Effects of ecological factors on the antioxidant potential and total phenol content of Scrophularia striata Boiss

Scrophularia striata, commonly known as figwort, is one of the most important medicinal plants that mainly grows in cold regions of the Zagros Mountains (West of Iran). Although the chemical composition of this plant species has not yet been explored, people living in Ilam province (W Iran) have used it for many years to treat different illnesses. The present study aims to analyze the effect of some ecological factors on the antioxidant potential and the amount of phenol present in this plant species, using a random factorial design with two factors (elevation and region) and three replicates. The fruits of the plant were gathered from three different elevations. They were collected from three regions of the Ilam province (Badreh, Dareshahr, and Dehloran) in June 2016, when the fruits appear. Moreover, to analyze different soil chemical and physical features, soil samples were gathered from a depth of 0.5 m under the shrubs. The antioxidant action of the methanol extract from the plant samples and the total amount of phenol compounds were measured using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. The results showed that the effects of site and elevation, and the interaction between these factors, on the antioxidant potential and total phenol amount were significant with a probability of error of 1%. The maximum extract efficiency (19.37 ± 3.07%), antioxidant potential (126.5656 ± 0.96 µg/mL), and total amount of phenol (55.7689 ± 3.17 µg/mL) were obtained from Dareshahr at an elevation of 600 m above mean sea level. The minimum amount of total phenol (24.6544 ± 3.21 µg/ml) was recorded at the lowest elevation of Badreh, at which phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon, organic material, nitrogen, acidity, lime, and silt were present at the lowest amount. However, the antioxidant activity and total amount of phenol had a strong direct correlation in the two districts of Dareshahr and Badreh, but were reversely and strongly correlated in Dehloran. Therefore, it can be stated that Scrophularia striata has the potential for antioxidant activity, however, the complexity of the effect of ecological factors on one hand, and the emergence of different chemical processes in the plant under such effects on the other hand, has led to the synthesis of different compounds with antioxidant potential in the plant in different regions

Comparison of Allelopathic Effect of Zataria Multiflora on the Germination and Growth Features of Cymbopogen Olivieri and Stipa Arabica Seedlings 1

Abstract: Application of native and genetically modified species is one of the main approaches to revival and modification of ranches. But in the mean time, it should be noted that those species that are compatible to each other should be used in vegetation expansion projects. Shiraz oregano (Zataria Multiflora) is from among those plants which could cause allelopathic effects due to their various chemical compositions. Hence, due to profusion of this plant throughout the Khalil Beig ranch of Arsanjan, and the considerable amount of Stipa Arabica and Cymbopogen Olivieri in the adjacent areas to this ranch that are consumed by the livestock, it was decided to study the possibility of applying the aforesaid species for expansion of vegetation throughout the Khalil Beig ranch. To this end, an investigation was conducted in the greenhouse environment using the soil taken from the habitat of Shiraz oregano. Underground and aerial parts of this plant were collected and extracts of 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent as well as 50 and 100 % densities were obtained from aerial and underground parts, respectively. Also, a bittern was considered as the prototype (distilled water). Seeds of Sarabica and C.olivieri were cultivated in flower pots containing the soils of oregano habitat and were irrigated using the abovementioned bitterns throughout the entire study. The investigations lasted for 5 weeks and the germination and growth rates of seedlings were recorded on a daily basis. In the end, characteristics of both species such as percentage of germination, length of stem, length of root, wet weight of stem, wet weight of root, dry weight of stem and dry weight of root affected by different density percentages of Shiraz oregano extract were analyzed through variance analysis. The Duncan test was applied for comparison of means. The results represented the preventive effect of compositions existing in Shiraz oregano on the studied features and the less vulnerability of S.arabica as compared with the C.olivieri

Comparison of chemical characteristics of shoot, root and litter in three range species of Salsola rigida, Artemisia sieberi and Stipa barbata

Some chemical characteristics of root, shoot and litter of index species such as Salsola rigida, Artemisia sieberi and Stipa barbata commonly used in rangeland development projects were evaluated and compared. Chemical properties of soil under and between the above mentioned species were also studied. For this purpose, vegetation types of Stipa barbata and Artemisia sieberi - Salsola rigida were selected in Zarand-eSaveh rangelands. Totally, 30 individuals of each species within each type were randomly selected for shoot, root and litter sampling and chemical analyses. Also, values of N, P, K, C and C/N ratio were measured in different parts of the species. Results showed that the highest and lowest C/N ratios were related to Stipa barbata root and Artemisia sieberi shoots, respectively. N and P values of Stipa barbata litter were the lowest while Artemisia sieberi and Salsola rigida shoots had the highest values of P and N, respectively. Litter of Salsola rigida and shoot of Artemisia sieberi had the lowest and highest K, respectively. C/N ratio of A. sieberi soil was lower than rest of the species

Study of tagging effects on surviving rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat

Study of tagging effects on survival rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat was a part of a large research plan on conservation and restoration of Caspian trout stocks in the Southern Caspian by Coldwater Fishes Research Center. Catching brooders, propagation, larvae and juvenile rearing were carried out in Southern coasts and rivers of Caspian sea and in shahid Bahonar propagation center in Kelardasht, Mazandaran (North of Iran) in autumn 2012. 150 fries for each treatment (5, 10 and 20 g fries and Plastic T tag, elastomer tag and control treatments) anesthetized, weighed (g), measured (mm), tagged, disinfected and introduced to cement ponds. Fries were kept and fed for 5 days and their behavior and responses to food, infection of wound and mortality were recorded. No mortality were observed in all treatments, fries were shocked for few hours after handling and did not take food but they started to feed from the first day after tagging and there was no infection in macroscopic observation of wound

Interrelations Between Plants and Environmental Variables

Distribution and abundance of plants has been correlated with a variety of complex environmental gradients. Environmental factors affect plants growth and need to be understood by ecosystem managers. This study was carried out to examine the relationships between site factors and different vascular and non-vascular plants in north of Iran. For this purpose, vegetation and soil sampling was performed along 8 transects each with a length of 300 m in key areas of the rangeland. Also, topographic properties including elevation, slope and aspect were recorded in sampling points, too. Using TWINSPAN, classification of the vegetation was performed. After grouping of the species, Multivariate technique of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the relationships between vegetation and site factors. The results of classification revealed that species are classified to 6 ecological groups. The interesting result was that vascular and non-vascular plants were positioned in approximately separated groups. Also, each group according to the contained species showed different correlation with site factors. Properties of nutrient status, EC, texture and slope aspect were the most important factors that correlated strongly with the distribution of ecological groups in the study area, but the strength and weakness of the correlation was different based on the species of each group

Accumulation and distribution of metals in Phragmites australis (common reed) and Scirpus maritimus (alkali bulrush) in contaminated soils of Lia industrial area

The concentration of three metals, zinc, copper and chromium in roots, rhizomes, stems and leaves of Phragmites australis (common reed) and Scirpus maritimus, and in the corresponding sediment and water samples from Lia industrial area (Qazvin, Iran) were investigated to determine difference in distribution among plant organs. Data were collected at during 1-year period. Results showed that metals concentrations in plant organs decreased in the order of roots ¿ rhizomes ¿ leaves ¿stems. Concentration of Zn, Cu and Cr were enriched in roots and rhizomes of both plants in summer and autumn. Stem concentrations of metals in S. maritimus however, had no significant difference throughout 1-year period. In contrast, the metal contents of leaves were elevated in spring and autumn. Patterns of leaves and stem concentration of Zn, Cu and Cr were similar to S. maritimus leaves.This research was supported by a grant from the Natural Resources Faculty of Tehran University.Peer Reviewe