A herbivore specific grazing capacity model accounting for spatio-temporal environmental variation: A tool for a more sustainable nature conservation and rangeland management

Grazing with livestock is a common feature of nature and rangeland management. Although both aim at different, seemingly opposing goals, i.e. maintenance of biodiversity values versus maximization of animal production, they nonetheless have a common interest in maintaining the rangeland or natural environment in a state that ensures either the first or the second goal. In order to accomplish an effective and efficient grazing management, in terms of grazer density, grazer composition, grazing seasonality, and to prevent under- and overgrazing, a grazing capacity model (GCM) was developed, that should be applicable in both rangeland and nature conservation management conditions and that takes spatio-temporal environmental variation into account. This spatio-temporally dynamic model considers crucial variables at both the terrain and the grazer level, such as (seasonally) fluctuating forage yield, forage quality, plant palatability, accessibility of the area, soil erosion vulnerability, animal nutritive requirements, animal behaviour and general habitat condition. It predicts the optimal grazer species and density, taking into account the seasonal variation in animal needs and fluctuating terrain characteristics. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to define each parameter's relative impact on the final outcome of the model.We present the GCM outline and illustrate the functionality of this model for Shetland ponies and Highland cattle, grazing in a temperate coastal dune environment. According to the model, seasonal fluctuations in optimal grazer densities occur: the area can support higher densities in summer and autumn than it can during winter and spring. With the current density of grazing animals and the choice for year-round grazing at non-fluctuating animal densities, the model consequently predicts overgrazing in winter and undergrazing in summer and autumn. Both undergrazing and overgrazing scenarios might lead to non-sustainable situations in the future.     

Exposure to ionizing radiations and changes in blood cells and interleukin-6 in radiation workers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Long-term exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can cause dire health consequences even less than the dose limits. Previous biomonitoring studies have...     

Effects of the Bam earthquake on employment: a shift-share analysis

Disasters have potential short-term and long-term impacts on employment and employment structures in affected regions. While measuring the full economic impact of a disaster requires sophisticated econometrics and mathematical simulations, conventional regional economic models such as shift-share analysis can be used to assess some of these effects. This paper applies shift-share analysis to understand potential long-term impacts of disasters on employment using the December 2003 Bam earthquake as a case study. The results provide further evidence that disasters could have significant long-term effects on the employment structure of affected regions.     

Globalization,renewable energy consumption,and agricultural production impacts on ecological footprint in emerging countries: using quantile regression approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nowadays, paying attention to globalization and the consumption of renewable energy on the ecological footprint is one of the most important issues in...     

Estimating willingness to pay for a hypothetical earthquake early warning systems

The development of reliable, accessible, and transparent earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) for disaster reduction have been given increased priority at local, national, and international levels. Accurately quantifying the social and economic benefits accrued to households and businesses from EEWSs are a challenging and difficult task. In this paper, the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) is used to evaluate the benefits of a hypothetical EEWS to the citizens of Tehran Metropolitan. This study clarifies public willingness to pay (WTP) for EEWS in Tehran, and the dominant factors involved in WTP through a CVM analysis. The survey, completed by more than 504 households, showed that on average households are willing to pay 367,471 Rials (38 US$) per month for the hypothetical EEWS. Those willing to pay the most for EEWS are households, which currently possess a fire alarm. Also the more educated the respondents and the more children the respondents have, the more willing they are to pay for EEWS. These results could be used by policy makers and technology firms in order to determine the optimal investments in early warning systems for earthquake disaster reduction.     

Concentration of four heavy metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic) in organs of two cyprinid fish (Cyprinus carpio and Capoeta sp.) from the Kor River (Iran)

Concentration of heavy metals in aquatic animals mainly occurs due to industrial contamination. In this study, the concentrations of four heavy metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic) in organs of two cyprinid fish and in water collected from three sections of the Kor River, Iran were determined using the inductively coupled plasma method. Pathological and hormonal changes due to metal contamination were also measured. The concentrations of heavy metals in tissue of fish from the middle sampling zone were significantly higher (p?<?0.05) than those from the other two sampling zones, whereas no significant differences (p?>?0.05) were detected between the two sexes and species. High levels of metals were found in the ovaries and testes; estradiol in females and progesterone and testosterone in males from the middle study site were significantly (p?<?0.05) lower than values from the other two sites. Pathological changes in blood cells, liver, and kidneys of fishes were significantly higher in highly polluted areas (middle sampling zone). These results show that industrial activities have polluted the river and that the maximum concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Hg were higher than the permissible levels for human consumption.     

Treatment of mixed dairy and dye wastewater in anode of microbial fuel cell with simultaneous electricity generation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a green technology that converts the stored chemical energy of organic matter to electricity; therefore, it can be used...     

A time series analysis of environmental and metrological factors impact on cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence in an endemic area of Dehloran,Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the environmental and metrological variables and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission and its prediction in a region susceptible to this disease prevalence using a time series model. The accurate locations of 4437 CL diagnosed from 2011 to 2015 were obtained to be used in the time series model. Temperature, number of days with temperature over 30 °C, and number of earthquake were related to CL incidence using the Seasonal Auto-correlated Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model according to the Box-Jenkins method. In addition, the relationship between land use and surface soil type in 500- and 1000-m radius around the CL patients were investigated. The SARIMA models showed significant associations between environmental and meteorological variables and CL incidence adjusted for seasonality and auto-correlation. The result indicated that there are need more robust preventive programs in earthquake-prone areas with high temperature and inceptisol soil type than other areas. In addition, the region with these characteristics should be considered as high-risk areas for CL prevalence.     

Exploration and development of Iran's oilfields through buyback

The use of buyback for the development of oil and gas fields is an established mechanism in Iran. Current legislation authorizes the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to use buyback for both exploration and development. The buyback scheme can be defined as a risk service contract, under which the contractor is paid back by being allocated a portion of oil/gas produced as a result of providing services. Buyback is based upon a defined scope of work, a capital cost ceiling, a fixed remuneration fee and a defined cost recovery period. When buyback is used for both exploration and development, the specifications of the field to be developed are unknown at the time of contracting and therefore agreement on the scope of work, duration of development operations, ceiling for capital costs, fixed remuneration fee, and duration of cost recovery need to be deferred to the time when a commercial field is discovered. This article first outlines the introduction of buyback for development of Iran's oil and gas fields. It then examines the main features of the mechanism. Third, the use of buyback for both exploration and development is explored and related challenges discussed. Finally, the article reviews the new buyback model proposed by NIOC to address these challenges.     

Preliminary assessment of groundwater hydrogeochemistry within Gilan,a northern province of Iran

In four basins of Gilan province, groundwater samples were collected from 127 piezometric wells to investigate the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater, and additionally its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. The average concentrations of major cations and anions follow the order of Ca²⁺?>?Na⁺?>?Mg²⁺?>?K⁺ and \( {\mathrm{HCO}}_3^{-}>{\mathrm{Cl}}^{-}>{\mathrm{SO}}_4^{2-}>{\mathrm{CO}}_3^{2-} \), respectively. Using Piper diagram delineation, CaMgHCO₃ was determined as the main hydrogeochemical facies of groundwater. According to Piper diagrams, Gibbs plots, and ionic ratios, silicate weathering and ion exchange are the major processes regulating the groundwater hydrochemistry. Furthermore, saturation indices (SIs) revealed that carbonate precipitation also plays an important role in aquifers. Among the processes, weathering of silicate minerals seems to be the dominant process. Comparing the analyzed major ions and physicochemical parameters with the WHO guideline values indicates that the potability of most groundwater samples is generally acceptable. Electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solid (TDS) measurements along with sodium percentage (SP), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelley’s index (KI), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) calculations suggest that groundwater in many areas is suitable for irrigation use. Nonetheless, total hardness (TH) values ranging as high as 650.0 mg/l reveal many groundwater samples to be classified as hard and very hard, indicating a requirement for long-term monitoring and further evaluation. The present study shows that the groundwater quality in Lahijan, Astaneh, and to a lesser extent Fouman drainage basins is lower than in Talesh. Therefore, intense monitoring programs towards enhanced water management practices are recommended before poorer quality groundwater is further utilized.