Short communication: Study on heavy metals (Chromium, Cadmium, Cobalt and Lead) concentration in three pelagic species of kilka (Genus Clupeonella) in the southern Caspian Sea

Environmental pollution by heavy metals has been a matter of growing concern over the last decades. Heavy metals are toxic and tend to accumulate in living organisms. In many studies, fish has been used as a sampling item to monitor the quality of ecosystems because of two reasons: 1- Fish bio-concentrate and integrate contaminant load both in time and space leading to more representative results compared to water samples, and 2- Fish represent the bio-available fraction of environmental contaminants, unlike water and sediment samples. On the other hand, humans consume fish species which makes attention to these fauna even more important. Levels of some metals in the water running in Volga River, towards the Caspian Sea, and elevated concentrations of some trace elements have been reported in sediment. Also, various pollutants have accumulated in the Caspian Sea due to effluents from coastal catchments and leakage from offshore oil production and land-based sources. ... The objective of the present study was to investigate the concentrations of chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co) and lead (Pb) in fish muscle in the most commercially important fish species of kilka (common kilka, C. cultriventris, anchovy C. engrauliformis and bigeye kilka C. grimmi) in the Caspian Sea

Site selection for coldwater fish culture using GIS in Golestan province of Iran

In an attempt to provide a scientific basis and to discern data gaps for sustainable aquaculture expansion, we conducted a land evaluation and land use planning study to delineate areas suitable for coldwater fish culture complexes in the Golestan Province of Iran. The study was based on systematic land evaluation, a modified version of the McHarg cartographic method drawing upon ecological, social and economic factors. The minimum mapped area was 1.25t1.25Km and the Province was classified into suitable, medium, poor and unsuitable units. Elevation, slope, aspect, hydrography, temperature, evaporation, lithology, pedology, landuse, proximity to roads, protected areas and water resources were the factors included in the study. We successfully applied the method to the Province that resulted in distinguishing areas suitable for coldwater fish culture. Of the factors included in the study, proximity to roads was found to play important role in allocating an area to the activity. Also, slope, elevation, water temperature and evaporation were the other factors that helped in discerning the areas. We found that some parts of the province are amenable to the expansion of the aquaculture activities. Of the surface area of the Province, around 53 kilometers were found to be suitable for the culture. Also, 54 kilometers were moderately suitable and 68 kilometers were poorly suitable for the activity

Estimating Rangeland Vegetation Frequency & Density Using Low-altitude Aerial Photographs

Remote sensing and aerial photography are means of exploring, studying and estimating vegetation variables such as species frequency and density in forests and rangelands. Common remote sensing images usually offer general information about vegetation parameters. For detailed information about vegetation (e.g. estimation of vegetation density and/or frequency), larger scale images are needed. The present research was conducted to estimate the density of rangeland vegetation in Inche Boroon area, north of Gorgan city. Using aerial photographs acquired from digital camera mounted on a tittered balloon in different flight altitudes, density and frequency of the main shrub species of the studied region, Halocnemum strobilaceum, were estimated on photographs at different scales (from 1:50 – to 1:1000) and were compared with field measurements. Results showed no significant difference between the field and image estimation of density below 1:600 (heights lower than 75 m) but at lower scales the difference was significant. No significant difference between field and image estimation of shrub frequency was also observed up to the scale of 1:1000. Due to the wider field of view of photographs at smaller scales, flight heights of 75 m and 130 m are thus suggested as the appropriate heights to estimate Halocnemum strobilaceum density and frequency respectively in the study area

The Application of Traffic Noise Modeling to Define Road Ecological Effect Zone in Natural Habitats of Lorestan Province

Noise pollution of roads can propagate within a broader extent than the road only. This spatial space is called "road ecological effect zone" which is known as the natural areas exposed by 40 dB or greater noise level in both sides of the road. In this study, using Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CRTN) model, the propagation range of noise from Lorestan road network was simulated. Then, the natural habitats of oak forests, scattered woodlands, and grassland affected by the zone were analyzed. The results showed that the road ecological effect zone is between 50 to 2000 meter based on 40 dB noise level. Besides, the habitats within Khorramabad, Poldokhtar, and Karkheh watersheds are receiving the most effects from the road networks. In addition, in the studied area, 6.2% of oak forests, 8.4% of scattered woodlands, and 12.1% of grasslands are within the road ecological effect zone. Moreover, 7.4% of the protected areas in Lorestan province are under effects of road traffic noise, where Chahaeshakh no-hunting zone with 42.6%, Poldokhtar wetlands with 28.6%, and Azna-Doroud wildlife refuge with 13% effect are the most affected areas

A MODIS-based estimation of chlorophyll a concentration using ANN model and in-situ measurements in the southern Caspian Sea

924-928Chlorophyll-a data of the MODIS sensor with in-situ chlorophyll measurements from the southern Caspian Sea (SCS) is compared in the present study. Analysis showed an overestimation of chlorophyll-a concentration by MODIS in the area. Results also indicated a root mean square (RMS) log error of 39.4%, for 53 coincident data points. An artificial neural network (ANN) with radial basis function was applied to the in-situ measurements and satellite imagery. It included physical-chemical properties of water as ancillary independent variables in the ANN procedure that enhanced the predictive capability of the model. Evaluation of the predictive capability of ANN approach was satisfying (RMS log error 18.9%). Results showed retrieving chlorophyll-a concentration in the SCS from satellite is possible and will be improved through application of ANN and explanatory environmental parameters

Investigation of urban growth impacts on suitability of conservational patches using a landscape ecological approach (Study Area: Korganroud Watershed)

Urbanization is one of the most significant global changes. The rapid growth in urban area isimposing high pressure to land and their resources. With regard to various ecological services of the Hyrcanian ecosystems and the necessity to conserve them, this research aimed to investigate the growth trend of urban areas and their impacts on land suitability of the conservational patches in Korganroud watershed, Guilan Province. First, the undeveloped parts of the watershed were divided into two main ecosystem types of forest and rangeland. Then, for each ecosystem type, required parameters of the CAPS Model (land capability and ecological parameters) were calculated and combined using linear combination approach. In total, 14 different zones with an area o 64,541 hectare (19% of the watershed‘s area: 13% jungle and 6% rangeland ecosystems) were distinguished as conservational patches. Simulation of the urban growth was done using a Markov-Cellular Automata Urban Change Modeling method called SLEUTH. We designed three different scenarios of historical, managed and ecologically sustainable growth for the period of 2008 - 2050. Finally, integration of the results of two approaches was implemented using a loose coupling approach. Results reflect a general trend in decline of patch suitability influenced by type and size of the urban area growth. According to the results, the observed changes in urban growth for the historical scenario provide a development approach different to the changes for the other two scenarios which collectively fall in another approach to development. Thus, conservational suitability of the area can be preserved by changing the development approach and harnessingcurrent trend of the urban area growth

Recreational Interests of Visitors and Their Effects on Miankaleh Wildlife Refuge

Today, ecotourism is a major tourist activity around the world. Ecotourism is one of the strategies for supporting conservation and ensuring income in the protected areas. When implemented within the capabilities of natural systems evaluated based on natural and socio-economic factors, ecotourism can simultaneously lead to regional prosperity and environmental protection. The goal of research is determination of natural potential, recreational opportunity, and effective factors in their choice in natural areas. The area is located south of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces. We used questionnaires and field survey for collecting public opinions. Results indicated the high tendency of visitors for bird watching, swimming, nature photography and filming and boating among all the suggested recreational activities. Also, the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used for assessment of the relationships between age, sex and visitor groups and recreational activities. We found significant relationships between the groups in many of recreational activities such as research, resting and photography and filming of nature. The results of this study showed this area lacked sufficient facilities for visitors, therefore planning, preparation and implementation of comprehensive tourism infrastructure are essential to attract more ecotourists that can also reduce negative effects of recreational activities on the environment

Evaluation of Vegetation Supply Water Index through Time-Series Images of MODIS Products in Drought Monitoring over Gavkhuni Basin

Drought is one of the main factors of ecological potential stress due to the wide extension of the time scale and impact space. The performance of regional drought monitoring using the meteorological indicators is a challenge due to spatial distribution constraints. In present study, 168 time series images including NDVI and LST indices were used. Integrating these two indices, VSWI was used to assess near-real-time and spatial-temporal spatial drought monitoring in Gavkhoni basin during 2003 to 2014. The SPI was assigned as the basis and the feedback of satellite and meteorological indices was assessed using Pearson correlation test. The results of the study of the relationships between the mean annual values of the VSWI and SPI indices during the same period showed a value of 0.578. In order to study the significance of the indices correlation, a nonparametric Spearman correlation test was added to the study. In addition, the results of the spatio-temporal pattern of the annual VSWI, indicating a severe long-term drought in the southeastern parts of the Zayandehrud dam and the entire Gavkhoni wetland area. The adaptation of this map to the meteorological drought map indicates the efficiency of integrating NDVI and LST satellite indices in drought monitoring

A Comparison of Simulated Annealing (SA) and Multi Objective Land Allocation (MOLA) for Solving the Problem of Multi-Objective Land Allocation

The goal of multi-objective land use assessment and allocation (MOLAA) is provision of an optimal allocation of all land uses with maximum suitability. Different techniques of multiple criteria decision making have proven useful as decision support tool for solving a MOLAA problem. SA and MOLA are two different MCDM approaches that can provide solution to a MOLAA problem using different decision rules. This paper aims to provide an informed choice about these methods by comparing their performance in optimal allocation of study area to four land uses including agriculture, forestry, rangeland and development. Visual interpretation of the results showed that SA maximized overall land use suitability with better spatial compactness than MOLA. At the land use level, except for agricultural lands, MOLA allocated more suitable land units to development, forestry and rangeland than SA. Considering results in terms of landscape patterns by FRAGSTATS software, we found that SA has produced better land use patterns with higher spatial compactness than MOLA. The main problem of MOLA is insufficient attention to compactness factor that results in spreading of pixels in final map