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Podoces - Volume:4 Issue: 2, 2009

Podoces
Volume:4 Issue: 2, 2009

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1388/10/11
  • تعداد عناوین: 8
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  • Tayebeh Arbabi, Mansour Aliabadian, Abolghasem Khaleghizadeh Page 71
    In order to study morphometrical and skeletal differences between threepopulations of the Iranian subspecies of the Great Tits Parus major, 40 specimens werecollected during autumn 2001 to spring 2002. The specimens were obtained from threelocalities: Vakilabad forest park (Mashhad), Noor forest park (Noor) and Abbasabadgardens on the southern slopes of Alvand Mountain (Hamedan), representing P.m.intermedius, P.m. karelini and P.m. blanfordi, respectively. We utilised a large set (29) ofmorpho-skeletal characteristics for comparison in univariate and multivariate analysesusing SPSS and Past programs. The Bonferonni univariate test revealed that 21characteristics were significantly different among the three populations (p<0.05). TheTukey multivariate test showed that in a pairwise comparison of the measured factorsamong three paired populations, only nares to tip, humerus and mid-toe length weredifferent in all the three pairwise populations, while wing breadth, tail length, tail index,carpo-metacarpus, tarso-metatarsus bone, brain-case height, brain-case breadth, lacrymalbreadth and mandible length differed in only one of the three paired populations, and body length, shield width, wingspan, wing length, proportion of white wedge of the outer pair tail feathers to tail length, femur, tibiotarsus, profile length and height of the ramus mandible differed in two paired populations (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between any of the three pairwise populations for the remaining factors, i.e. bill length, bill depth,tarso-metatarsus length, ulna, radius, coracoid, interorbital constriction and bill length by side (p>0.05). While PCA analysis showed that the populations of Mashhad and Noor are of different ecotypes, cluster analysis (which considered all morphometric measurements) suggested the Hamedan birds as the most differentiated population of the three.Mitochondrial sequences by other authors showed that the three geographically closepopulations are distinct from each other.
  • Elchin H. Sultanov, Aytekin F. Jabbarova Page 81
    Seven wintering heron species as well as White Stork Ciconia ciconia and GreaterFlamingo Phoenicopterus roseus were surveyed in all 27 important wetlands of the Azerbaijan Republic during the winter seasons of 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. Three species (Night Heron, Cattle Egret and White Stork) were not regular wintering migrants. The most numerous species was by far Greater Flamingo (10,974) followed by Little Egret Egretta garzetta (798) while the numbers of three species, namely Grey Heron Ardea cinerea (396), Great White Heron Egretta alba (381) and Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris (382) were quite similar. In terms of maximum bird numbers in selected sites, Gizilagach State Nature Reserve (6,978), Ajinohur (3,501) and Lake Aggyol (1,380) had the highest numbers of birds observed. Grey Heron, Little Egret and Great White Heron were registered on the majority of the wetlands (22, 21 and 20 sites, respectively) wheras Greater Flamingo was recorded only on six wetlands.
  • Behrouz Behrouzi-Rad Page 88
    The total extent of the Hamoun wetlands (Pouzak, Hirmand and Sabari) insucculent years (fully wet years) fluctuates from 200,000 to 570,000 ha, but in dry years it reduces to almost zero. The Hirmand River is the only important water resource of theHamoun wetlands. The wintering population of waterbirds varies from 600,000 individualsto zero. The population of wintering waterbirds in a January waterbird count (Scott 1972)comprised 537,482 individuals (wet year), but in January 2007, it was zero because thewetlands were completely dried out. During wet years, 77 species of waterbirds have been recorded in Hamoun. Under succulent conditions in 1972, 1975, 1981, 1983 and 1994, 43 Iranian protected bird species (both terrestrial and aquatic) and three globally threatened species (Pelecanus crispus, Oxyura leucocephala and Aythya nyroca) were observed at the Hamoun wetlands (Mid-winter Waterbird Census, Scott 1972, 1975, DOE 1981–2004).
  • Aarif Kunnadkkum Muhammad Page 100
    The study on feeding ecology of the Lesser Sand Plover (LSP) at Kadalundyestuary from July 2007 to December 2008, revealed that there were 13 species ofcrustaceans and 16 species of polychaete worms identified in the study area of which allidentified small crab species(4 species) and polychaete worms (4 species) were consumedby LSPs. The highest number of crustacean species was found in mangroves (11 species).In contrast the highest species number of polychaete worms (13 species) was seen in themudflats while no polychaete worm was identified in the sandy beds. Of the Crustaceans,Sesarma quadrata and Ocypoda sp. occurred in all the habitats. Sampling polychaeteworms undertaken once a month showed that the number peaked at 39 in December 2008 in mudflats. Using direct observations once a week, the number of feeding birds was at its highest in December and January. Pearson correlation test showed significant relationship between the number of polychaete worms and feeding LSPs both at mudflats and mangroves (p<0.05) and the Scheffe univariate test (ANOVA) showed significant differences between the three habitat zones (p<0.01). The highest number of average total pecks at prey was seen at mudflats (82.1 in the morning and 128.0 in the afternoon). Out of 128 pecks, 61.6 were for crustaceans and 12.9 for polychaete worms.
  • Esmaeil Alizadeh Page 108
    Field experiments were conducted in 2007 and 2008 to evaluate the impact ofthe House Sparrow Passer domesticus on the yield of Sunflower in Khoy, northwesternIran. Three cultivars of sunflower (Alstar, Euroflor, and KSC43/128) were planted in foursowing dates with 15 day intervals. The results showed that the House sparrow has asignificant impact on the yield of the tested cultivars. The damage rate reached 74.89%,78.18% and 83.61% for the three cultivars; KSC43/128, Euroflor, Alstar respectively. Thehighest rate of damage was recorded for the first sowing date (86.05%) while the lowestwas on the fourth date (75.63%). The results suggested that KSC43/128 was the mostresistant to bird damage of the tested cultivars.
  • Maarten Pieter Lantsheer, Reinoud Vermoolen, Ashraf Ali Hoseini, Hosein Askari Page 115
  • Muhammad Naeem Awan, Sardar Muhammad Rafique, Muhammad Ishtiaq Chaudry Page 117
    A study was conducted from June 2007 to May 2008 on monthly basis and the changes in bird diversity were determined after the earthquake in the Muzaffarabad city on 8 October 2005. A total of 93 species were recorded: two species were passagemigrants, 36 residents, 40 summer visitors and the remaining 15 species were winter visitors. About 36 species were new in the present study. Illegal hunting, unawareness and urbanization were main threats to the species and education at school level and enforcement of the legislation are the major conservation measures suggested in the study.
  • Mohammad Tohidifar, Mohammad Kaboli, Mahmoud Karami, Mohammad B. Sadough Page 124
    In the surveys conducted every two weeks, from late April to early August 2008, breeding birds of Meyghan wetland were listed in three categories: possible breeding (PsB), probable breeding (PrB) and confirmed breeding (CB). Of 125 speciesrecorded in Meyghan wetland, breeding of 17 species was confirmed and 20 others were classified as probable or possible breeders. Six micro-habitats were identified for the breeding birds and for eight species, this was the first record of breeding at this site.