Wild Life
Sepideh Yousefi Qaleh Salimi; Mehdi Gholamalifard; Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri; Abolfazl Rahbarizadeh
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, natural habitats, especially protected areas, have mostly become fragmented and islanded and have been placed among human uses. Knowing the desirable wildlife habitats and understanding their characteristics is very important. By using the methods of habitat modeling widely ...
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Introduction: In recent years, natural habitats, especially protected areas, have mostly become fragmented and islanded and have been placed among human uses. Knowing the desirable wildlife habitats and understanding their characteristics is very important. By using the methods of habitat modeling widely and without the need to collect the details of the physiological and behavioral characteristics of the species, it is possible to get an estimate of the habitat's desirability for wildlife. Wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and Caspian snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius) are two indicator species of high mountain areas, which are placed in the NT & LC category according to the 2020 and 2016 IUCN Red List, respectively.Materials and Methods: In this research, the habitat desirability of these two species was modeled in the central northern Alborz protected area by using the multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) method. First, the effective criteria were determined by reviewing the sources and studying the overview of the species, and then using the AHP method, six different weight scenarios were created for each species. Six scenarios were modeled using the weighted linear combination method, and the validation of the model was performed using the ROC index from the comparison of the simulated image and the reference image. The information about the presence of the warbler and the partridge was obtained through field visits and direct observations of the species, the effects left behind such as dung and footprints in the central northern Alborz protected area and was used as a reference image to evaluate the accuracy. Finally, the dependence of the final utility on the criteria was determined using the Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (r). Results: Among the six different weight scenarios for Wild goat and Caspian snowcock, according to the validation results, the second scenario with ROC rate equal to 0.95% for both species was selected as the best weight scenario. The image of the final desirability showed the greatest desirability for both species in the central and southeastern parts of the study area, and based on the results of the linear Pearson correlation coefficient (r), the desirability of the habitat has the greatest dependence on the factors of height, distance from rocky areas and environmental checkpoints. And it is less than the influence of other parameters. Also, Wild goat and Caspian snowcock species have a significant overlap in habitat areas, so that both of them prefer high rocky areas as habitats. Another important factor is the existence of environmental checkpoints, which greatly increases the desirability of the species in this area. Discussion: The present study shows that the Caspian snowcock and Wild goat species of partridge have more suitable habitat conditions in the high mountainous areas, especially in the southeastern and central areas of the central northern Alborz protected area. These areas include rocky heights that are particularly attractive for these species. The distance from the rocky areas and the distance from the environmental checkpoints are also very important and have a significant effect on the habitat desirability of these species. For these species, roads and the construction of human settlements interfere with their habitat, but illegal hunting is also a serious threat to these species. Therefore, to protect these species, measures such as the establishment of environmental checkpoints, restrictions on construction in their habitat areas, promotion of public awareness about the protection of these species and the implementation of strict laws against illegal hunting can be effective.
Wild Life
Maryam Mahmoudiasl; Farhad Hosseini Tayefeh; Bagher Nezami
Abstract
Cheetah is the only species from the Acinonyx subfamily and genus whose global population trend has been declining. This species is known as a species with a low genetic variation that has resulted from bottlenecks about 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. All populations of the Asiatic cheetah subspecies are ...
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Cheetah is the only species from the Acinonyx subfamily and genus whose global population trend has been declining. This species is known as a species with a low genetic variation that has resulted from bottlenecks about 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. All populations of the Asiatic cheetah subspecies are extinct in the Middle East and Southwest of Asia and Iran. Asiatic cheetah subspecies listed in the Critically Endangered because of severe decline in the gene diversity level which has resulted from habitat degradation, geographical separation of populations, and increasing inbreeding, there are only a few of the species remained in the wild of Iran. In this review study, the genetic variation reduction at different levels of Allozymes molecular markers, microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA, and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the entire cheetah genome was investigated and validated. Studies based on restriction fragment length polymorphism, indicate severe genomic reductions in the occurrence of Single Nucleotide Variant, the density of Single Nucleotide Variant, Single Nucleotide Variants protein-coding genes, Major Histocompatibility Complex genes, and mitochondrial DNA Single Nucleotide Variant compared with other species. Significant reductions in overall genetic variation by multiple genomic markers lead to increased cubs’ mortality, severe abnormalities in sperm growth, problems with captive reproduction programs, and increased vulnerability to the spread of infectious diseases. Since conservation genetics plays a key role in the conservation and management of species, the results of this study can be used in genetic conservation, reproduction in captivity, and the management of the remaining populations of Asian cheetahs.
Wild Life
Somayeh Arazi
Abstract
Habitat assessment is one of the pillars of wildlife management and protection. In the study, the evaluation of Pika habitat in Adoroshk watershed was performed using the maximum entropy algorithm model (MaxEnt). According to the principles of cartography from the geographic reference map topography ...
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Habitat assessment is one of the pillars of wildlife management and protection. In the study, the evaluation of Pika habitat in Adoroshk watershed was performed using the maximum entropy algorithm model (MaxEnt). According to the principles of cartography from the geographic reference map topography to extract the boundary of the region, the digital height model for the preparation of the classified map (Dem) of elevation changes, Slope and geographical domain were used. In order to prepare the environmental layers to enter the model MaxEnt, ArcGis software version 10.3 was used. Sampling was performed using random linear transect method and binoculars through direct observation of cheeks and indexes in spring and summer of 2019 and the number 33 points of Pika,s presence were recorded by GPS. Validation of the model was performed using the area under the curve (AUC) and the usefulness of the variables by analyzing the Jacknife test. The results showed that the desirability of Paika habitat in the Adoroshk watershed is mainly in rocky and mountainous areas with grass and shrubs at altitudes above 2500 meters above sea level and slopes. It is more than 50%. The climate was considered suitable for temperate pike. Favorable areas for Paika constitute 275 hectares (17.46%) of the habitat. It was also found that in Adoroshk, Paikas prefer the western slope.
Wild Life
Somayyeh Arazi
Abstract
Different species of wildlife provide many services. Accordingly, in this study, the identification of wildlife with medicinal value of Adoroshk watershed and their distribution map was studied. For this purpose, in the spring and summer of 2019, through field visits and random linear transect method, ...
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Different species of wildlife provide many services. Accordingly, in this study, the identification of wildlife with medicinal value of Adoroshk watershed and their distribution map was studied. For this purpose, in the spring and summer of 2019, through field visits and random linear transect method, habitat wildlife was identified and to prepare wildlife distribution maps, species presence points were located by a locator. It was recorded globally. Dispersion maps were prepared in the Google Earth software environment through visual interpretation of phenomena and information from field visits and ground control points. The final drawings were prepared in Arc GIS 10.3 software environment. The results showed that in Adoroshk, there are 11 species of medicinal mammals belonging to 7 families and 4 orders, of which the highest frequency belongs to the herbivorous species, the Capra aegagrus with 57 heads and the lowest number belongs to the species. Carnivores; Panthera pardus, Vormela peregusna, Martes foina and Hyaena hyaena are observed at once. The order of carnivores with 5 species has the highest number and the order of Erinaceomorpha with one species has the lowest number of medicinal species. Also, 6 species of birds with medicinal properties belonging to 3 families and 3 orders were identified and counted. Among them, the highest number belongs to Alectoris chukar with 193 pieces and the lowest number belongs to Columba palumbus with 2 pieces and the total number of medicinal birds observed in this study was estimated to be 392 pieces.