Environmental Economics
Jalil BadamFirooz; Roya Mousazadeh
Abstract
Wetland valuation is an important tool available to environmental managers and decision makers to justify the overal costs of wetland conservation and management activities. Currently, policymakers and planners do not have the right toolbox with easy access to assess the economic value of wetland ecosystems. ...
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Wetland valuation is an important tool available to environmental managers and decision makers to justify the overal costs of wetland conservation and management activities. Currently, policymakers and planners do not have the right toolbox with easy access to assess the economic value of wetland ecosystems. It is obvious that quoting quantitative and monertary values in expressing the value of each resource will be an efficient and effective tool to justify the goals of sustainable development and environmental protection, and this is possible by having a clear guidance model. Economic valuation of ecosystem services is a useful tool to support ecosystem management decisions and help decision makers to protect the ecosystem more effectively. Estimating the economic value and costs of environmental damage to wetland ecosystems can be effective in preserving values and preventing their degradation. The aim of this study is to integrate the economic valuation and costs of environmental damage to the Iranian wetlands ecosystem services as part of the process of determining the economic value of natural resources. Existence of basic and practical model and guidance for wetland valuation can help interested users in identifying values, choosing valuation techniques appropriate to each value, and in general, guiding in the correct way of valuing goods and services and also in applying management and executive policies in line with the goals of sustainable development. The main purpose of this study is to show, using a conceptual framework, how to estimate the environmental values and costs of wetland ecosystem services. In this study, by reviewing selected articles and instructions related to the research topic, step-by-step steps for estimating the economic values and costs of environmental damage to the Iranian wetlands ecosystem services are presented.
Biodiversity & Biosafety
Mehdi Mehdinasab
Abstract
New methods of risk assessment can significantly reduce the severity of risks and consequently the environmental damage and move towards sustainable development. In this study, using the DPSIR model, the threats and environmental values of Poldokhtar wetlands in the ecological, hydrological and ...
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New methods of risk assessment can significantly reduce the severity of risks and consequently the environmental damage and move towards sustainable development. In this study, using the DPSIR model, the threats and environmental values of Poldokhtar wetlands in the ecological, hydrological and social areas were evaluated and based on the threat score, values and relationship between threats and values, the assessment of wetlands vulnerability and strategies Management was provided in response to the driving forces, pressures, situation and effects of risks. The results showed that ecologically, hydrologically and socially, droughts, fires, and wetland drainage resulted in reduced biodiversity, increased water turbidity and reduced water retention and functional reduction of hunting and hunting area of Poldokhtar wetlands. Effortless. The highest impact of ecological threats on wetland birds was 16.1 on average and the least impact on threats on arid plants with average 2 Environmental risks with a mean score of 10.3 would have an impact on water retention during the period of wetland dehydration, and a functional reduction of 8.6 percent wetland hunting and fishing area was the most important social risk impact.
Soil Pollution
Ali Jamshidian; Atefeh Chamani; Mozhgan Ahmadi Nadoushan
Abstract
Introduction: Protected areas are vital tools in the management and conservation of both terrestrial and marine environments. However, the conflict between conservation priorities and resource extraction from protected areas is increasing worldwide. Due to its high biodiversity, Mouteh National Park ...
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Introduction: Protected areas are vital tools in the management and conservation of both terrestrial and marine environments. However, the conflict between conservation priorities and resource extraction from protected areas is increasing worldwide. Due to its high biodiversity, Mouteh National Park and Wildlife Refuge hold significant conservation value; nevertheless, in recent years, it has been heavily exploited due to rich mineral attractions. Consequently, the current study investigates the Cd concentration in the soil and plants in the Mouteh Basin, its transfer factor, and the influencing factors.Materials and Methods: 45 soil samples were collected from a depth of 0-30 cm, and leaf samples of the Artemisia sieberi plant were obtained at 15 locations within the plain region of the Mouteh National Park and Wildlife Refuge, which spans an area of 423 km2. The concentrations of Cd in these samples were determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The uptake of Cd by the plants was calculated and interpreted using the transfer factor. The Inverse Distance Weighting method in ArcGIS software was used to identify areas contaminated with Cd, with concentrations exceeding 5 mg/kg in soil and 2.0 mg/kg in plant leaves, based on the standard limits set by the WHO and U.S. EPA. Finally, linear, logarithmic, power, exponential and polynomial regression models were employed to examine the impact of road transportation on Cd pollution.Results: The mean Cd concentrations in plants and soil (mg/kg) were found to be 0.39 ± 0.11 and 2.97 ± 0.15, respectively. The highest soil concentration of this element was recorded in the central areas of the region, reaching 15.00 ± 0.69 mg/kg. This concentration gradually decreased towards the southern parts of the region. The highest concentration of Cd in the leaves of Artemisia sieberi was observed in the northern sections of the region, at 0.62 ± 0.05 mg/kg, while the lowest value was recorded in the central part (0.32 ± 0.05 mg/kg). The transfer factor of Cd ranged from 0.005 to 0.544, with a mean of 0.934. According to the standard limit of 5 mg/kg for Cd in soil, an area equivalent to 20.80% of the region was identified as Cd-contaminated. However, considering the permissible limit of 0.2 mg/kg in plants, a significant portion of the vegetation cover in the area (more than 95%) was found to be contaminated with Cd. The best regression model was achieved in the exponential form with a coefficient of determination of 0.301, indicating that road transportation is one of the most significant human factors contributing to the increase in Cd pollution in the Mouteh soil and plant species Artemisia sieberi.Discussion: The exploration of gold and the establishment of multiple mines in the Mouteh region, as well as the construction of highways in the northern province of Isfahan, have led to significant threats to the ecosystem and species of this area. Based on the results, the soils of the Mouteh plain region have been contaminated with Cd. The high concentration of this element in soils near the roads and its decrease with increasing distance from the road are indicators of the impact of road transportation on soil pollution. Therefore, preventing the construction of transportation routes in areas with rich biodiversity, improving the quality of fuels and vehicles, and reducing traffic congestion are among the most important measures for protecting the environment and reducing pollution from potentially toxic elements in natural areas.
Air ppllution
Maryam Bahiraei
Abstract
Introduction: Fuel stations are one of the major sources of BTEX emissions to the atmosphere. Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and gazeline isomers are BTEX aromatic hydrocarbons. BTEX compounds are the most abundant volatile organic compounds in atmosphere and surface water.These compounds can affect ...
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Introduction: Fuel stations are one of the major sources of BTEX emissions to the atmosphere. Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and gazeline isomers are BTEX aromatic hydrocarbons. BTEX compounds are the most abundant volatile organic compounds in atmosphere and surface water.These compounds can affect the health of employees, drivers and surrounding residents. Due to the risks of BTEX compounds on people's health and the possibility of emitting them from fuel stations, examining the concentration of these compounds and controlling them in fuel stations is essential and effective in preventing their complications. The aim of this study is investigation the amount of BTEX in the ambient air of hamadan fuel stations and its surrounding and to compare with occupational and respiratory air standards.Materials and Methods: The samples were collected according to the NIOSH method and the SKC adsorbent instruction by the individual sampling pump from indoor air and surrounding of Palestinian, Khansari and Forough fuel stations in Hamadan.The concentrationof BTEX compounds was extracted by dichrometan solvent and measured by GC/FID. The data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The mean of benzene, toluene, ethylenzene and xylene in Khansari fuel station were 1.23, 3.32, 0.31 and 1.43 mg/m3 respectively, in Palestine fuel station was 1.53, 4.14, 0.29 and 1.25 mg/m3 respectively and in Forough fuel station were 1.65, 2.23, 0.42 and 1.22 mg/m3, respectively. The highest concentration of BTEX compounds was located inside the fuel station and their concentration decreased by increasing the distance from the station. The mean concentrations of benzene in the air inside and distance 200m from the fuel stations were higher than EPA and in air inside and distance 50m from fuel station was higher than NIOSH guidelines. Also, the mean concentration of toluene in the air inside the Palestine fuel station was higher than the EPA guidelines.Discussion: The results showed that the dispersion of BTEX compounds in Hamadan refueling stations was caused by vehicles and gasoline evaporation during refueling. The reason for the decrease in the concentration of BTEX compounds by increasing the distance from fuel stations can be attributed to the production of pollutant concentrations in the yard stations, temperature conditions, wind direction and vehicles transportation. By increasing the distance from the station, as the production resources are more inside the station, from the concentration of BTEX compounds decreases by increasing the distance. Also, by increasing the distance from station, the wind airflow, lead to the distribution and dispersion of BTEX compounds and decreases its concentration. Employed personnel and drivers inside fuel stationsare confronted with benzene and toluene pollutants. As regards to short-term counterview with BTEX compounds causes effects such as stimulation and sensitivity of the skin, central nervous system problems (fatigue, headache, dizziness and loss of balance). Also in long-term encounters, in addition to the problems mentioned, they can affect the kidney, liver and blood. Therefore, more oversight should be carried out by petroleum product authorities and control actions to maintain the health of the people and reduce the pollutants in fuel stations, including leakage of tanks and pumps, and the possibility of recycling of gasoline vapors during refueling.
Biodiversity & Biosafety
Maryam Morovati; Naser Kamalian; Saeed Mohammadi
Abstract
Introduction: Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity and species. Decomposition of the habitat and decrease of local populations to small habitats cause an increase in inbreeding, a decrease in genetic diversity, an increase in demographic events, and as a consequence, an increase ...
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Introduction: Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity and species. Decomposition of the habitat and decrease of local populations to small habitats cause an increase in inbreeding, a decrease in genetic diversity, an increase in demographic events, and as a consequence, an increase in the risk of extinction. The Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) with a vulnerable protection status is one of the key species of Iran's plain habitats, which is distributed in most regions of the country. But due to reasons such as indiscriminate hunting and habitat land use change, its population has decreased drastically and it needs stronger protection in the network of protected areas of Iran. Gazella subgutturosa is in the mammals' class, the order of Artiodactyla, the family of the Bovidae. In this study, the distribution of this species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area of yazd has been investigated using the MaxEnt.Materials and methods: Data presence points of the species were collected through field studies and direct observations, footprints and resting places for the species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area during the four seasons of 2022 recorded and using GPS was registered. In this study, the variables of slope, aspect, dem, distance from the water sources, distance from the road, distance from the village, distance from the watering place and vegetation were used to model the habitat suitability. Modeling was done using MaxEnt model in MaxEnt software and finally, the species distribution map was obtained. To investigate the spatial distribution of the study species in the region, a total of 41 presence points were used.Results: The results of the maximum entropy model showed that the greatest distribution potential in the central and northwestern regions of study area. Also, the results showed that the model has a high ability to predict the presence of Gazella subgutturosa in the study area and has a significant difference with the random model at all thresholds (AUC=0.812; P<0.0001). The results of the sensitivity analysis using the jackknife method showed that the variables of dem, distance from the water sources, and aspect. are of higher priority for the species in this area.Discussion: Due to successive droughts, the number of deer breeding in Kalmand Bahadran protected area has decreased. Another factor in the decrease of its population is the road accidents, which are caused by the passing of Tehran-Bandar Abbas transit road and rural roads in the region. The presence of free-ranging dogs on the outskirts of villages, illegal hunters, being preyed upon by carnivorous and Felidae and birds of prey such as wolves, caracal and eagles are other factors that decrease the population in the study area. But since the Kalmand area of Bahadran is relatively a good habitat for this species and support a relatively high number of species population. In general, by considering the areas used by Goitered gazelle and the areas identified in the suitable model, it can be concluded that the extent of the optimal habitat for the species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area is more than what is currently used. Correct management and planning of the suitable habitats in this area can protect more than the maximum number of Goitered gazelles that existed in this area until today and improve the level of necessary habitat in the area. The results of this study can be used in the implementation of protection and management procedures to increase appropriate habitats in Yazd province.
Soolmaz Soleimani; Arash Ghaderi; Morteza Yousefzadi; Maryam Moezzi
Abstract
The growing demands for nanotechnology in recent years have resulted in the environmental release of nanomaterials. The aim of the present study was to synthesize graphene oxide-based nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of green macroalgae and evaluate their toxicity against Chaetoceros muelleri microalgae ...
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The growing demands for nanotechnology in recent years have resulted in the environmental release of nanomaterials. The aim of the present study was to synthesize graphene oxide-based nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of green macroalgae and evaluate their toxicity against Chaetoceros muelleri microalgae as an important live feed in mariculture. In a laboratory study, first, the biosynthesis process of graphene nanoparticles was performed using the aqueous extract of the green alga Ulva flexuosa and then the anti-algae activity was evaluated and the content of photosynthetic pigments and microalgae protein was determined. The results of characterization analyses of graphene oxide reduction with the aqueous extract of the green alga U. flexuosa and its conversion to graphene were confirmed. Evaluation of the anti-algae activity of the studied samples showed that the reduced graphene oxide has a higher anti-algae activity than graphene oxide. The results also showed that with increasing the concentration of synthesized nanoparticles, the content of photosynthetic pigments and proteins decreased. The toxic effects of the released nanoparticles can damage the stocks of C. muelleri as an important live feed in mariculture.
Environment Assessment
Mohammad Reza Veysi; Pourya Pirmoradi; Delaram Garshasbi
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, sustainable environmental development has become one of the most important topics in various sciences. One of the primary causes of global warming and environmental instability is the excessive production of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide has the greatest amount and effect ...
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Introduction: In recent years, sustainable environmental development has become one of the most important topics in various sciences. One of the primary causes of global warming and environmental instability is the excessive production of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide has the greatest amount and effect among greenhouse gases. Urban transportation is increasingly emitting carbon dioxide. In recent decades, urban transportation has also been an indispensable part of the city and urban life with the increasing expansion of cities and population growth. In many cities, especially less developed cities, urban transportation as well as traffic have currently become a constant challenge and left many environmental effects. The increasing number of city trips has resulted in air pollution, noise pollution, and weather phenomena. The emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, is one of the most important destructive effects of urban transportation, which ultimately causes global warming and climate change. Therefore, if the production of carbon dioxide is more than the city's carrying capacity, it will endanger environmental sustainability in the long term. The ecological footprint index is used as an integrated method to calculate the absorption capacity of the city based on carbon production and to evaluate environmental sustainability in many countries of the world at different levels. The ecological footprint is generally a measure of how much land is needed to absorb the carbon produced by humans. The ecological footprint shows the environmental sustainability or unsustainability of the range determined based on the volume of carbon produced. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the ecological footprint of activities that pollute the environment. Since the city of Bojnurd has experienced a significant increase in population and sudden expansion in recent years, particularly after becoming the capital of the province and considering the multifold increase of urban trips in this city, the purpose of this research is evaluation of environmental sustainability for urban transportation patterns of Bojnurd by ecological footprint technique.Materials and Methods: The present research with the descriptive-analytical method evaluates the environmental sustainability of intra-city transportation in Bojnurd. To this end, the required data, including the number of trips, daily movements, and the average distance traveled per trip for each travel pattern by referring to documents, reports, as well as the relevant organizations, has been collected. Then, the ecological footprint of Bojnurd urban transportation is calculated.Results: Finally, by comparing the per ecological footprint capita of Bojnurd urban transportation with the world standard, it is found that out of the five modes of transportation, private cars, taxis, buses, minibuses, and motorcycles, only two models of buses and minibuses are environmentally sustainable. The private car is the most unstable model whose per ecological footprint capita is nine times larger than that of the global standard per capita. This research shows that the transportation system of Bojnurd is environmentally unstable because the volume of carbon dioxide produced by this system is much higher than the capacity of absorbing carbon dioxide by the city's lands.Discussion: Due to the increasing demand for using private cars and the trend of migration to the city, these problems will increase in the future and the process of bad ecological effects on the city of Bojnurd will accelerate, which requires urgent measures and careful planning.
hamid bazrpach; Farzad Karimi Khanjari
Abstract
International environmental law and international law of investment in goals are conflicting in that the investor's goal is individual interest and the environmental goal is collective interest, while in practice and implementation are closely related and in an implementation environment And play a key ...
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International environmental law and international law of investment in goals are conflicting in that the investor's goal is individual interest and the environmental goal is collective interest, while in practice and implementation are closely related and in an implementation environment And play a key role in today's human society. Therefore, economic investments by companies in different countries require legislation and sometimes restrictive laws. One of these methods is the application of environmental laws, which are often ignored in corporate and oil investments aimed at attracting foreign investment. Thus, this research uses a descriptive-analytical method to investigate the issue of environmental commitments in investments. Research shows that oil investors often overlook environmental commitments, and governments in developing countries show flexibility to attract more investors due to financial constraints and economic weakness, one of which is one of their areas of flexibility is environmental law. Given the current environmental crises, however, governments must minimize violations of environmental obligations by enacting and enforcing strict and restrictive laws and regulations.
Environmental Education
Manijeh Ahmadi; Sepideh Housini
Abstract
Introduction: Human's continuous encroachment on the environment and indiscriminate harvesting and improper use of natural resources have caused irreparable damage to the environment. Throughout their lives, humans have disturbed the balance and harmony of the environment with their interference and ...
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Introduction: Human's continuous encroachment on the environment and indiscriminate harvesting and improper use of natural resources have caused irreparable damage to the environment. Throughout their lives, humans have disturbed the balance and harmony of the environment with their interference and negative effects on the regular rules of nature, and it has progressed to the point where the human society is faced with a multitude of environmental problems. Therefore, the recognition of adverse environmental behaviors, their management and control, is the foundation of education that should be considered by curriculum planners through content and textbooks from the very beginning of formal education. One of the effective ways in this matter is teaching environmental concepts in elementary school. Environmental education through conceptualization in textbooks can be a vital tool to deal with environmental problems. Therefore, the purpose of the research; The analysis of environmental literacy concepts in elementary school science books is based on the national curriculum.Materials and Methods: The research method is descriptive and content analysis type. The statistical population included the experimental science books of elementary school, which due to the nature of the subject, sampling was not done and all the statistical population was investigated. The data collection tool was the content analysis list made by the researcher, which was made with the judgment of experts. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: The results of the research showed that in the experimental science books of elementary school; Based on the components of environmental literacy (water consumption management, electricity consumption management, gas consumption management, waste management, forest conservation, animal conservation); The most attention in the first and third grades; water consumption management (25.79 and 35.19 percent), second grade; waste management (34.69 percent), fourth, fifth and sixth grades; forest preservation (22.64, 22.15 and 31.91 percent). Also, attention to environmental elements in the entire primary period (with frequency of 987), the most attention is related to the fifth-grade experimental science book with 21.47 percent and the least attention is related to the sixth grade with 14.28 percent. On the other hand, based on prioritization; The most attention of experimental science textbooks in elementary school was on water consumption management (with 217 frequency) and the least attention was on gas consumption management (with 115 frequency).Discussion: Environmental concepts do not have a favorable position in experimental science books of elementary school. Considering the environmental problems in the country, it was suggested to review the content of experimental science textbooks to pay more attention to environmental components and to include skill-oriented environmental content in the first to third grades and research-oriented content in the fourth to sixth grades, Vertical and horizontal organization in the design of environmental content of experimental science textbooks and balanced distribution of content in the first to sixth grade should be observed, More content on the topic of waste should be included in the content of elementary school textbooks, especially the topic of waste management in the fifth and sixth grade, More content should be devoted to the issue of energy and centrality of gas consumption in the third and fourth grade books, Content related to forest and animal conservation should be included in all the elementary grades.
Sustainable Development
Mohammad Hasan Maleki; Manijeh Ramsheh; Samaneh Aghdami; Ebrahim Javaheri zade
Abstract
Introduction: Environmental disasters, stakeholder pressure, and global trends have caused the discussion of new energies and businesses in this field to be the focus of researchers. In Iran, the issue of sanctions, dependence of industries on fossil fuels and the traditional mentality of managers has ...
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Introduction: Environmental disasters, stakeholder pressure, and global trends have caused the discussion of new energies and businesses in this field to be the focus of researchers. In Iran, the issue of sanctions, dependence of industries on fossil fuels and the traditional mentality of managers has restricted growth and development of clean energy. Development in this field requires a correct understanding of the future and fundamental planning. Without paying attention to financing, which is one of the most important challenges for the development of any business, it will not be possible to continue the activity. Therefore, the current research identified drivers and investment scenarios in the field of clean energy.Materials and Methods: The current research is pragmatic in terms of philosophy and applied in terms of orientation. Also, this study is exploratory in terms of objective and mixed in terms of methodology. The statistical population of the research were experts in the field of clean energy and financing. Using judgmental sampling, 15 managers working in Iran Renewable Energy Association, Iran Energy Association, Environmental Protection Organization and university professors in the relevant fields have been used. The research has been done in five steps. In the first step, key drivers were identified through background review and interviews with experts. In the second step, the drivers were screened through an expert questionnaire and using the fuzzy Delphi method. In the third step, the screened propellants were analyzed through the effect measurement questionnaire and using the fuzzy Dimetal method, and the final propellants were identified based on the degree of effectiveness. In the fourth step, believable scenarios were developed using CATWOE. The probable scenario was identified with CODAS technique.Results: By reviewing the background and interviewing experts, 24 drivers were extracted. Using the fuzzy Delphi method, 12 drivers whose diphasis number was higher than the threshold (0.7) were selected. Then, with the Fuzzy Dimetal technique, the two drivers of the laws related to the energy field and the government's view on the need to enter the field of clean energy were identified and evaluated as suitable for the development of scenarios. Based on these two drivers, four scenarios of soul prison, auspicious, Anti-innovation culture, and poisonous structure were developed. The soul prison scenario depicts the pessimistic future and the auspicious scenario shows the best scenario. Then, using CODAS technique, the soul prison scenario was selected as the most probable scenario.Discussion: Policy makers should try to make Karmiar's ideal scenario happen instead of realizing the soul prison scenario, which happens to be the worst scenario. For this purpose, laws and policies should be established to improve the business environment in the field of clean energy. Such laws should remove obstacles to attract foreign capital while increasing domestic capital. These laws should enable the transfer of advanced technologies through fiscal and financial support. The view of government officials on the need to enter into clean energy as the second most important driver has cultural roots and originates from managers' ignorance of clean energy and its advantages in the business environment. For this reason, universities, research centers, social media, non-governmental organizations supporting the environment, global and regional developments and environmental disasters play an important role in changing this attitude. In Iran, because managers are forced to accept change at the last moment, change is sudden and has increasing costs. It is hard to expect change without doing inclusive and spontaneous cultural work. Cultivation plays an important role in favoring green products. In addition, changing the attitude of managers can lead to the facilitation of financing as a key challenge in the field of clean energy.
Marine Environment
Mahshid Jalili; Abolfazl Saleh; Maryam Fallahi; Ali Mashinchian Moradi; Mohammad Reza Fatemi
Abstract
The abundance, distribution, biodiversity and species composition of phytoplankton and the concentration of nutrient were evaluated in Chabahar Bay during 2018-2019. Phytoplankton succession is mostly posh by physical factors, nutrient availability, mixotrophy and phytoplankton’s predators. Water ...
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The abundance, distribution, biodiversity and species composition of phytoplankton and the concentration of nutrient were evaluated in Chabahar Bay during 2018-2019. Phytoplankton succession is mostly posh by physical factors, nutrient availability, mixotrophy and phytoplankton’s predators. Water sampling was carried out by Niskin water sampler from 9 stations in 6 time periods (pre-monsoon, 2 times in southwest monsoon, post-monsoon and 2 times in summer monsoon). The physical and chemical factors were also recorded. In this study, 114 phytoplankton genus and species belonging to 4 main taxa were identified, of which the most dominant phytoplankton was Dinophyta with abundance of 94%. A significant difference of the density of phytoplankton among sampling months was observed (non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis analysis, p≤0.05). Clear paradox between phytoplankton abundance and nutrient concentration was detected. The results showed that increasing the concentration of nutrients by the autumn resulted in highest number of phytoplankton in winter. CCA Analysis explained about 84% of variations on the phytoplankton density cause by nutrient concentration and dissolved Oxygen.
Environmental Education
Shiva Ghaznavi; Saeed Yazdani; Hamed Rafiee
Abstract
Introduction: Introduction: The pastures of the country are one of the main sources of production and provide an important part of the fodder needed by livestock. In the Zagros region, these resources are very important. Also, due to high destruction in Lorestan province, grazing projects are of great ...
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Introduction: Introduction: The pastures of the country are one of the main sources of production and provide an important part of the fodder needed by livestock. In the Zagros region, these resources are very important. Also, due to high destruction in Lorestan province, grazing projects are of great importance in this province. Therefore, due to the importance of protecting natural resources, developing strategies for the protection and exploitation of these resources and identifying the components hindering participation are felt as a fundamental necessity. People's participation in any project guarantees the implementation and sustainability of that project. This issue is more important in the protection of natural resources, because issues related to the environment and natural resources are intertwined with the lives of communities, and the success of any kind of program will require the participation of these communities.Materials and Methods: The main problem faced by the planners of the General Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Lorestan province is the non-participation of pastoralists in the implementation of pastoral plans, considering their effective role in maintaining and revitalizing pastures, which has made such programs unsuccessful. Is. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to investigate the causes of the non-participation of the users with an emphasis on education from the point of view of experts in this province. The collection of data and information in this research was done through 20 questionnaires from experts of the whole province of Lorestan) and in order to analyze the data of this study, Spss21 and Expert Choice11 software were used.Results: The results showed that structural, managerial, and economic barriers are three important factors preventing non-participation. The summary of the results of this research shows that in order to improve the conditions of pastures with the approach of more participation of the users for the studied area and similar areas, the abilities and opinions of the users and experts should be used. Considering the position that the village and the villagers have in the dynamics of the country's economy, such as helping the economic growth, controlling the inflation rate, increasing the employment rate and activity, they can be a suitable platform for agricultural, livestock, industrial and service products, preserving the environment and security, and cultural norms. and social, to provide security and border guarding. Therefore, drawing a road map that determines the role of villages in the planning system of the country is of special importance. Meanwhile, training is always considered as a sure way to improve performance quality and solve management problems, and its lack is one of the basic issues. Training is a fundamental task for better management and a continuous and permanent process. The results also showed that the lack of training is one of the important factors preventing the participation of users. Therefore, by implementing educational programs, holding gatherings and exhibitions, this participation can be increased and improve pastures.Discussion: The summary of the results of this research shows that in order to improve the conditions of pastures with the approach of more participation of the users for the study area and similar areas, the capabilities and opinions of the users and experts should be used in order to prepare, plan and implement plans based on their needs, priorities and desires. Pasture management should be provided and, in the future, we can witness the improvement of pasture management as well as the protection, modification and revival of pastures along with the increase of livestock production with the least problems at the level of any customary system as economic-social units.
Parisa Kooshki; Romina Sayahnia
Abstract
Today, with the rapid growth of the economy and the development of urban communities, we are witnessing an intensification of the conflict between the resources used by humans. Therefore, awareness of the capacity of available resources in order to achieve the goals of planning is an undeniable necessity. ...
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Today, with the rapid growth of the economy and the development of urban communities, we are witnessing an intensification of the conflict between the resources used by humans. Therefore, awareness of the capacity of available resources in order to achieve the goals of planning is an undeniable necessity. On the other hand, the increasing trend of pollutant production is a major challenge in the planning process. Therefore, in this study, in addition to examining the resources available at the urban level, human-produced pollutants are also considered. Among these, water resources and the pressure applied to water resources are considered as a key factor. This helps to form strategies for achieving sustainable development. This helps to form strategies for achieving sustainable development. In this research, we try to describe the range of Urban environment carrying capacity Condition the province based on resources as a basis for construction and management of residential areas, which means sustainable housing. In fact, assessing the carrying capacity of urban environment resources leads to awareness of sustainability and increases the link between human activities and urban sustainability. Due to the high importance of resources in the issue of sustainability and the existing and increasing problems of Tehran province, in this study we have tried to estimate the carrying capacity of the province with emphasis on water resources of the province. In this study, the criteria are divided into two groups of carrier and load. Carriers have been studied from three dimensions of water facilities, water supply and environmental and the load caused by human activity in the sectors of water consumption and production wastewater, socio-economic and pollution in the two sectors of waste and air. Shannon entropy method has been used to weight the indices. Finally, using the interaction of loads to carriers, the carrying capacity of Tehran province was estimated. According to the obtained results and with the available reports related to the existing conditions in Tehran province, it was determined that among the indicators related to water supply carrier, which has been considered as a key factor in this study, The groundwater resources index, the value of which is determined by the weight of 0.0086, is the most important. According to the results of the carrying capacity related to the interaction of loads with carriers, respectively, carriers of water resources with the amount of 23.748 the highest available capacity, then carriers of the environment of 6.5663 and finally carriers of water facilities as the lowest capacity of Tehran province. There are three carriers with a value of 3.7092.Finally, the numerical value of the total carrying capacity of Tehran province based on the specified indicators is 34.0235. In future studies, if the data and information related to other provinces are completed by implementing the method used in this study for other provinces, it will be possible to compare the values of carrying capacity at the national level, The results can help to improve the planning process based on comparisons between provinces.
Seyed Ghasem Ghorbanzadeh Zaferani; Farhad Hosseini Tayefeh; Mona Izadian
Abstract
Introduction: The study of the structure of aquatic communities in aquatic ecosystems has a special place in the ecological studies of aquatic organisms. Among the important and common macrobenthic indices, we can mention uni- variate and multi-variate ecological indices, which having different advantages ...
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Introduction: The study of the structure of aquatic communities in aquatic ecosystems has a special place in the ecological studies of aquatic organisms. Among the important and common macrobenthic indices, we can mention uni- variate and multi-variate ecological indices, which having different advantages and disadvantages, are still used in various studies in riverian waters. In recent years, studies using biodiversity index and bioindices, especially the Helsinhof index, were used to assessment of the water quality of the Karaj River. Assuming that there is agreement between the ecological indices of the region, the present study evaluated the degree of agreement between the quality statuses results obtained from different ecological indices in the Karaj River.
Materials and Methods: In this study, we sampled macrobenthic fauna using a sorber sampler in nine stations during 2017-2018, seasonally. After separating and identifying macrobenthos, Shannon's index, EPT, ASPT, BMWP and HFBI were calculated. Then the ecological status of the stations was classified based on these indices. The percentage of stations whose ecological status was acceptable or unacceptable, as well as the compatibility level between these five indices in the study area, were calculated. To determine the similar tendency of the different indices in the classification of stations, the degree of correlation between them was determined using a non-parametric test. SPSS23 and Excel software were used for statistical analysis and Primer6 was used to determine biodiversity index. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the normal distribution of the data. In order to determine the significant difference between the desired data, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used at the significance level of p<0.05. ArcGIS 10.3 and Terrset 17.3 software were used to prepare maps using the IDW method.
Results: In terms of abundance, the Shironomide family was dominant. Baetis, Tubifex, Micrasema, Rhithrogena, Eporus, Hydropsyche, Leptophlebiidae, and Simulium made up 83% of the samples. The values of H', EPT, ASPT, BMWP and HFBI were calculated (12.2±0.65), (5.6±2.8), (3.9±1), (48.8±23.34) and (4.6±1), respectively. The relative agreement in the results obtained from the five studied indices was seen in 67% of the stations with unacceptable quality in the case that 22% of the river stations showed complete agreement and 11% of the stations showed disagreement. The statistical analysis shows that there is a significant agreement between the results of the ecological status obtained from EPT with ASPT, BMWP and Shannon, if they are different with HFBI index. Also, based on the results of the correlation between the classification of the ecological quality obtained from the bioindices (positive and strong correlation between the EPT and the Shannon and BMWP), it indicates the similar direction of these indices in the classification of the stations.
Discussion: There are structural and population changes of macrobenthos in aquatic ecosystems due to natural factors and human activities. Due to the lack of complete agreement between the assessment results of the five indices in this study, in order to use biological indices in each region for environmental management, there is a need to simultaneously use indices. Also, it is important to check the agreement between different indices and choose the appropriate ecological index. As a result, using each of these indices alone and without considering the above considerations can lead to wrong results. Based on the results of the present study, the Helsinhof index (HFBI) can be introduced as a more suitable index than other studied indices to assess the ecological status of the Karaj River.
Soil Pollution
Mahmood Kasaei; Nasrin Gharahi; Rafat Zare Bidaki
Abstract
Introduction: Nitrogen is the nutrient in plants production which usually can be added as a fertilizer into the soil. Nitrate is one of the pollutants which is mainly caused by agricultural activities which contaminants groundwater and surface water and threatens human health. Investigating an effective ...
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Introduction: Nitrogen is the nutrient in plants production which usually can be added as a fertilizer into the soil. Nitrate is one of the pollutants which is mainly caused by agricultural activities which contaminants groundwater and surface water and threatens human health. Investigating an effective factor on water and minerals movement in soil and applying the new modifiers such as inorganic nanoparticles and biochar might be useful in reducing nitrate leaching and avoiding underground waters pollutions. Due to this difficulty, some situations to preserve nitrogen in the upper layers of soil such as increasing the absorbent surfaces for minerals, zeolite modifier, and biochar are considered by researchers. As many research have been conducted on using biochar in agricultural systems in terms of organic carbon sequestration in soil and reducing the greenhouse gases, its influence on other processes such as nitrate leaching has been considered as well. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mineral nano-particles and biochar on nitrate leaching in soil and aggregate stability.Materials and Methods: This study had been conducted in the laboratory in faculty of natural resources and geology science, Shahrekord University. Treatments in this study included zeolite, cloisite, and biochar at three levels. PVC pipes with 3 cm in diameter and 40 cm in height were used for the soil columns. Urea fertilizer included 46% pure nitrogen was applied to the soil columns. The amount of the Urea fertilizer was employed as an applied fertilizer for corn plants (200 g Nitrogen per hectare). Urea fertilizer was added as a solution to the soil in irrigation 1, and 5 from irrigation events. At the end of each irrigation event, nitrate effluent was measured using Spectrophotometry method.Results and Discussion: The results showed a significant reduction of nitrate leaching in treatments, 1g biochar, 1g zeolite, and 1g cloisite compared to the control treatment. There was no significant difference between reduction of nitrate leaching in the three treatments, 1g biochar, 1g Zeolite, and 1g cloisite. Furthermore, nitrate leaching in treatments, 5g biochar, 5g zeolite, and 5g cloisite compared to the control treatment was decreased significantly. In all irrigations, 5g biochar had the smallest amount of nitrate leaching comparing 5g zeolite, and 5g Clozite. In general, the results showed that nitrate leaching would be decreased significantly by adding biochar and mineral nano-particles (5%) into the soil. According to the present results and previous findings, it can be mentioned that adding biochar into the soil will cause improving the soil physical properties and reducing nitrate leaching. Thus, we show here, that biochar and nano-particles soil application decreased nitrate leaching and enhanced soil aggregate stability.
Soil Pollution
Ravanbakhsh Shirdam; Sara Emami; Somayeh Mohammadi
Abstract
To reduce the solubility of nickel, cadmium, lead, zinc and cobalt of filter cake tailings, resulting from zinc processing, a sample of the mentioned tailings was collected from the accumulation site in Zanjan province. Their chemical properties were measured using XRF and XRD analysis. Then, these tailings ...
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To reduce the solubility of nickel, cadmium, lead, zinc and cobalt of filter cake tailings, resulting from zinc processing, a sample of the mentioned tailings was collected from the accumulation site in Zanjan province. Their chemical properties were measured using XRF and XRD analysis. Then, these tailings were mixed with 0-10%, 0-3%, 0-2% and 0-6% of lime, red mud, cement and GGBFS, respectively, as stabilizers. In order to investigate the reduction of solubility of heavy metals, the extraction process of the samples was performed using 0.05 M EDTA solution, and the heavy metal of these extracts were measured by atomic absorption. The results demonstrate that in samples made with a combination of both lime and red mud, the solubility of all heavy metals except lead was reduced by 45 to 50%. A comparison between the XRD spectra of the control sample and that of the stabilized sample shows that the sulfate form of PbSO4 in the control sample has converted to the carbonate form of PbCO3 in the sample containing lime and red mud, which has more solubility. This change was the main factor in increasing the solubility of lead (87%) in these samples. Cement and slag have been the most effective additives in reducing lead solubility in filter cake. According to the XRD spectrum, the form of PbSO4 in the control sample decreased significantly (100%) after being mixed with cement and slag, which was the reason for the maximum reduction of the solubility of extractable lead in the sample.
Environmental Economics
Ardavan Zarandian; Fatemeh Mohammadyari; Roya Mousazadeh; Majid Ramezani Mehrian; Jalil Badamfirooz
Abstract
Introduction: Soil resources play an important role in providing the necessary material goods for humans and other organisms and also deliver multiple ecosystem services that are essential for life on earth. They have also served for a long time as an important green infrastructure in protecting agricultural ...
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Introduction: Soil resources play an important role in providing the necessary material goods for humans and other organisms and also deliver multiple ecosystem services that are essential for life on earth. They have also served for a long time as an important green infrastructure in protecting agricultural and forest landscapes by providing plants a foothold for their roots and holding the necessary nutrients for their growth. In addition, soils can provide various ecosystem services such as contaminant immobilization, rainwater control, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision that are directly beneficial for humans. Services provided by ecosystems for humans are called ecosystem services. Soil retention, which refers to the potential of ecosystems for controlling soil erosion and conserving soil, is classified in the class of regulating services. Materials and Methods: The InVEST Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) model was used in InVEST Software to quantify soil retention and erosion. The required inputs for implementing this model include land use maps, K-factor (soil erodibility), R-factor (rain erosivity), C-factor (land use and land cover or LU/LC), P-factor (support practices), DEM (digital elevation model), and the biophysical table. Results: Based on the results, the potential of soil loss and sediment transport in the study area ranged from zero to 248.18 t/pixel and from zero to 57.25 tons per pixel, respectively. Soil retention is also estimated in a range from zero to 124.85 tons per pixel in the studied area. The largest amount of soil loss happened in sub-basin number 14 with 13716400 t/year and the smallest in sub-basin number 4 with 416594 t/year. Most of the ecosystem service of soil retention belonged to sub-basin number 13 with 4304414 t/ha/ year and the least to sub-basin number 4 with 5645 tons/ha/year. Discussion: The dense forests in the northernmost part of Semnan Province provide the most part of the ecosystem service of soil retention with more than 36 t/ha and the desert areas, the salt lake, and the salt marsh the least. Based on this, the province's forests, including dense, semi-dense, sparse and thin forests, contribute to the maintenance of soil in the province by a total of 4269166 tons per year. Also, good pastures maintain more than 18 tons per hectare of the province's soil every year, and the total function of soil maintenance by all types of pastures in the province, including good, medium and poor pastures, is 9395160 tons per year. Since the area covered by the pastures is 18 times more than that by the forests, we can say that most of the ecosystem service of soil retention is provided by the pastures due to the geographical distribution of this service in the province, despite the fact that forests are more capable in soil conservation than pastures. The orchards and rainfed agricultural land rank third and fourth, respectively, in soil retention with 7.86 and 2.15 tons of soil/ha, respectively. However, man-made land uses such as urban areas decrease this ecosystem service because they are usually accompanied by removing or reducing the vegetation. The urban areas are located in the northern part of the study area, and they have negative impacts on this ecosystem service. Therefore, protection of the forest and rangeland covers in the province is vitally important for the continued conservation of the ecosystem service of soil retention.
Ecosystem Management
Vahid Mirzaeizadeh; Ali Mahdavi; Hamidreza Naji; Hamzeh Ahmadi
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, attention has been paid to the effects of global climate change on different species and ecosystems. Among these, three important issues of increasing air temperature, change in carbon dioxide concentration and nitrogen deposition in relation to environmental changes and ...
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Introduction: In recent years, attention has been paid to the effects of global climate change on different species and ecosystems. Among these, three important issues of increasing air temperature, change in carbon dioxide concentration and nitrogen deposition in relation to environmental changes and the response of plants to them, have been widely studied in many places around the world. and is often related to climate change. Climate change can cause an increase in the growing season or a change in rainfall. The greatest effect of climate on tree growth can be seen in the width of annual tree rings. The formation of annual rings of a tree is affected by many different environmental and physiological factors, among which climate changes play a special role. The change in the growth and development of trees is one of the first reactions of trees to climate change. This study was conducted with the aim of monitoring the effect of climatic variables on the growth and distribution range of Pistacia atlantica tree species in Zagros forests in Ilam province using tree chronology.Materials and methods: For this purpose, sampling was carried out using an upgraded annunciator drill from 23 trees according to the extent of each climatic class using the Demartin method in Ilam province. After preparing the samples, the width of the annual vegetation rings was measured using Motic image software with high accuracy for a period of 30 years (1991 to 2022).Results: Based on the results of the average growth of each station, it was determined that Haft Cheshme station located in the Mediterranean climate class of Dumarten with an average growth of 1.13 mm has the highest growth and Manshet station located in the semi-humid climate class of Dumarten with an average growth of 0.83 has the lowest growth. In general, regions with Mediterranean climate have higher growth rate and semi-humid and semi-arid climates are in the next ranks respectively. Meteorological data from WorldClim station were used to understand the relationship between growth and climate. The Pearson correlation results of climatic variables with the growth of Bene species in the sampled stations showed that in the semi-arid climate, with the decrease in altitude above sea level, diameter growth has the highest correlation with the average maximum temperature variable, and with the increase of altitude above sea level, it has the highest correlation with the variable Precipitation is dependent, and in the Mediterranean climate, growth in higher areas has the highest correlation with the variable of precipitation, and with the decrease in altitude, growth is dependent on the average maximum temperature variable. Also, in semi-humid climates, growth has the highest correlation with the average maximum temperature variable, and with the increase in altitude The degree of correlation decreases from sea level.Discussion: The results show that the growth of areas with an altitude higher than 1700 and an altitude lower than 1000 is more affected by the average maximum temperature, and the changes in the maximum temperature are the main factor limiting the distribution of Beneh species in Ilam province, so that with the increase in temperature, the species moves towards the heights. And the regions with Mediterranean climate will migrate to reduce the effects of the maximum temperature factor, and as a result, with the passage of time, the distribution range of Beneh species will also decrease in these borders.
Mahdi Jahani; Mohammad Rostami
Abstract
Introduction: Nowadays, plastic and plastic compounds are among the synthetic materials whose production is increasing day by day in different types and applications. These plastics have been used in the production of various industrial products, and these materials, as waste resistant to microbial decomposition, ...
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Introduction: Nowadays, plastic and plastic compounds are among the synthetic materials whose production is increasing day by day in different types and applications. These plastics have been used in the production of various industrial products, and these materials, as waste resistant to microbial decomposition, created complex environmental challenges. So that the use of industrial polymers causes problems such as solid waste and global warming, and the materials that are currently used in the packaging of food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as in industrial uses are non-degradable. To solve this challenge, researchers are looking for the production of biodegradable plastics.Materials and methods: The main goal of the current research is to identify the barriers to the production of biodegradable disposable containers with the help of the fuzzy Delphi technique. The reason for using the fuzzy approach is that the parameters and variables affecting the results of this research are so diverse and complex that it is not possible to use analysis and screening tools in a deterministic environment. Therefore, in this research, these analyzes are made in the environment of fuzzy numbers. The statistical population of the research includes the specialists and experts in the production of disposable biodegradable containers in the factories of Behzit Tehran, Zoebbehd Pars, Zarin Shimi, MG Plast, Kimia Samane Sabz, Navad Tabriz, Pars Plastic Khuzestan, Shiraz Sabz, Mehrparsa, Adine Plast. . Sampling of experts was done until reaching theoretical saturation, and the sample size of 10 people was selected from factory experts.Results: At the end, the results are analyzed. according to this,, the findings from the data analysis show that among the economic challenges are the lack of investment in production, the cost of raw materials for production, the lack of providing suitable facilities for production, the cost of providing machinery for production. Biodegradable plastics are effective. Among the technological challenges, poor skills and expertise for product packaging and production, lack of access to global markets to update new production technologies, lack of access to the technology needed to implement the production of biodegradable disposable containers are effective. Finally, among the legal challenges of the non-compliance of container production with environmental laws and regulations, cumbersome administrative policies and laws are effective for the production of biodegradable plastics.Discussion: Plastic and plastic compounds are among the synthetic materials whose production is increasing day by day in different types and applications. These plastics have been used in the production of various industrial products, and these materials, as waste resistant to microbial decomposition, created complex environmental challenges. Plastics play an important role in daily life and are used all over the world from hot to cold regions; Because they are cheap, have good mechanical properties and are widely used. With all the features, plastics have become a problem in the environment because the time they remain in the environment is very long. Many of these substances are not broken down by natural processes. Non-biodegradation of polymers causes these materials to persist in the environment
Biodiversity & Biosafety
Mohammadreza Rahmani; Hanie Faghihi; Bahman Shams-Esfandabad
Abstract
Introduction: The population of Red Deer has decreased significantly, and the species distribution is restricted to only some core zones of protected areas of the country. The most important threatening factors in decline the population of the species are destruction and fragmentation of habitats and ...
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Introduction: The population of Red Deer has decreased significantly, and the species distribution is restricted to only some core zones of protected areas of the country. The most important threatening factors in decline the population of the species are destruction and fragmentation of habitats and poaching of the species, which are strongly affected by human presence and human activities. Therefore, using habitat suitability modeling of the species as an effective tool in identifying, managing, and protecting the remaining habitats, can help managers in conserving the species more effectively.Material and Methods: Hyrcanian forests or Caspian forests consist of 15% of the total forests of Iran and are the last surviving temperate broadleaf forests in the world. Mazandaran province includes a significant part of the Hyrcanian forests. The core zone of the Central Alborz Protected Area is the most important area and the safest breeding habitat of Maral in Mazandaran province and has the largest populations of this species in the country. In this study, by use of the Maximum Entropy method and Ecological Niche Factor Analyses, using the species presence points in the Central Alborz Protected Area, we investigated the suitable breeding habitats of the Maral population in Mazandaran province. These models are launched by predictive environmental layers and species presence points, and express the suitability of each cell in the habitat as a function of biological variables.Results: The results of the ENFA method showed that the Central Alborz Protected Area Core Zone is the most important area and the safest breeding habitat of the Maral in Mazandaran Province. The results with values of 1.3 marginalities and specialty 5.5 indicate habitat areas with higher slopes and elevation models than the average which has low tolerability, are selected by the species. The results of the MaxEnt revealed that among the human-related variables, the most effective parameter is the distance to the village. According to the Jackknife test, this variable is the most important in the habitat selection of Maral. As the distance from the village increases, the habitat suitability increases exponentially, and then it decreases due to the proximity to other villages and the density of human presence in the region. By increasing the vegetation density, the suitability of the habitat increases, but in the high density of vegetation, suitability decreases. The output response curve of the results shows that the habitat suitability of the species increases with the increase in elevation because, during the breeding season, the Maral species is dependent on high-elevation safe habitats. Among the ecological variables, the slope variable was identified as the least effective factor. Discussion: During the breeding season, the Maral is present only in the Alborz Protected Area Core Zone, and in the non-breeding season, it is dispersed in a wider area of protected areas. Mazandaran province is potentially one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country, but since the central Alborz core area is currently highly conserved by the Department of the Environment, it is the most important and most populated breeding habitat of Marals in Mazandaran and one of the two main breeding habitats of the country. The lack of protection of suitable habitats is the most important factor in reducing the population of Maral in the province. One of the other important challenges for the protection of this species in the province is the fragmented habitats and their dispersion. Many of the habitats in the species corridors probably have high habitat suitability, but these habitats may have low survival rates for the species due to weak protection, they are sinks of local populations or ecological traps.
Environmental Economics
Soheila Biria; Ali Fakour
Abstract
Introduction: One of the main concerns of governments in recent years has been the increase in per capita health expenditures, which is affected by several factors. The increase in gross domestic product (GDP), air pollution index and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have had direct and indirect effects ...
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Introduction: One of the main concerns of governments in recent years has been the increase in per capita health expenditures, which is affected by several factors. The increase in gross domestic product (GDP), air pollution index and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have had direct and indirect effects on health expenditure per capita. An increase in GDP can improve life, but an increase in air pollution and CO2 emissions caused by human production activities usually causes health problems such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and climate changes. Health problems can increase the per capita health expenditure of people. In addition, these costs have negative effects on the economic productivity of society. Therefore, in this research, the relationship between air pollution and gross domestic product with health expenditures in the big cities of Iran including Tehran, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan and Ahvaz is investigated. Considering that household income and air pollution are among the factors affecting household health expenses, therefore, investigating the relationship between these variables can be effective in finding solutions to improve the health level of the society and solve economic problems caused by the increase in health expenses. Materials and Methods: In this study, the panel data model was used to investigate the factors affecting the per capita health expenditure in 5 major cities of the country. The investigated time period is between 2011-2022. To avoid fitting a false regression, the reliability of the variables is checked. To do this, Levin and Lane test is used. To test the co-accumulation of variables in the long term, Pedroni cointegration test was used, and to determine whether the model is a panel, Limer's F-test was used. Then, to determine whether the model is a model with fixed effects or a model with random effects, the Hausman test is performed. GMM method is used to estimate the model.Results: The results of the model indicate that the increase in gross domestic product (GDP), air pollution index and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions had a positive and significant effect on the increase in per capita health expenditures. In this way, air pollution caused by the economic growth of cities causes an increase in disease and an increase in the cost of health care. As a result, the continuation of air pollution and provision of health expenses by the government causes a larger part of the government's budget to be allocated to the provision of health expenses.Discussion: One of the most important goals of economic development is to achieve higher economic growth. It is expected that the health level of the society will improve as the GDP level increases. But the studies confirm that with the increase in the gross domestic product of each of Iran's big cities, the amount of air pollution has also increased, which has endangered people's health and caused an increase in health costs and an increase in the number of deaths. Therefore, in order to control the per capita health care costs in big cities, it is suggested to the authorities to consider using new and green technology, investing in public transportation and improving energy efficiency as well as preserving the environment in their plans. Also, imposing a tax on CO2 emissions and encouraging the use of clean and green energy can be an economic stimulus to change unsustainable environmental behaviors.
Environmental Economics
samaneh bagheri
Abstract
Introduction: Considering that Iran is one of the ten countries with the most pollution, research in this field is necessary. The goal of countries is high economic growth along with the non-emission of pollution. Environmental destruction and climate change are problems of all countries. Some people ...
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Introduction: Considering that Iran is one of the ten countries with the most pollution, research in this field is necessary. The goal of countries is high economic growth along with the non-emission of pollution. Environmental destruction and climate change are problems of all countries. Some people believe that economic growth leads to the destruction of the environment, and some others do not accept this theory. Sustainable development means that today's generation must meet its own needs without compromising the next generation. Today, countries are trying to achieve sustainable development by minimizing environmental destruction in addition to economic growth. To achieve this goal, international treaties have been concluded between the countries of the world. Many environmental protection organizations were established. One of the long debates among economists is energy consumption. On the one hand, due to economic growth and production of goods, energy consumption is needed, and on the other hand, the pollution caused by the consumption of this energy fuels environmental and non-climate pollution in countries. Because Iran is a country that sells oil and natural gas, it is a country that has a relative advantage in the field of fossil energy. Considering that Iran has a relative advantage in energy consumption, research in this field becomes necessary. Energy consumption can lead to more pollution.Materials and methods: For the first time, this research investigates the factors affecting energy consumption and pollution emission in Iran using the Markov switching method, fully adjusted ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares and Johansen's method, for the period of 1994-2021. examines In most of the studies conducted on the relationship between energy consumption and major macroeconomic variables, the influence of factors affecting energy consumption, especially factors affecting energy consumption and pollution emission in Iran, has not been paid attention to. For the first time, this research examines the experimental test of the environmental Kuznets curve with three dynamic time series methods, including fully adjusted ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares, with three optimal intervals and Johansen's method.Results: According to the results of this research, with all three dynamic time series methods, the Kuznets curve was confirmed for Iran, and this country is located in the downward part of the Kuznets curve, which means that economic growth initially leads to pollution, but later it causes pollution. Pollution is reduced. Energy consumption has had a positive and significant effect on carbon dioxide emissions. According to the research results, gross domestic product, energy consumption, foreign direct investment have a positive and significant effect on carbon dioxide emissions. Trade has a negative and significant effect on carbon dioxide emissions. The LR test showed that the model is nonlinear and the Markov switching method was used to estimate the model. The results obtained using Markov switching MS-ARMA(3,1,0) method show a positive and significant relationship between trade, GDP and energy consumption with a break on energy consumption. Due to the composition effect of Iran in energy-intensive industries, it has found a relative advantage and trade has a positive and significant effect on consumption.Keywords: FMOLS، DOLS، Kuznets Curve, Johansen
Environmental Education
Masoud Rezaei
Abstract
Introduction: Anthropocentrism is one of the central causes of the environmental crisis which is rooted in consumerism, and consumerism in energy leads to more demand for natural resources. By criticizing anthropocentrism, environmental philosophy has qusstioned the dominant Western culture's conception ...
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Introduction: Anthropocentrism is one of the central causes of the environmental crisis which is rooted in consumerism, and consumerism in energy leads to more demand for natural resources. By criticizing anthropocentrism, environmental philosophy has qusstioned the dominant Western culture's conception of nature and has challenged this mainstream by criticizing instrumental rationality and emphasizing the intrinsic value of nature. Consumption is a key component to achieve sustainable development, and saving energy is one of the ways to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment and climate change management. The rapid increase in energy consumption for socio-economic activities is the main source of the continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming and climate change effects. From the environmental psychology perspective, dealing with climate change is considered a fundamental challenge that requires a deep understanding of the psychological processes involved in environmentally friendly behaviors and lifestyles in general, and energy consumption in particular. The evidence shows that technical interventions alone cannot have an effect in reducing energy consumption and consumers' behavior must be changed. Materials and Methods: The main purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between environmental ethics and energy saving behavior of agricultural students. To achieve this goal, the survey method was used. The statistical population of the research was M.Sc. and Ph.D. agricultural students at Tehran University, which 126 of them were selected using simple random sampling method and Krejcie and Morgan table. The questionnaire was a data gathering tool that was designed in three sections: students' demographic characteristics, energy saving behavior and environmental ethics. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts in this field. Also, its validity was obtained using convergent and differential validity, and its reliability was obtained by calculating Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. Findings: The findings of the research showed that the students prioritized ecocentrism, theocentrism and anthropocentrism in the first to third priority, respectively. Based on the results of structural equation modeling, only ecocentrism environmental ethics was effective in energy saving behavior and the research model was able to explain 38% of students' energy saving behavior changes. Discussion: Unlimited exploitation of natural resources to provide energy and wasting energy resources are clear examples of paying attention to human needs, without considering the capacity and potential of nature. With regard to eco-centric ethics, the discourse of intrinsic value should become the dominant discourse in energy policies, and without acknowledging the intrinsic value and rights of nature, the intrinsic value of nature is continuously ignored, and a shif from anthropocentric developmentalism to ecocentric approach should be prioritized in order to fill the gap between anthropocentrism and ecocentrism. The fact that students focus on anthropocentric or ecocentric views affects their understanding of the environment and its protection and their attitude towards the environment. Eco-centric education for students is one of the important priorities in this field. An education that makes students aware of the intrinsic value of nature. This process increases the critique of dominant values such as excessive energy consumption and highlights the negative effects of development. The key point in teaching environmental sustainability is educational approaches focused on the development of critical and reflective thinking. In these trainings, empathy with life on the planet, listening to the earth and action to protect the biosphere should be encouraged.
Air ppllution
Ghasem Zolfaghari; Sara Mohabat
Abstract
Introduction: The growth of technology and industry has brought prosperity to mankind on the one hand, but on the other hand, it has caused the creation of physical, chemical, and biological pollutants in the environment and by creating unfavorable conditions in the work environment, it has endangered ...
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Introduction: The growth of technology and industry has brought prosperity to mankind on the one hand, but on the other hand, it has caused the creation of physical, chemical, and biological pollutants in the environment and by creating unfavorable conditions in the work environment, it has endangered the basis of a healthy life. Suspended particles (Particulate Matter (PM)), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO) are among the standard and important pollutants in air pollution. In this research, the pollutants emitted from the chimneys of Semnan gypsum industries including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM10), and dry dust have been studied in five Semnan gypsum factories.Materials and methods: The concentration of PM10 and dry dusts was determined using a particle measuring device (TCR-Tecora) and a Testo 350-M/XL device was used to measure gaseous pollutants. Sampling of industrial chimneys as well as the space around the factories has been done in four places. Also, risk assessment has been done by the William-Fine technique, which is a systematic risk assessment method to identify possible risks, estimate the level of risk in risk management, and reduce it to an acceptable level.Results: In this study, the amount of NOx is between 24.5 and 39 ppm, the concentration of SO2 is between 33.44 and 321 ppm, the concentration of CO is between 5 and 100 ppm, the concentration of PM10 pollutant is between 2.68 and µg/m3 97.66, and the concentration of dry dust between 53.23 and 31896 mg/m3 was reported in the five investigated industries. For environmental assessment, 40 environmental aspects were identified using the William-Fine technique. For pollutants CO, SO2, NOx, PM10 and dry particles according to the risk priority number (RPN) calculated and according to the results of the category length, 4 risk classes were obtained with titles of very high, high, medium and low risk. Based on the ranking of 40 environmental aspects, the frequency of low category was 22, average category was 4, high category was 4, and very high category was 10. In gypsum units No. 3 and 4, the risks of PM10 suspended particles were among very high risks. Also, the risk related to dust dry in both chimney of factory No. 5 was reported at a very high level.Discussion: The concentrations of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and dry dusts are lower than the standard values of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related to chimney emissions (carbon monoxide: 435 ppm, sulfur dioxide: 800 ppm, nitrogen oxides: 350 ppm and Dry particles: 600 mg/m3). The concentration of PM10 based on the standard of the World Health Organization (WHO) was higher than the permissible limit (50 µg/m3), while it was lower than the permissible limit based on the EPA (150 µg/m3). The entry of PM10 suspended particles into the atmosphere and also the accumulation of dusts in the environment around the factory is one of the important environmental problems of gypsum factories. Based on the classification, 55% of the aspects were at the low risk level, 10% of the aspects were at the medium risk level, 10% of the aspects were at the high risk level, and 25% were at the very high risk level. Finally, in order to reduce the level of risk and for the effective management of these industries, measures such as changing the used fuel to clean fuel, regular monitoring of the quantity and quality of the exhaust gas flow from the industrial chimney, using filter masks when in contact with dust, replacing bag filters Impact type with jet pulse type is remarkable.
Environmental Education
Robabeh Allahdadi Hafshejani; Mozhgan Ahmadi Nadoushan
Abstract
Introduction: Urban parks serve numerous social and ecological functions, providing citizens with a convenient escape from urban life and an opportunity to reconnect with nature. Therefore, the management of urban parks should prioritize enhancing their utility through the incorporation of natural elements. ...
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Introduction: Urban parks serve numerous social and ecological functions, providing citizens with a convenient escape from urban life and an opportunity to reconnect with nature. Therefore, the management of urban parks should prioritize enhancing their utility through the incorporation of natural elements. The main objective of this research was to gain knowledge and to know the aesthetic preferences and willingness to pay of the Isfahan residents in using urban park.Materials and Methods: In this study, 6 parks including Soffeh, Najwan, Ghadir, Hasht-Behesht, Laleh and Qalamestan were selected and the opinions of 150 visitors were analyzed and evaluated by convenience sampling method from different ranges of citizens. After designing and collecting the data of the researcher-made questionnaire and ensuring its validity and reliability, the descriptive statistics of the data were used for a better interpretation of the results. Information about access to the park was classified in the categories of travel time, time of visit per week, vehicle used to reach the park, and accompanying persons. A 5-point Likert scale was used to collect answers in each field. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also used to check the differences between the opinions of different groups. In this study, a desirability index was designed to measure people's willingness to attend and use the park.Results: The most frequent age group visiting the parks was 18 to 25 years old, comprising 24.28% of the visitors. Among the selected parks, Soffeh Park had the longest average travel time of 40.13 minutes, followed by Hashtbehesht Park with 38.73 minutes. The study also demonstrates that the choice of transportation means is influenced by the park's type and location. Soffeh Park and Hashtbehesht Park were predominantly accessed by public transportation, accounting for over 40% and 38% of visitors, respectively. Regarding the connection with nature, Soffeh and Najvan Parks exhibited a significant difference (p-value ≤ 0.05) compared to other parks. Overall, the results indicate that Najvan and Soffeh parks are commonly chosen for recreational purposes rather than their proximity to visitors' residences. On the other hand, parks with public designs are frequently utilized by local residents but less often by tourists or specific interest groups. Notably, visitors displayed a greater willingness to contribute financially to the preservation of Soffeh and Najvan parks, likely influenced by the natural ambiance these parks offer.Discussion: Based on the study's findings, it is recommended to enhance the naturalness of parks, expand their size, and consider designing parks tailored for specific purposes rather than general public use. Such measures are more likely to gain acceptance among citizens, leading to increased willingness to contribute financially and heightened desirability of the parks. It is suggested to classify the design elements of the parks and the quality of their presence and arrangement inside the park should also be considered as one of the important criteria of desirability. Considerations such as the per capita of each park, their size, and location are also one of the most important factors that affect the quality and desirability of the park.