The study of the principles and methods of architectural design in the protected context of Meymand Historic Village

In the present study, we have tried to introduce and study the architecture of Meymand historic rocky village in Iran, its relationship with the surrounding nature, and its design constraints. The research is fundamental, descriptive, and analytical. Data collection methods include the use of books and published articles, field visits to Meymand village, and interviews with the villagers. Since Meymand village has been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, this paper seeks to study the rules and regulations set for this cultural heritage, the methods and constraints of construction in the region, as well as its core zone and triple zones, and the three different lifestyles of the dwellers. According to the previous studies, the application of the regulations prescribed by the Cultural Heritage Organization in Meymand has led to the creation of a preservative precinct in the village so that anything that would cause destruction or damage to the core zone (including damages to the visual features) is prohibited. The construction of new buildings and pathways in the core zone is prohibited, and permissible interventions are limited to restoration, revitalization, repair, change of use, change of interior spaces, and the removal of newlyestablished and non-native buildings (to maintain the native look of the village). Everything must be done in such a way that it does not undermine the natural environment of the zone. It is imperative to preserve the historic monuments and cultural landscape within the core zone. The construction of new buildings is forbidden in zones 1 and 2, but infrastructure, welfare, and tourism services can be established, aiming to preserve the cultural, historical, and natural values of the region. Saraghol area in zone 3 is the only area where the construction of new buildings is allowed. In any case, any new construction should be in harmony with the surrounding environment. Therefore, the design should be indigenous and limited to the surface of the earth, and the height must not disturb the skyline of the area. Besides, to preserve the cultural landscape, the indigenous construction methods have priority over the modern ones

The effect of Word of Mouth on Domestic Tourists’ Decision for Traveling to Foreign Countries

Word of mouth (WOM) is a powerful promotional instrument and an important information source influencing on attitudes and purchasing decision of consumers. It plays a critical role in services in which quality of consumers’ beliefs affects their choice. WOM has a particular importance in tourism industry because intangible products cannot be used before consumption. The current study aims to investigate using WOM as an information source among tourists. Population is Iranian tourists who have travelled to foreign countries during the period of the research. Conducting a pilot test, sample size was estimated 138 people. Convenience sampling plan was employed to collect data. To test hypotheses, one-sample t-test, Pearson correlation, regression analysis and analysis of variance was used. Results revealed that word of mouth has a significant impact on tourists’ decision for travelling inbound countries. Further, age, gender, education, and travel experience had a significant impact on using word of mouth. However, Trip purpose had not significant effect on using word of mouth

Impact of warming on biofouling communities in the northern Persian Gulf

While the impact of ocean warming on single species is well described, the impact on marine biofouling communities is not well understood. Effluents of power plants have higher temperatures and can be used as natural large-scale test sites to investigate warming effects on marine ecosystems. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of elevated temperatures in the vicinity of a power plant on macro-biofouling communities in the northern coast of the Persian Gulf. The impact site was on average 2 °C warmer than the control site. Our results demonstrate a significantly different structure and composition of biofouling communities between control and impact sites. Warming led to a 1.5-fold increase in the mean coverage of biofouling communities and slightly decreased functional and species richness. Our results indicated that future warming will likely increase biofouling pressure, while decreasing diversity of communities, particularly in habitats where organisms exist at their upper tolerance limits of temperature