prepare the map of meander formation-prone areas using Kernel Logistic Regression (KLR), Bagging Kernel Logistic Regression (BKLR), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models in the northern part of Khorramabad River, Lorestan Province.

The data used in this study included the land use data extracted from Sentinel-2 satellite images, digital elevation model, slope and aspect, geology, and lithology, distance from the fault, distance from the road, topographic wetness index, and some geometric attributes such as topographic position index, profile curvature index, plain curvature index, and terrain ruggedness index, together with the data obtained from field surveys. To this end, a Sentinel-2 satellite image of the study area taken on 15/05/2021 with less than 10% cloud cover and no geometric errors was extracted from the European Space Agency website. Moreover, pre-processing (geometric and radiometric) of the image was performed in ENVI5.3 software and SNAP software, which are specifically designed for processing Sentinel satellite images. Then, atmospheric correction was applied using the Sen2Cor plugin in SNAP software. Subsequently, land use was estimated using a supervised maximum likelihood classification method based on pixel-level training samples. To study meandering in the northern part of the Khorramabad River, a 200-meter buffer zone was considered based on river topography, agricultural lands, access network, and other relevant factors. All input layers in Arc GIS and SAGA-GIS were clipped based on the 200-meter buffer map and entered into the model. On the other hand, 70% of the total data collected for meandering analysis was used for training the model and the remaining 30% was used for testing the model. It should be noted that the training samples used in this study consisted of samples of meandered cases along the studied waterway. Finally, to compare the performance of different models and select the best one for generating meandering potential maps, RMSE, MAPE, NS, and CORR error metrics were used.

This study investigated the potential of the Khorramabad River for meandering and meander formation. To analyze different parts of the river, three main segments were designated, including the northern part consisting of kilometers 0 to 4, the middle part consisting the kilometers 4 to 8, and the southern part consisting the kilometers 8 to 14. The meandering potential was generally assessed in all three parts mentioned above. Accordingly, the highest level of meandering was observed in the middle and southern parts of the river. On the other hand, most of the meanders found in the northern part were well-developed and stable, as they are located in mountainous areas, thus being relatively tough and erosion-resistant. In the coastal zone, due to the soft and erodible nature of the sediments, meandering may expand, and meanders can develop into horseshoe shapes, an example of which can be observed in the middle part of the river, i.e., at kilometer 8.5. As the topographic position index along the river displays a concave pattern, this factor tends to promote meandering both in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the river. However, in areas with a convex pattern, the factor hinders meandering.The high numerical value of the topographic wetness index along the banks of the Khorramabad River which indicates high moisture and wetness conditions makes the banks susceptible to landslides and erosion, which in turn contributes to meandering.Moreover, it can be argued that the overall condition of convex curvature in Khorramabad River and its floodplain has contributed to a decrease in meandering, as the flow velocity is higher in convex bends compared to the concave ones, thereby acting as an inhibiting factor for meandering. While the curvature of the profile varies at nearly every pixel level, its values tend towards negative in parts where the river is located near ridges, indicating increased erosion. Conversely, positive values suggest increased sedimentation due to a decrease in flow velocity.Characterized by simpler conditions, the Kernel Logistic Regression Method examines areas with the potential for meandering, thus selecting a smaller and narrower extent for prediction. In contrast, the Support Vector Machine Method acts more strictlyand selects a broader range. However, the method is considered to be more accurate, as RMSE and MAPE evaluation statistics bear the minimum values of 0.15 and 0.20, respectively, while the NS and CORR statistics enjoy the maximum values of 0.83 and 0.85 compared to other methods, respectively.

Meandering in the river located north of Khorramabad is a process influenced by geomorphological and hydrological features, leading to agricultural land degradation, reduced production, and increased suspended sediment load. From a geomorphological perspective, this study can play a significant role in river engineering. Therefore, activities such as channel modification, shoreline protection, dredging, and sand mining cannot be carried out without knowledge of river engineering.

Operating factoriws are among the main sources of pollution especially in arid and semi-arid areas due to soil erosion and accumulation of plants, bringing about adverse consequences for the environment. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the phytoremediation potential of the Lycium depressum Stocks and determine the shape, size, and the composition of the synthesized particles in terms of the intensity of As, Ni, Cr, Co, and V metals accumulated on the plant’s aerial organs due to the activity of iodine factory in Golestan province using FESEM and EDX microscope. It should be noted that the reason for choosing the aforementioned tree species is that the plant is native to and dominant in the region, thus providing high chances of establishment in the study area.                                                                 

Materials and methods:

Characterized by Lycium genus and Sloanaceae family origin, Lycium depressum L. is the only native perennial tree-like species in the region, being known as a salt and drought tolerant plant. Recently, the species has been planted in Iran by Golestan Province’s Natural Resources and Watershed Management Department to promote vegetation. For research purposes of this study, the required samples of L.depressum species were randomly collected from the iodine factory at five distances of 12.52, 12.75, 15.14, and 13.97 kilometers, respectively (W1, W2, W3, W4, W5) using cross-sections extracted from the stem and roots of the plant. Moreover, the shape, size, and composition of the synthesized particles were checked using FESEM and EDX microscopes. Then, the concentration of the intended metals accumulated on the aerial orgnas and roots of the collected samples was calculated through an atomic absorption device. 

According to the results of the study, the average concentration of Ni, Co, V, Cr, and AS in L. depressum samples was found to be 11.35, 675.78, 30.83, 246.72, and 55.34 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, the highest and lowest concentration of the metals belonged to Ni and AS, respectively, followed by Co, V, and Cr. On the other hand, the highest concentration of the metals at W5, W4, and W2 distances were reported in aerial organs, while at the other two distances (W1 and W3), the concentration was found out to be higher at the plant’s stems than in its roots.The results of the metal Transfer Factor revealed that the average rate of Transfer Factor for Ni, Co, As, Cr and, V was greater than one in W1 and W3, being reported to be 1.42, 1.38, 1.19, 1.38 mg/kg, and 1.10 in W1, and 1.13, 1.12, 1.06, 1.12, and 1.15 mg/kg in W3, respectively). However, the average rate of the factor was near one at W2 and less than one W5, W4 for Ni, Co, As, Cr, and V, being reported to be 0.96, 0.96, 0.98, 0.96, and 0.96 mg/kg at W2, respectively; 0.85, 0.87, 0.93, 0.87, and 0.92 mg/kg at W4, respectively, and 0.47, 0.50, 0.66, 0.50, and 0.82 mg/kg at W5, respectively). Moreover, the average rate of the Transfer Factor was less than one Ni, Co, As, Cr, and V at all distances (W1: 0.41, 0.39, 0.43, 0.39, and 0.42 mg/kg, respectively; W2: 0.42, 0.41, 0.44, 0.40, and 0.43 mg/kg, respectively; W3: 0.41, 0.39, 0.43, 0.39, and 0.40 mg/kg, respectively; W4: 0.49, 0.47, 0.49, 0.46, and 0.46 mg/kg, respectively; W5: 0.67, 0.65, 0.55, 0.64, and 0.49 mg/kg, respectively). Furthermore, the results of the combination of chemical elements in L. depressum samples showed that C and O were the dominant elements in all five samples, and some elements such as K, Cl, and Ca were observed in many of the stems and roots of the collected samples. However, some elements were found to have lower percentages (P, S, Si, Fe and Al) in the roots of the samples. 

Considering the increading exploitation of the the industries worldwide, it is necessary to control the pollution made by them. Therefore, using different plants in industrial areas can help reduce the pollution made by industries, proving the grounds for effective biological management of the lands. Therefore, according to the results of this study, L. depressum plants are suitable for cleaning the soil of the industrial and other similar areas polluted by high concentraion of Ni.

Water is the main element of human life and is considered as a valuable and irreplaceable commodity in the economic and social development of countries. Therefore, the present study examines the factors affecting the water demand of households in selected rural areas of Kerman city using Dematel method. This study was a descriptive-cross-sectional type and the questionnaire of this study was filled by experts and the results of Dematel’s cause and effect analysis showed that the measure of household income has the greatest influence on other variables of the model, which is equal to 0.96. The criterion of farm size and water quality also has the highest influence rate among other model variables, which is equal to 0.77. Also, the household income factor has the highest interaction with other factors of the system, which is equal to 1.61, so this variable was identified as the most important criterion for the water demand of rural households. Therefore, through culture building, advertising and sufficient information, we should act on the awareness of households regarding the consequences of the water crisis, and by creating a suitable platform, oblige them to take the necessary measures, change the habits and inappropriate behavior of water consumption, and save water. He consumed water.

Rural guide plans with the approach of reforming and improving infrastructure and the most important tool of rural development management, has a history of implementation for nearly three decades in the country. Currently, despite the efforts made, the problem of flooding and water shortage still remains in many villages of the country, including Fars province, where the guide plans has been implemented. In this research, the problems of guide plans from the perspective of watershed management have been investigated in two areas of flood management and watershed management. Spatial development of villages in the form of guide plans, regardless of the issues of flood management and aquifers, severely reduces the resilience of villages in two fields: floods and groundwater reduction. In order to increase the resilience of villages and a more comprehensive future study of guide plans, flood management (by maintaining waterways in the villages) and foresight regarding the implementation of watershed activities (by determining suitable lands) are suggested. The implementation of watershed management activities in the upstream of the agricultural lands around the villages) should be seen seriously in the guiding plans and in the direction of rural development and increasing the physical resilience of the villages. Paying attention to the watershed area upstream of the target villages, future research regarding water supply Sustainable agriculture with the strategy of watershed activities and rural flood management with the preservation of waterways and dry rivers in the area of the villages is necessary for this.

Wind is the main factor in the destruction and erosion of arid and semi-arid areas, and in order to prevent its destructive effects, sufficient knowledge of the characteristics of the winds in the region must be obtained. The purpose of this research is to investigate the erosive wind regimes using hourly data of wind speed and direction to draw sand rose, wind rose, storm flowers and also the potential of sand transport in 6 stations located in the Salt Lake basin to determine the speed classes. The wind and the ability to carry sand and its effect on the formation of sand dunes. By examining the relationship between the spatial pattern and the state of excitability of erosive winds, the conditions for the formation and expansion of sand dunes are determined. In this research, using WRPLOT and Sand Rose Graph software, anemometer data of 6 synoptic stations of Arak, Golpaygan, Imam Khomeini Airport (RA), Kashan, Qazvin and Qom were analyzed and analyzed in a statistical period of 20 years (2002-2021). The zoning of the final potential of sand transport and its annual and seasonal values were prepared using ArcGIS software. The results of the annual Wind Roses of the region showed that despite the great temporal and spatial changes of the wind in the region, most of the prevailing winds blow from the northwest and then the west. The annual storm flowers of the region showed that most of the dominant and erosive winds blow from the northwest. The annual assessment of Sand Rose in the studied stations shows that the highest value of the algebraic result of the sand carrying potential occurs at Qazvin station with 4220.2 vector units and the lowest value of the result occurs at Arak station with 93.1 vector units. The wind direction homogeneity index at Imam Khomeini Airport station (RA) has a wind regime of mixed multidirectional winds with a sharp angle, and in other stations, bidirectional winds with a wide angle occur. Taking into account the carrying capacity of each vector unit, the highest transferability of the amount of sand per year is about 295.4 cubic meters per unit of width at Qazvin station and the lowest transferability of sand per year is about 6.5 cubic meters per unit of width at the station. Arak was estimated. The high potential of the winds of the Namak Lake basin, especially the Qazvin station, has the potential to produce sediment caused by wind erosion. Also, more in-depth studies should be conducted on the effects of wind erosion on vegetation recovery, biodiversity and land productivity.