محمدجواد امیری

The watershed of the Karaj River, which is located in the southern of the Middle Alborz Mountain range in the north of the city of Karaj, is the source of water supply for the urban settlements of Karaj, Tehran and satellite towns, industrial towns, agriculture and environmental ecosystems of the regions. It is downstream. Amir Kabir Dam, which is one of the reservoirs for drinking water and supplying electricity to the megacities of Karaj and Tehran, is built on the Karaj River. If there is a change in the amount of water, snow storage or its land cover, it can severely affect the life of the downstream environmental and human ecosystems. In order to deal with these conditions, the situation of the Karaj watershed's snow reserves should be known. The land use map should be prepared with proper accuracy so that the ecosystem services that exist in this basin can be identified based on it. If the climatic condition and ecosystem services are estimated, a suitable strategic strategy for watershed management can be formulated. Therefore, the main goal of this current research is to evaluate and understand the changes in snow deposits and land use in the Karaj watershed in the last 30 years and the effect of these changes on the ecosystem services of this basin.

By implementing the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, the land use map for 1990 and 2020 was prepared. Considering the mountainous nature of the basin and the absence of urban or rural settlements, land use was classified into four classes: cold mountain pastures, water area, snow area and gardens. After preparing basic maps of land use and snow cover, the changes in ecosystem services provided by the Karaj watershed were quantified and compared in 1990 and 2020. InVEST software was used to calculate ecosystem services and the obtained maps were drawn in ArcGIS pro software.

The results showed that in the last 20 years (2000-2020), about 6312 hectares of snow deposits in the Karaj watershed have melted and left the basin as runoff. From 1990 to 2020, about 14,640 hectares of cold mountain pastures have been reduced, but about 1,189 hectares have been added to the area of urban gardens. The results of the quantification of ecosystem services showed that the bad quality of ecosystem services increased by more than 15 thousand hectares in 2020, and the same amount of good quality of the ecosystem was reduced, that these changes are related to the conversion of pasture lands and bush vegetation to It is an urban garden. Also, about 113,313 tons of carbon deposition has been reduced over the past 30 years, the main reason for which is the conversion of pastures and groves to urban gardens. Therefore, it can be concluded that the conversion of pastures and groves in the valleys of the Karaj River into man-made urban gardens and tourist attractions has reduced the ecosystem services of the Karaj watershed in the past 30 years.

The reduction of pastures, bushes and cold woodlands in the Alborz mountains in the Karaj watershed and the increase of urban gardens and tourist centers lead to a decrease in the quality of the ecosystem and also to a decrease in the amount of carbon sequestered by natural pastures and groves. In such a way that during the last 30 years, about 104,826 tons of carbon sequestration has been reduced, which is caused by these land use changes. On the other hand, the good quality of ecosystems has also decreased by about 15,167 hectares and has turned into bad ecosystem quality. Therefore, it can be concluded that the land use changes and climate changes that happened during the last 30 years lead to a decrease in the services that the environmental ecosystems of the Karaj watershed can provide and cause environmental sustainability.

Changes in land use sometimes lead to changes in the natural functioning of the environment and the long term, affect the provision of ecosystem goods and services. Therefore, today, the investigation of land use changes has become one of the most important factors in land management decisions. In this study, with different defined scenarios, land use was modeled and the impact of each scenario on selected ecosystem services in Miankale biosphere reserve in Mazandaran province was mapped. At first, the current situation was determined and the land use map was drawn using satellite images. Land use scenario writing based on questionnaires completed by experts and decision-makers in the field of environment and natural resources, including environmental conservation, economic development, and sustainable development, and the scenario of continuing the existing process, and at the end, land use change modeling and mapping of selected ecosystem services (water supply, habitat provision, air regulation, and soil erosion), under the applied scenarios, the output of the modeling of selected ecosystem services was evaluated. The results showed that in the 3 ecosystem services of soil erosion protection, water supply, and habitat provision, the highest value of better quality ecosystem services is available for the environmental, sustainable development, economic, and trend scenarios. For better air regulation services the environmental scenario, The sustainable development scenario, the existing trend scenario, and the existing economic scenario provided the most ecological services. Also, the current trend of land use changes is the most destructive mode of providing ecosystem services in the future. To reduce the environmental effects of the current trend of land use changes, it is suggested to prevent the construction and development of industries, especially petrochemical industries and power plants in the region, and to systematically preserve wetland and forest uses by relying on the participation of local communities.

For many years, the necessity of environmental education (EE) was felt in Iran's education system, until 2017, the course “human and Environment” was presented in the 11th grade of the highschool. According to the requirement of presenting this lesson, its pathology is important. The main goal of this research is to investigate the phenomenology of “eco-anxiety” caused by the learning experiences of EE. The approach of this research was qualitative and the study tool was in-depth semi-structured interview with students and Delphi expert panel. The results of this research showed that formal EE in Iran has caused students to be involved with eco-anxiety. The main factors of affecting this phenomenon are the awareness of “environmental pollution”, “water crisis”, “waste crisis”, “biodiversity extinction crisis” and “global warming”. The side factors that intensify student’s eco-anxiety were “media experiences”, “individual experiences”, “social experiences”, “family experiences” and “virtual space experiences”. The effects of this kind of anxiety were mainly “feeling of despair”, “feeling of disgust for the teacher and the classroom”, “indifference”, “denial”, “distraction”, “feeling of anger” and “feeling of helplessness”. In order to calculate the strategies to deal with this phenomenon, the Delphi panel offered six general strategies, including “Re-designing and Re-applicating EE models”, “embedding and developing institutional and organizational mechanisms”, “awareness and empowerment of students and teachers”, “compilation of a comprehensive Sensory EE protocol”, “providing counseling and treatment services to involved students” and “art therapy, physical exercise, diet regulation and naturopathy”.

The level of senses involvement plays an important role in the level of environmental learning. This point of view has led environmental education (EE) theorists to propose a model of EE entitled sensory environmental education (SEE) which emphasizes involving the five senses of learners as much as possible in the teaching-learning processes of environmental issues. The aim of the present study was to present the conceptual schema of “SEE” in order to give coherence to the facts, descriptions, analyses, interpretations, criticisms and lived experiences of teachers and student teachers in this field. The approach to research was qualitative, and its method was phenomenology. The criterion sampling method and the stopping point of the research were to achieve “the theoretical saturation limit” and “maximum diversity” which led to semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers and 13 student teachers. After transcribing the interviews, 570 basic themes, 31 organizing themes and 9 Global Themes were counted. The results indicate that the organizing themes were “epistemology and philosophical thinking”, “ethical foundations”, “network of internal relations affecting the EE”, “network of external relations affecting the EE”, skills to communicate with nature”, “organization”, “planning”, “rules and regulations in the process”, “evaluation of the teacher in the process”, “the role of the teacher”, “the role of the facilitator”, “the role of the experimenter”, “knowledge-information supports of the teacher/facilitator”, “Teacher/facilitator research supports”, “Educational objectives”, “Educational content”, “Media and equipment”, and etc. The findings were supported by direct quotations to clearly and fully reflect the views of the interviewees.

Tabriz is located a short distance from the fault north of Tabriz, which is one of the areas with a very high relative risk in earthquake risk. The region of 2 municipalities of Tabriz, where many scientific and tourism centers are located, is at risk of earthquakes. In this study, according to the possibility of earthquake crisis, the level of urban resilience and the response capacity of the district 2 of Tabriz were evaluated against earthquakes.

At first, the effective indicators in resilience were prepared by interview and nominal group method and Delphi technique and were categorized into 12 criteria. Next, the indices were weighted by ANP, the layers (indices) were superimposed with the SUM fuzzy. The neighborhoods of the region 2were clustered by SVM, in terms of resilience and the spatial pattern of the clusters was analyzed by Moran's autocorrelation model; The relationship between the indicators and the level of resilience was analyzed by the GWR model. Finally, SWAT technique and QSPM matrix were used to develop operational strategies for poor neighborhoods.

The results showed that the indicators of access to urban open spaces, urban impermeability and quality are the most important in resilience with fuzzy membership degrees of 0.174, 0.137 and 0.137 respectively. Approximately 35% of the district 2 of Tabriz has weak resilience against earthquakes, but about 65% has moderate to almost adequate resilience. The weak neighborhoods are related to the north-western neighborhoods (Golbad, Halmeh, Qorkhaneh, Shahid Montazeri and Gol-Gasht) and the suitable neighborhoods are Tabriz University, Elahi Parast, Zafaranieh, Sari Zira, Abbas Mirza and Golshahr. Moran's model shows the confirmation of the urban resilience clustering model of the region against earthquakes. The coefficients of the GWR model indicate the validity and accuracy of the model for predicting the level of resilience. The results of the SWAT technique show that the studied factors are placed in the district 2 of Tabriz and in the fifth house (V) that the residents of the neighborhoods of district 2 of Tabriz in terms of being able to deal with the earthquake in the condition is medium to low. The strategies are also aggressive (SO) and its goal is to make maximum use of external opportunities with internal strengths and in this way maintain the external factors of the current conditions and grow and strengthen these conditions in the future.

The urban resilience evaluation framework and the preparation of spatial maps for resilience evaluation can be a practical guide to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a city against earthquakes. These results can help planners in spatial planning and urban environment. In addition, authorities can use the results to develop disaster risk reduction programs and policies. They can use the framework introduced in this study to identify areas of vulnerability that should be prioritized during resilience efforts.

The intricate choreography of evaporation and transpiration plays a fundamental role in the delicate ballet of the water cycle, serving as a linchpin for ecological equilibrium. Regrettably, more than 0.72% of a nation's water reservoirs slip through our fingers due to this natural process. The significance of precise predictions for evaporation and transpiration reverberates across a myriad of applications, encompassing agriculture, water resource management, irrigation planning, and the intricate modeling of plant growth. Robust studies on evapotranspiration, especially within the domains of climate change, sustainable development, and the management of water resources, underscore its indispensable importance. Nevertheless, the scarcity of meteorological stations and the resource-intensive nature of ground-based data collection have propelled an exploration into the realm of remote sensing techniques. Remote sensing techniques, when armed with accurate and fitting outputs, emerge as invaluable instruments for unraveling the intricacies of actual evaporation and transpiration.Among the plethora of algorithms residing within remote sensing, the Sabal algorithm stands out as a beacon of precision. Executing an instantaneous surface energy balance for each pixel in a satellite image, this algorithm becomes a powerful instrument for crafting accurate estimations. This investigation centers on the vibrant city of Tabriz, nestled in the western expanse of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran.

To unravel the enigmas of evaporation and transpiration in Tabriz, the Sabal algorithm and Landsat satellite images in sensors ("OLI_TIRS") spanning from 2013 to 2021 were enlisted. These images, procured from NASA, became the canvas for the meticulous strokes of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). The harmonious fusion of thermal remote sensing techniques and GIS was orchestrated with precision, employing ARC GIS 10.8 and Envi 5.3 software for the intricate processes of data manipulation, analysis, and visualization.

The findings of this research unveiled a visual metamorphosis since 2017, as the orange and red tones of Land Surface Temperature (LST) underwent a discernible escalation. Prevailing pixels exhibited temperatures spanning from 315 to 320 degrees and 320 degrees and above, marking a conspicuous warming trend in the surveyed area. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) echoed this narrative, with yellow and red pixels (0.2-0.4) and (<0.6) illustrating an upward trajectory. The Brightness Temperature (BT) index joined the symphony of change, portraying an upward shift, as pixels in the 310-315 range yielded ground to 315-320 and 320 degrees and above. The tangible correlation between vegetation cover (NDVI) and land surface temperature resonated in the accurate depiction of the ascending trend in evaporation-transpiration from 2017 to 2021, particularly in the regions beyond the city center.

In conclusion, this research illuminates the surge in evaporation-transpiration beyond Tabriz's city center, notably in regions experiencing a documented temperature increase. The documented correlation underscores the profound influence of climate variations on this indispensable process. It is recommended that, considering the research results indicating noticeable changes in evapotranspiration outside the city center in the years 2017, 2019, and 2021, future investigations utilize daily, monthly, and annual formulas. Factors such as land-use changes and meteorological variables like temperature statistics, precipitation, etc., should be thoroughly examined in upcoming research. And this topic is of utmost importance for sustainability.

A high concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide in biogas is a major problem associated with anaerobic digestion of waste rich in sulfate. It disrupts the functional process and reduces the lifespan of biogas facilities. The micro-aerobic (MA) process is an alternative method for direct sulfurization.

The effect of sulfate loading (200, 500 and 700 mg/L) on H2S in biogas were investigated. Subsequently, the effect of MA process (0.88, 1.04, 1.34 NL/day) on H2S reduction in biogas production was evaluated. Additionally, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and pH were measured. Finally, under optimal conditions, the biogas volume and the content of CH4 and CO2 in biogas were determined.

The results indicated that there were no significant differences in biogas volume production between the reactor fed with 200 mg/L sulfate and the control. However, the biogas production in reactors with 500 and 700 mg/L sulfate decreased to 4103 and 3929 mL, respectively. The H2S levels in control and reactors with 200, 500, 700 mg/L sulfate were 0.35, 0.46, 2.4, and 1.8%, respectively. In reactors with MA at rates of 0, 0.88, 1.04, 1.34 NL/day, the H2S levels were 1.95%, 0.9%, 0.4% and 0.1% (V/V) in biogas, respectively. The pH in reactor varied between 2.7 and 4.7, and the ORP was measured between -281 and -291 mV. Statistical analysis shows that no significant difference was observed between the average daily production of biogas with MA process of 0.88 and 1.04 NL/day. However, MA with 1.34 NL/day resulted in a decrease in biogas production.

The results indicated MA at a rate of 1.04 NL/day is a favorable option for the treatment of sulfate-rich urban wastewater sludge due to its efficiency in H2S removal.

Flood is caused by a sudden increase in the water level of a river due to heavy rainfall, in which excess water flows out of the basin and the riverbed and enters adjacent areas, causing extensive damage to the region's ecosystems and infrastructure. In order to determine and implement a strategic plan in the direction of crisis management, understanding the mechanism and development of the flood phenomenon and the amount of subsequent runoff is a priority. In recent years, flood events have occurred in the catchment area of ​​the dry river of Shiraz; The most terrible flood event occurred on the 25th and 26th of March 2019 in the basin and caused severe economic, social and human damage to the people of the city. By recognizing the mechanisms and developing atmospheric patterns of flood generation, the first step can be taken in flood control; Also, by predicting the amount of runoff produced, how to deal with it can be identified. For this reason, in order to manage the environment of the dry river basin of Shiraz, the present study tries to approach flood management based on recognizing flood generating patterns and simulating the amount of runoff produced.

In order to study rainfall in the dry river of Shiraz, the daily rainfall was obtained from 12 rain gauge stations in the area in the period 2001 to 2019. The rainfalls were then sorted on an annual and monthly scale, and the rainfall was zoned using the Kriging algorithm in ArcGIS. Also, rainfalls of more than 40 mm were extracted from 12 rain gauge stations and were considered as flood events. For each rainfall station, the number of flood events was determined and flood events were zoned by the kriging algorithm in ArcGIS. Next, three events of flood on 16 February 2017, 26 March 2019 and 23 January 2020, when the average rainfall in the Shiraz watershed was 100 mm every three days, were selected and interacted with a synoptic approach. Atmospheric conditions and flood patterns were identified. Next, using the HEC-HMS hydrological model, the amount of rainfall to runoff conversion in each of the sub-basins in the Shiraz watershed was simulated.

The results showed that the maximum precipitation occurs in February and the minimum in July. The maximum annual rainfall is 627 mm in the mountainous areas of Qalat and Golestan and the minimum is 245 mm in Maharloo Lake. Synoptic results showed that the low altitude and cold-water trough at the level of 500 hPa in the eastern Mediterranean along with the dynamic low-pressure system in Iran caused surface air instability in Fars Province and by injecting moisture from the Persian Gulf to the massif. The weather has caused floods in Shiraz. The results of rainfall-runoff modeling showed that the highest runoff in Sadra and Qalat sub-basins were 5773 and 5076 thousand m3, respectively, and the maximum peak discharge in Sadra and Qalat was 666 and 389 m3/sec, respectively. It happened at 17:00. The highest volume of rainfall penetration in Qalat and Chenar Rahdar was 5423 and 2546 thousand m3, respectively, and the lowest level of penetration in the Quran Gate was 247 thousand m3, the main reason being the high density of residential-commercial use in this sub-basin.

Therefore, it is suggested that in order to manage the flood crisis in Shiraz, controlling runoff produced in northern sub-basins such as Qalat, Golestan and Sadra and increasing the level of permeability can be effective in controlling floods.

Analyzing pro-environmental and destructive behaviors is a critical issue in the field of environmental social sciences. In the literature of environmental sociology, these behaviors are defined in various ways, such as "actions that have a positive or negative impact on the environment" (Stern, 2000), "responsible or irresponsible behaviors to protect or harm the environment" (Thøgersen, 2006), and "actions that are friendly or hostile to the environment and align with the principles of sustainability" (Swanson et al., 2023; Lockie, 2023). At the social level, numerous studies on eco-friendly behaviors, including sustainable consumption (Istrate et al., 2020), waste reduction and recycling (Sharma et al., 2019), and sustainable transportation (Holden et al., 2019), have emphasized the crucial role of family environmental education, particularly in the early stages of childhood. Similarly, research on destructive and harmful environmental behaviors, such as the spread of environmental pollution (Waris et al., 2021), wildlife trafficking (Boroumand & Amiri, 2023), and climate change (McMichael et al., 2006), has revealed the direct and indirect effects of education as a significant root of contemporary environmental challenges. Given the importance of this topic, it is necessary to focus on the process of child socialization and their understanding of human-environment interactions through the process of "education" in the formulation and resolution of environmental crises. The new paradigms in sociology and environmental psychology prioritize environmental education, leading to a renewed emphasis on fostering a moral relationship between humans and their living environment during the socialization process (Barragan-Jason et al., 2023; Boroumand, 2023). The international research literature strongly suggests a significant relationship between children's environmental education by parents and their environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (Iwaniec & Curdt-Christiansen, 2020). However, no study has yet explored the environmental education of Iranian families and parents and its effect on children's cognitive, value, and behavioral systems. This study aimed to address this gap by studying and formulating parents' lived experiences regarding their children's environmental education.

This research employed a qualitative approach, utilizing the Grounded Theory method and semi-structured in-depth interviews, following the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin (1997), which aligns with the socio-interpretivist paradigm.The researchers concurrently collected, classified, and analyzed the research data, creating a storyline from the relationships between the central category and other categories. Since in Grounded Theory, sampling cannot be planned in advance and is based on theoretical saturation, 22 parents (11 couples), who provided rich and comprehensive information to address the research questions, were interviewed using snowball sampling. This allowed for the enumeration of categories and dimensions, as well as the in-depth understanding of the relationships between the categories, enabling presentation of a comprehensive explanatory theory.The analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted in 3 stages: open, axial, and selective coding. In the open coding stage, the data were separated and categorized word by word with a code or concept assigned to each. During the axial coding stage, the raw codes related to each other in terms of characteristics and concepts were placed into subcategories. In this stage, the categories were connected in the form of a network. Finally, in the selective coding phase, the main categories and the core category emerged with the help of the coding results. Throughout the data collection and concept development, these steps were reviewed iteratively.At this stage, the researchers answered the fundamental questions and explained the strategies and consequences of the core phenomenon using the paradigm analysis of three parts of the condition (causal and intervening) and discussed their mutual influence over an extended period. In the final stage, this theory provided a framework that led to the emergence of the results through multiple arguments. The researchers then reconstructed and summarized their findings in a coherent manner to provide useful and informative information for the reader.

The findings of the present study revealed that the causal conditions shaping parents' environmental education were their "reaction to environmental crises", "parental responsibility", "influence of children's interactions with nature in other areas of their lives", and "parents' commitment to the next generation". The background conditions included "parents' childhood experiences of interacting with nature", "ability to experience nature at home", and "parents' religious beliefs". The intervening conditions were "responsibility training for children", "children's health concerns", and "concerns about computer addiction and virtual spaces". The strategies employed by parents were "facilitating play and experimentation in nature", "interpreting nature and providing environmental education", and "encouraging pro-environmental behaviors and discouraging destructive ones". The consequences were "children's practical sensitivity to the environment", "their tendencies to participate more actively in environmental conservation as adults", and "individual development".The core phenomenon extracted from the analysis was "strengthening the children's ecological identity". This aligned with Schultz's (2000) assertion that parents' personal experiences of constructive interactions with nature in childhood and the ability to experience nature at home are crucial factors in the environmental education of children.The strategies identified in the present study's model of parental environmental education are consistent with the findings of previous research in the field of environmental education, such as the studies by Kahn and Kellert (2002), Sobel (2008), and Haj Hosseini et al. (2019), which emphasized the importance of facilitating play and experimentation in nature. Unlike the study results of Aguirre-Bilshuski et al. (2017) in New Zealand where parents reported a lack of sufficient knowledge and information to justify environmental behaviors, the parents interviewed in the present study did not express any self-statements indicating a lack of environmental knowledge. This difference might be attributed to the fact that the sample population in this research consisted of environmental activist parents, who likely had a higher level of environmental knowledge compared to the general population.In conclusion, this study provided a comprehensive understanding of the factors, strategies, and consequences involved in the environmental education of children from the perspective of parents. The findings contribute to the existing literature on environmental education and can inform the development of more effective programs and policies to promote environmental stewardship among children and families.

Nestled amidst the Arasbaran protected areas, Kiamaki wildlife sanctuary, and Dizmar protected area, the Aras Free Zone is a region teeming with environmental diversity and ecological significance. However, this region faces significant environmental challenges, primarily due to the overlooking of environmental principles in its economic development processes. This neglect has hindered the realization of sustainable and integrated urban development, affecting everything from initial planning stages to the actual implementation of development projects. Goal: The Aras Free Zone, positioned in the northwest of Iran, serves as a critical conduit to the Caucasus region and Eastern Europe, thereby holding a pivotal role in fostering economic relations. This research is dedicated to the comprehensive management of the cities within the Aras Azad region, emphasizing a balanced approach to environmental management that encompasses the natural, human, and physical dimensions. The objective is to design a framework that facilitates integrated urban management, thereby promoting sustainable development in the area.

This study is foundational in its aim to devise an environmental planning model tailored for the integrated urban management of free zones, with a specific focus on the Aras Free Zone. Its practicality is underscored by the implementation of this model within the zone itself. The research surveyed a demographic comprising 290 managers, officials, and decision-making experts affiliated with the Aras Free Zone. Analysis was conducted across both public and private organizations within the zone, including the Free Zone Organization, Natural Resources and Environment Department, Housing Foundation, and Water and Sewage Department, among others. A random sampling technique was employed to select 166 individuals from the cities of Jolfa, Nordoz, Qolibeyglo, and Khoda Afarin. Data collection was conducted through both qualitative (library research) and quantitative (a researcher-designed questionnaire) methods, while data analysis utilized SPSS version 23 and Topsis Fuzzy techniques.

Crisis management planning within the region unveiled that all identified weaknesses and threats to integrated environmental management are perceived as significant pressures. Except for issues related to unemployment and the presence of unsafe urban spaces along with their consequences and the smuggling of goods or illegal trafficking, most pressures were deemed to be at a critical level, particularly in pre-crisis conditions. The application of the TOPSIS fuzzy test revealed key issues, such as the destruction of environmentally sensitive areas for economic development, land use changes detrimental to the environment aimed at job creation, and pollution caused by neighboring countries due to a lack of environmental stewardship among regional managers. These factors are classified as urgent environmental pressures requiring immediate attention.

The research outcomes are presented through two lenses: crisis management planning and contingency planning. The findings underscore the necessity of adjusting economic and social impacts for the integrated development of the Aras Free Zone's environment. This adjustment should be achieved through enhanced coordination between organizations, the establishment of a unified command structure, and the creation of collaborative platforms. Recommendations include fostering intra-organizational, institutional, and programmatic integration to address the identified challenges effectively. This comprehensive approach aims to pave the way for sustainable development within the Aras Free Zone, ensuring environmental integrity while promoting economic growth.

In recent years, augmentation of ecosystem services has emerged as a critical concern. However, there is a dearth of information regarding ecosystem services within the realm of planning. This study sought to address this gap by assessing the influence of landscape structure on ecosystem functionality. To achieve this, we utilized InVEST software to model ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, soil maintenance, and flood prevention. Additionally, we employed MSPA and Fragstate software to derive 4 key ecological indicators: biomass quantity, fragmentation, core area, and ratio of environmental area to forest core area. Subsequently, we examined the relationship between these ecological indicators and the selected ecosystem services. Our findings indicated a robust and positive correlation between the presence of forested and verdant areas, as well as larger and more interconnected cores within these areas, and the provision of desired services. Notably, in forest patches, a decrease in ecosystem service provision was observed with increased fragmentation and instability, underscoring the importance of preserving and expanding the Hyrcanian forests while also prioritizing integrity and reducing isolated patches for enhancing ecological productivity in the northern provinces of the country.

Rivers serve as crucial sources of freshwater on Earth, and precise prediction of river flows plays a vital role in effective water resource management. To address this need, researchers have proposed various models. These models can be categorized into two types: (1) hydrological/hydraulic physically based models and (2) data-driven models. The cited papers provide evidence of the significance of employing data-driven models for hydrological issues, particularly in predicting river discharge.

In this study, the researchers utilized a gene expression programming model (GEP) and support vector machine (SVM) to predict the discharge of the Ferizi River. The dataset used in the study covered a period of ten years (2011-2020) and consisted of daily Ferizi river discharge readings obtained from the Moushang hydrometry station. The study area had an average altitude of 2171 meters above sea level, with a longitude range of 58° 49' 30" to 59° 4' 30" E and a latitude range of 36° 20' 1" to 36° 32' 1". For the prediction models, daily river discharge data from 1 to 5 days ahead were utilized as input variables for both the GEP and SVM models. To ensure data homogeneity and address any deficiencies, the researchers employed the run test and calculated the correlation coefficient between neighboring stations. Subsequently, the dataset was randomly divided into two groups: 80% for model training and 20% for model testing, as well as evaluating the modeling error. The performance of the models was assessed during the training and validation stages using various evaluation metrics, including root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of correlation (R), bias, Kling Gupta (KGE), and Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE). Additionally, in order to estimate the inflow to the Ferizi River using the SVM model, three common types of kernel functions in hydrology were examined, namely linear kernel, polynomial, and radial basis functions.

Among the different functions considered, the radial basis function was selected due to its lower error compared to other functions when applied to the variables. The best input model, Model No. 5, incorporated previous flow variables with a delay of five time steps. In the training phase, both the GEP and SVM models exhibited the highest performance in forecasting the daily flow of Moshang station. The performance of the applied models suggests that SVM (RSME = 1.15, R = 0.985, NSE = 0.85, and KGE = 0.79) demonstrates higher precision in the validation stage for river discharge prediction compared to GEP (RSME = 1.65, R = 0.964, NSE = 0.78, and KGE = 0.69).

Conclusion and Suggestions :

This study has demonstrated that the utilization of soft computing techniques, such as SVM and GEP, is a powerful tool in predicting river flow. These techniques are capable of establishing a favorable relationship between input and output parameters, enabling accurate simulation of average and maximum daily flow.

Graywater and rainwater reuse is one of the primary alternatives for diminishing water consumption in households, commercial and industrial buildings. However, investigating the performance of membrane technology coupled with UV system for the treatment of gray water and rainwater needs more applicable information. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of an experimental system based on membrane technology combined with UV for the treatment of gray water and rainwater in Iran. In this regard, at different pressures (9.5, 4.5, and 1.5 bar), different arrangements of membranes, including microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), and reverse osmosis membranes were investigated along with UV lamps. Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to investigate the potential of these technologies and present an optimal membrane arrangement. The efficiency of the process has been discussed in terms of turbidity, TDS, pH, COD, Escherichia coli, and total coliforms. The results indicated that for both gray water and rainwater treatment, the arrangement consisting of a screen, MF, UF, RO, and UV with a pressure of 9.5 bar is the best scenario for reducing COD, TDS, turbidity, and coliform. According to the obtained results, the output flow in the optimal state was 6 liters per minute, and the mentioned scenario was able to remove 95% COD, 98% TDS, 96% turbidity, and 100% coliform from graywater, as well as 82% COD, 94% TDS, 91% turbidity, and 100% coliform from rainwater. Therefore, the study acknowledges that membrane technology with UV is an attractive process and will play an important role in future sustainable life.

Considering the increased interest in zytonic as a soil amendment, we evaluated the calibration method using direct gravimetric and indirect time domain reflectometry (TDR) for soil moisture measurements to improve TDR measurement accuracy underused zytonic and different soil types conditions. Three soil textures: silty clay, sandy loam, and clay loam as well as two levels of zytonic: 0 (control), and 1 (Kg m-2 zytonic) were considered under greenhouse conditions. The drawing of the coherence chart between the results of the TDR method and the volumetric method values showed that the highest and the least coincidence between the two methods were observed in clay loam + used zytonic (1.0 Kg.m-2 zytonic) (R2=0.98) and silty clay + control treatment (R2=0.87). The results showed that the TDR method has high accuracy for measuring soil water content in clay loam soils. Regression analysis between TDR-Volumetric water content (ϴTDR) and weighing method (ϴv) showed a good correlation with an R2 of 0.92 (silty clay+ zytonic), 0.96 (sandy loam+zytonic), and 0.98 (clay loam+zytonic). The results showed that increasing zytonic in soils increased the accuracy of the device in all of the studied soil textures. These results confirm the necessity of using soil properties for soil sensors like the TDR for estimating soil water content in different soil environments and also suggest that TDR sensors may provide an opportunity to improve soil moisture measurements in higher-clay-content soils.

Today, climate change and its obvious negative effects on ecosystems have caused concern. This research seeks to test whether vegetation changes are sensitive to climate shocks and also how the ecosystem recovery process is through this index. In this regard, by using the GEE platform, Java coding, GIS and statistical analysis, vegetation and Palmer indices were calculated and based on time series climate data, vegetation and climate changes were presented. The results of Palmer's drought index show that during the statistical period (1985-2020) the study area is facing drought or is moving towards drought. Also, the results indicate the longest period of drought in the region from 2013 to 2020. Totaly from 420 evaluated months, the NDVI index is below the change threshold in 70 months. Among these, 31 months of the study period is below the acceptable threshold in green and non-reservoir seasons, which is ecologically worrying. The distribution of the vegetation index based on hexagons in 1985 and 2005 had a normal and almost normal distribution; But in 2020, the graph deviated from the normal state and skewed towards the vegetation cover index under stress or even thin covers. According to the analysis of the indicators, it is predicted that the Gorgan region is on the border of such ecological developments and the historical ecosystem of the region is moving towards new ecosystems or being in a new equilibrium state with climatic conditions and human disturbances

The design and development of high-performance airfoils is essential for the development of the aviation industry. At larger angles of attack, higher lift and shorter flight bands are achieved. But at high angle of attack, the phenomenon of flow separation occurs so that after the stall angle, the flow is completely separated from the upper surface of the wing, resulting in a sharp drop in lift and drag increase. In this study, an attempt has been made to prevent the separation of flow by using the moving surface in the ratio of high velocities on NACA 0012 airfoil and to improve the aerodynamic performance of NACA 0012 airfoil by increasing the lift force and reducing the drag force. The velocity ratio means the ratio of the moving surface velocity to the free flow velocity. This research was performed by numerically in two dimensions using Ansys Fluent and k-ω-SST turbulence model with SIMPLE algorithm. The use of a moving surface in the form of a rotating cylinder at the leading edge of the NACA 0012 airfoil at a high speed ratio, in addition to preventing current separation and increasing the lift, has negatively affected the drag, which indicates its propulsive force contribution. Of all the simulated states, the velocity ratio of 20 at attack angle of 24 with a lift coefficient of 3.564 and a drag coefficient of -0.185 had the most favorable aerodynamic performance.

Due to the climatic conditions of Iran, increasing water scarcity, and the effect of drought stress on the efficiency of irrigation water consumption and chemical fertilizers application, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of irrigation intervals (6, 9, and 12-day intervals), different levels of nitrogen fertilizer (200, 300, and 400 kg urea per hectare) and cultivation methods (on-ridge or heeling up and in-furrow) on yield and productivity of sugarcane as a factorial design based on randomized complete block design in 3 replications at Hakim Farabi Agro-Industry Company in Khuzestan province. The results showed that the maximum (106.73 tons/ha) and minimum (59.10 tons/ha) sugarcane yields were observed in 9-day and 12-day irrigation intervals, respectively. Also, the highest sugarcane yield (99.89 tons per hectare) was obtained in the treatment of 400 kg urea per hectare and the in-furrow planting method resulted in a higher yield compared to the on-ridge planting method. The highest water productivity in sugarcane stem yield and sugar production with 3.55 and 0.34 kg per cubic meter of applied water, respectively, was obtained in a 9-day irrigation interval. A significant increase in water use efficiency in sugarcane stem yield was observed in 400 kg urea/ha compared to the other two fertilizer levels. However, there was no significant difference in water productivity of sugar yield between different fertilizer treatments. The results showed that 6 and 9-day irrigation intervals in most of the studied traits were not significantly different. Therefore, using a 9-day irrigation interval is suggested in the studied area when the sugarcane cultivation area is high and the amount of available water is limited. In-furrow planting method can also be effective in reducing water consumption. Therefore, deficit irrigation and proper nitrogen fertilizer consumption can be very effective in sugarcane cultivation.

Evapotranspiration is one of the crucial parts of the water cycle balance. In Iran, the total annual rainfall is estimated at 413 billion cubic meters. According to an analysis, 296 billion cubic meters, or 72% of this amount, became out of reach due to evapotranspiration. Accurate estimation of evapotranspiration plays a crucial role in studies on the issues such as global climate changes, environmental evolution, and control of water resources. Due to the limited number of meteorological stations and the high costs and time of collecting ground data, using remote sensing techniques and satellite images to have accurate and appropriate outputs can be a suitable tool to determine the actual evapotranspiration rate. One remote sensing algorithm for estmating evapotranspiration is the Surface Energy Balance (SEBAL).

The SEBAL is a model based on image processing that includes twenty-five models for calculating the evapotranspiration (ET) rate as the remainder of the Earth's surface energy balance. This model was introduced by Bastiansen in the Netherlands and also developed for the Idaho Highlands based on measured evapotranspiration at ground level. The SEBAL model uses digital image information captured by the Landsat satellite or other remote sensing sensors capable of recording thermal infrared and visible and near-infrared radiations. The ET value per pixel (e.g., in 30 by 30 square meters of TM and ETM Landsat images) is calculated for the specific moment at which the photo is taken.The ET value will equal the net radiation minus the heat entering the soil minus the heat entering the air. Further details of this model have been provided by Bastiansen et al., but the general equation used by the SEBAL is as follows:LE = Rn – H – GWhere LE is the latent heat flux (Wm-2), which can be easily converted to ET; Rn is the net solar radiation (Wm-2); H is the sensible heat flux (Wm-2), and G is the ground or soil heat flux (Wm-2). From this formula, the formula can be inferred that the radiation that reaches the Earth's surface from the atmosphere is separated into three parts: a part of the Earth or soil is heated, another part of it near the surface of the Earth is heated, and the rest of the remaining energy is evaporated. The SEBAL aims to calculate the latent heat flux (ET), considering the actual ET. It should be noted that the essential accuracy of the results is for the LE or ET. It is affected by the accuracy of the shortwave band as well as the thermal band of the satellite. In the following equation, the net radiation from the surface energy equilibrium equation is calculated as:Rn= (1-α) Rs + (Lin-Lout)Where a is the surface albedo; Rs is the solar radiation (Wm-2); e is the reflection of the Earth's surface (emission), and Lin-Lout is the radiations entering and leaving the Earth in the form of long waves. A value is obtained by mixing spectral reflections from six shortwave bands on the Landsat satellite. Lin-Lout is also considered a function of the surface temperature, which can be extracted from the satellite image. The value of e is obtained by plant indices created from two short-wavelength bands. The potential importance of Rs per pixel with a definite slope can be determined using the precise sky theory curves. The soil heat flux or G can be obtained empirically using Bastiansen's et al. (1998).

According to the results obtained from analyzing the data and output maps captured by the Landsat satellite, and considering the LST map, in which green color indicates a deficiency and red color represents very high, there was an oscillating trend from 2000 to 2008. Still, according to LST maps, since 2010, there has been a sharp incremental trend, the peak of which has been in 2020, and the LST has reached its highest level. Such a trend has also been seen concerning the soil temperature map of Mazandaran province. A remarkable point about the increase in soil temperature is that it was significant and instantaneous in the fifth month of 2010, and the soil surface temperature has increased, just as in the LST, since 2010. Regarding the NDVI map of Mazandaran province, significant and impressive changes have occurred since 2012, and this trend has risen from this year until 2020. According to the maps obtained from the soil moisture in the province, the data show that oscillating changes occurred until 2012, and since the fourth month of 2012, the region's soil moisture has also increased. All the factors mentioned have a direct relationship with evapotranspiration. According to the results obtained and the increasing trends, especially from 2010 to 2020, there is expected to be an increasing trend for evapotranspiration using the SEBAL algorithm. The primary outcome of this research, which studies the changes in the evapotranspiration rates in Mazandaran province, is that: as expected, due to the increase in all the factors affecting the evapotranspiration increase, the results show that since 2010 the evapotranspiration trend has dramatically increased; Of course, due to the geographical location and proximity to the Caspian Sea, the evapotranspiration has always been relatively high, but there have been significant changes and a sharp increase from 2010 to 2020.

In this study, hydroxyapatite-supported zero-valent iron nanoparticle was synthesized by the sodium borohydride reduction method. To evaluate the performance of adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions, the influence of different sorption parameters, such as contact time, temperature, initial concentration of metal ions, the dosage of adsorbent, and pH value of the solutions were investigated. The highest removal efficiency of both metals occurred under the optimal conditions of 7, 45 min, 0.1, 50 ºC, and 5 mg/l for pH, contact time, adsorbent mass, temperature, and initial concentration, respectively. The kinetic and equilibrium data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir- Freundlich model, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities of adsorbent towards Cu(II) and Ni(II) were 138 and 108 mg/g, respectively. The results indicated that the adsorbent could remove the majority of metals (95%) within 40 min without pH control. Thermodynamic parameters, i.e., ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°, indicated that the sorption process was spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable.

Illegal wildlife hunting, trading, and smuggling have devastating effects on both species' lives and society's economy. This phenomenon has several socio-economic causes and consequences. The effective management of wildlife trafficking requires identification and inclusion of all stakeholders (Kolahi, 2021: 26) involved in the supply and demand sides of wildlife trafficking in hard and soft management and planning frameworks (Kasterine & Lichtenstein, 2018: 23-24). Some studies show that focusing solely on restrictions and prohibitions on the supply side without considering the social actions of actors on the demand side can have unintended consequences. Trade bans, for example, can increase consumer demand and make poaching a more profitable activity by driving up the price of trafficked wildlife (Cronin et al., 2015; Leader-Williams, 2014: 112). The absence of strong supervision and continuous monitoring can strengthen black markets and perpetually increase the economic profit of wildlife trafficking for black market dealers (Challender et al., 2019: 2). Additionally, environmental sociologists aim to design and implement supply-side interventions that recognize the drivers of trafficking and reduce consumer demand (Wright et al., 2016: 5). It is argued that many wild species are currently caught by poachers through various methods, including direct hunting with guns, trapping in nets, and poisoning with chemical poisons, thus entering the cycle of trafficking due to unfavorable social conditions (Olea et al., 2022: 2-3; De Lange et al., 2021: 889). However, the various drivers involved in the wildlife trafficking process are still not well understood (Thomas-Walters et al., 2021: 489; Margulies et al., 2019: 216) and have been neglected by researchers, planners, and policymakers (Phelps et al., 2016: 483). Despite wildlife trafficking being a pervasive phenomenon in contemporary Iran, few studies have been conducted on its social, moral, and cultural aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies on the drivers and consequences of wildlife trafficking. The current research aimed to investigate the phenomenon of wildlife trafficking in Iran as a social action from the perspective of environmental sociology. In this regard, a qualitative approach was used to study the two main groups of stakeholders in the Khalij-e-Fars Bird Market of Tehran: the sellers of smuggled wildlife and its buyers. A paradigm model of wildlife trafficking in Khalij-e-Fars Bird Market is presented based on the results of the study.

The present study took a qualitative approach based on "Grounded Theory" with the aim of theory-making based on interpretative-constructive foundations. This method was used to build a data-oriented theory for criticizing, expanding, and testing formal theories. This study used the same methodology as applied by Zare Shahabadi & Mohammadi (2021) and Ghaderzadeh et al. (2013), who previously explored the phenomenon of trafficking from a sociological perspective.The research tool was a semi-structured in-depth interview. The interviewees were stakeholders, who were active in the field of illegal wildlife trade in Khalij-e-Fars Bird Market in Tehran. They were selected through purposive sampling by using the snowball model. In the sample selection, we aimed to achieve "maximum variety" and "theoretical saturation." In this regard, 12 sellers and 11 buyers, who had extensive knowledge and experience in this field, were selected.After 20 interviews, no new information was presented, indicating "theoretical saturation." However, for more certainty, three more interviews were conducted. After each interview, the full text was carefully listened to and transcribed, capturing all the words. Data analysis was done through constant comparison and simultaneous data collection. The interviews’ texts were read multiple times to gain a general understanding of the data. At this stage, the primary (open and selective) codes were identified and grouped into categories. Finally, summarization was continued as much as possible and all the axial codes were used in the paradigm model. To ensure reliability of the research findings, all research processes, such as the research model, study group, data collection process, and analysis, were explained in detail. Additionally, the data obtained from the interviews were individually coded by two individuals: a main researcher and an invited colleague. The percentage of agreement between the coders was calculated using the following formula:  Reliability = consensus / (consensus + difference) × 100 The data obtained by the two researchers underwent content analysis and were compared using separate codes. As a result, a reliability of 85% was obtained by using the mentioned formula.

The results of this research showed that causal conditions in phenomenology of “wildlife trafficking” were "entertainment and enjoyment", "tradition", "pride and wealth", "experiment and scientific research", "mediation for smuggling" and "drug use", intervening conditions of "superstitious beliefs", "propaganda", and "imitation of others". The background conditions were "social and moral legitimization", "non-practical implementation of environmental laws and regulations", "poverty and unemployment", "individual and collective indifference and distortion", and "ignorance of the consequences of wildlife trafficking". The coping strategies included "education and culture", "intensification of legal supervision", "providing alternative employment opportunities to sellers", and "providing the necessary mechanisms for legal trade with permitted purposes". The consequences of coping with wildlife trafficking were "biodiversity protection", "restoring the human dignity of violators", and "respecting animal rights". Finally, the research findings were presented in a paradigm model.In line with the results obtained by Zhang et al. (2020), a wide range of drives, including recreational, food, and medicinal and cultural motives for wildlife trafficking, were identified as the causal, contextual, and intervening conditions in the current research. The present study showed that one of the main drives of wildlife trafficking was consumption of meat or body parts of wildlife as traditional medicines with therapeutic motivation. In line with this finding, other researches showed that in other countries, bear bile (Feng et al., 2009), pangolin meat (Newman et al., 2014), rattlesnake venom (Alves et al., 2013), and rhino horn (Watts, 2011) were bought and sold as medicine with the motive of relieving physical pain. Of course, despite the general perception, so far many of these medicinal and health agents are facing serious ambiguity of effectiveness from the viewpoint of modern medicine.In addition, the consumption of wildlife meat was one of the other findings of the present study. Due to the cultural differences in diets of nations, trafficking with the motive of buying and selling pangolin meat (Mason et al., 2012; McEvoy et al., 2019) and bat meat (Anti et al., 2015; Suwannarong & Schuler, 2016) were reported in similar studies, while the interviewees of the present study were looking for buying and selling the meat of wild birds, such as goose or wild duck.The findings of this study showed that preservation of wildlife or their body parts has become a means of showing wealth and pride among wealthy groups of people due to such reasons as high price, rarity, and special facilities it requires. In line with this finding, similar studies showed that the drives of some buyers of illegal wildlife products, such as rhino horn (Truong et al., 2016), tiger bone (Moyle, 2009) and elephant skin (McEvoy et al., 2019), or people, who served special dishes like shark fin soup to theirguests (Brierley, 2007), were boasting, showing wealth, or trying to show their belonging to special and prosperous classes of the society.In line with the results of the study of Day et al. (2014), the present research showed that some actors of wildlife trafficking tended to trade exotic wild animals, especially reptiles and rare ornamental amphibians. They did this with the motivation of entertainment and pleasure, boasting, and displaying wealth. Although tiger bone wine in the research of Feng et al. (2009) and rhinoceros horn opium in the study of Trang et al. (2016) were shown to be sold illegally with the motive of intoxication, no similar drives were found in the current research.Compared to previous studies, contribution of the present research in the production of knowledge should be considered as a qualitative explanation of the concept of wildlife trafficking in the Iranian context so as to bring the main stakeholders’ experiences of this illegal trade to the official knowledge. The findings of the present study could contribute to ensuring social health, environmental protection, and sustainability of economy based on biological resource-carrying capacity for future studies.

Improving the waste management system requires an all-out effort to increase public awareness and participation, create expertise and invest in infrastructure, and upgrade management systems in municipalities as the custodians of waste management. Therefore, the present research has been conducted to identify and prioritize factors affecting the success of strategic waste management planning in the 12th district of Tehran. The required data were collected by 46 researcher-made questionnaires, including experts, managers and employees of the Municipal Waste Management Organization of Tehran Region 12. The questionnaire results were analyzed using FCMapper and Pajek software, and a fuzzy cognitive map was prepared. Factors of informing the citizens in time (C31), considering the necessary arrangements for the provision of equipment (C27), checking network connections to prevent disruption in inter-organizational and extra-organizational communication (C29), domestic and international investment in Communication infrastructure (C33) and satisfaction with the organization's success (C20) are five crucial factors in terms of centrality. Also, the results showed that communication factors (with an average rating of 8.47) and training and strategic development of human resources (with an average rating of 8.21) have the most significant impact among the factors affecting the success of strategic planning in waste management. As a result, the waste management model gets the most credit from these factors. Thus, it is suggested to pay more attention to the components of these factors. Also, it seems necessary to use expert human resources and update their knowledge by using appropriate and practical training, developing the field of participation and interaction between the waste management organization and citizens.

The performance of the Fe3O4- CeO2- NH2/ chitosan/ Polyvinyl alcohol nano hybrid synthesized by casting method was investigated for the adsorption of Cu (II) and Ni (II) cations from water system. The synthesized nano hybrid adsorbents were characterized by FESEM, BET and FTIR analyses. The effect of single and binary oxides content, Fe3O4-CeO2-NH2 content, pH, initial cation concentration, contact time and temperature on the adsorption capacity was evaluated in a batch system. The results showed that the adsorption capacity significantly increased after modification of adsorbent with Fe3O4- CeO2- NH2 nanoparticles. The kinetic and equilibrium data were accurately evaluated by the double- exponential and Redlich- Peterson models, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of nano hybrid adsorbent was estimated to be 246.9 and 88.6 mg / g at 45 º C for Cu (II) and Ni (II) cations, respectively. Thermodynamic investigation indicated an endothermic and spontaneous adsorption for both metal cations; and adsorption was favored at higher temperature. The synthesized nano hybrid can be easily regenerated after five cycles of adsorption- desorption.