animal biosystematic
Masoud Yousefi; Bagher Nezami; Mohamad Ali Adibi; Abdoulsaleh Geray; Farhad Ataei
Abstract
Reptiles are important components of natural ecosystems but because of limited dispersal ability they are sensitive to habitat destruction, road development and climate change. However, very little is known about their diversity and distribution in protected areas of Iran. In this study, reptiles of ...
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Reptiles are important components of natural ecosystems but because of limited dispersal ability they are sensitive to habitat destruction, road development and climate change. However, very little is known about their diversity and distribution in protected areas of Iran. In this study, reptiles of Touran Biosphere Reserve were collected, photographed and identified from 2014 to 2021. Results showed that 36 reptile species including 20 lizards, 15 snakes and 1 tortoise are living in the Touran Biosphere Reserve. Families Agamidae and Gekkonidae where the most diverse families among the lizard species and family Colubridae was the most diverse family among the snake species. Testudo horsfieldii and Varanus griseus are species with conservation concern thus they need special conservation programs.
Samira Ghafaripour; Morteza Naderi; Mohammad Anvar Hashemzehei
Abstract
Knowledge about the species geographic range and habitat affinities is essential in the species conservation programs Thus, it can be said that habitat selection is one of the most effective behavioral mechanism in the fitness of the organisms .Sand cat is a rare species. Sand cat is not well studied ...
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Knowledge about the species geographic range and habitat affinities is essential in the species conservation programs Thus, it can be said that habitat selection is one of the most effective behavioral mechanism in the fitness of the organisms .Sand cat is a rare species. Sand cat is not well studied because this species lives in a harsh environment that is often remote, and these cats are nocturnal, subterranean, and secretive animals. In this research we investigated SAND CAT’s habitat suitability and distribution in Sistan and Baluchistan province of the south eastern Iran using Maximum Entropy modeling approach. Our results indicated that the presence of the desert bushlands and vegetation cover is the most important variable which affects the species habitat selection and use since it provide prey habitat use in the area. Since there is no documented conservation and management program regarding SAND CATs in the study area, this research can provide enough basic data for such programs.
Arash Jouladeh Roudbar; Hamid Farahmand; Amirreza Abed Elmdoust; Bagher Mojazi amiri; Soheil Eagderi
Abstract
Luciobarbus is one of the most important and economical genus of the Cyprinidae family, most of them are similar in appearance, making it difficult to identify species. In the present study, 519 stations in seven basins, including: Caspian, Namak, Urmia, Hari, Tigris, Persis and Hormuz basins were sampled ...
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Luciobarbus is one of the most important and economical genus of the Cyprinidae family, most of them are similar in appearance, making it difficult to identify species. In the present study, 519 stations in seven basins, including: Caspian, Namak, Urmia, Hari, Tigris, Persis and Hormuz basins were sampled using nets, electro fisher and jigging, during the years 2011-2011. In total, the presence of nine species including L. barbulus, L. brachycephalus, L. capito, L. conocephalus, L. esocinus, L. kersin, L. mursa, L. subquincunciatus and L. xanthopterus was confirmed in Iran's inland waters. For the approved members of this genus in Iran, the identification key were presented and their distribution map were prepared. Also, after examining the conservation status of the members of this genus, it was suggested that a well-codified, principled and scientific program be considered to identify populations, suitable places for reproduction and release of larvae from reproduction in captivity.
Masoud Yousefi; Bagher Nezami; Amir Abdoos; Bahramali Zaheri; Ahmad Radman; Negar Najafi Siavashan
Abstract
Birds provide important ecosystem services, but they face several threats like climate change, land-use change, and illegal hunting. Protected areas are important tools for the conservation of avian diversity however their avian diversity and distribution poorly studied in Iran. In this study, we present ...
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Birds provide important ecosystem services, but they face several threats like climate change, land-use change, and illegal hunting. Protected areas are important tools for the conservation of avian diversity however their avian diversity and distribution poorly studied in Iran. In this study, we present the result of our field observations of avifauna and breeding birds of Touran National Park, Semnan province between 2019 and 2021. We recorded 92 bird species in the national park and confirmed the breeding status of 33 species, some of which, namely Eastern Imperial Eagle, Asian Houbara Bustard, and European roller are threatened. Eastern Imperial Eagle and Asian Houbara Bustard are listed on Annex I of CITES and Eurasian Kestrel and Merlin are listed on Annex I of CITES. Diversity of bird of prey, breeding of the Persian Ground Jay and Houbara Bustard in the desert and semi-arid steppe ecosystems are some of the remarkable values of the Touran National Park. According to the field surveys, the presence of large numbers of domestic animals around the Park and the trampling of bird nests, the high number of domestic camels, and successive droughts are the most important avian threats in the Touran National Park.
Ali Gholamhosseini; Mehdi Ansari; Mehregan Ebrahimi; Hamid Reza Esmaeili
Abstract
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest carnivore of Iran with a holarctic distribution in Europe, Asia, and North America. In Iran, its distribution is restricted to the mountain forest areas of Alborz and Zagros and Fars province is on the southernmost distribution boundary for this species worldwide. ...
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Brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest carnivore of Iran with a holarctic distribution in Europe, Asia, and North America. In Iran, its distribution is restricted to the mountain forest areas of Alborz and Zagros and Fars province is on the southernmost distribution boundary for this species worldwide. Iran's brown bears recognized as U. a. syriacus, which has discrete populations at high risk, and there is a critical lack of knowledge concerning different aspects of its biology. This research was carried out in order to identify its distribution pattern and conservation planning for four years in Fars province. As direct observation of brown bears is difficult due to its nocturnal activity, signs are usually used in such researches. A total of 170 signs of this species were recorded in Fars province. The most signs are traces (about 48%) and scat (about 20%). Investigation of the signs and the mapping of the species in Fars province using ArcGIS 10.3 showed that the highest presence of this species belongs to Mountains areas of Marvdasht (32.54%) and Sepidan (31.95%) in the northern parts of the province with a height range of 1600 to more than 2800 meters above sea level. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that brown bear faces conflict with humans by attack on humans, domestic livestock, honey hives, fish farms and agricultural products in the province.
Ali Kianian; Sayyad Sheykhi Ilanloo; Elham Ebrahimi
Abstract
Abstract Today, aquatic and aquatic fauna have high value in many aspects and are considered as indicators of biodiversity in studies. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of studying the trend of changing and comparing the indices of diversity and density of aquatic and aquatic birds ...
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Abstract Today, aquatic and aquatic fauna have high value in many aspects and are considered as indicators of biodiversity in studies. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of studying the trend of changing and comparing the indices of diversity and density of aquatic and aquatic birds in the wetland of Shirin Sou dam in Hamadan province, it was an indicator for 1 year. For this purpose, the birds of this wetland were counted from October 2009 to September 2010. The results showed that the highest bird density in the month of November was 23.77 hectares. The highest and lowest values of Simpson's index in Shirin Su Dam lake were recorded in March (0.93) and March (0.69) respectively. Also, the highest and lowest values of Shannon diversity index were in October and October (4.40) and Bahman (2.5). For the beryllium diversity index, the highest and lowest values, as well as the Shannon diversity index, were shown in October (4/10) and Bahman (1.6). In terms of Simpson's uniformity index, the highest and the lowest uniformity were reported in Shirin Su Dam lagoon in February (0.7) and May (0.27). For the Camargo uniformity index, Simmons index was the highest and lowest in Bahman (0.68) and May (0.27). For the Smith Wilson uniformity index, the highest and lowest values were determined in February and March and were respectively 0.8 and 0.36 respectively. The maximum and minimum densities in the survey period in the wetland of Shirin Sou dam were allocated to the months of November (23.78) and Bahman (1.17), respectively. The number of aquatic species in different months of the year was more than aquatic species. But the abundance of aquatic birds has always been more than aquatic. The Shirin Su Dam Lake seems to be better and more capable of providing nutritional resources for aquatic species. And this issue has also been found by observing the abundance of aquatic birds in relation to aquatic species.
Masoud Yousefi; Farhad Ataei; Anooshe Kafash; Hamid Reza Rezaei
Volume 6, Issue 3 , March 2018, , Pages 117-126
Abstract
Abstract Alborz province with area about 5833 km2 located in west of Tehran province. In a long term study of the lizards in this province which lasted 2 years (2015-2016), 13 species of lizards, Paralaudakia caucasia, Trapelus agilis, Phrynocephalus persicus, Darevskia defilippi, Lacerta strigata, Eremias ...
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Abstract Alborz province with area about 5833 km2 located in west of Tehran province. In a long term study of the lizards in this province which lasted 2 years (2015-2016), 13 species of lizards, Paralaudakia caucasia, Trapelus agilis, Phrynocephalus persicus, Darevskia defilippi, Lacerta strigata, Eremias persica, Eremias fasciata, Eremias papenfussi, Ophisops elegans, Mesalina watsonana, Bunopus crassicaudus, Ablepharus bivittatus and Eumeces schneideri, belonging to four families, were collected, recognized and reported from the area. We also built 13 distribution maps for lizards of the Alborz province. We recorded two new distribution records for lizards of Iran in the area, we found an isolated population of Lacerta strigata in the north of the province which extends altitudinal distribution of the species more than 900 m in Iran. We also found an isolated population of Eremias faciata in south of the province, this record is the westernmost record for this species in Iran and extends the known distributional range of the species about 200 km westward.
Bejeli, Azadeh; Omid Tabiee
Volume 4, Issue 2 , December 2015, , Pages 53-61
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine the level of people’s awareness and willingness towards the protection of Persian wild ass (Equus hemionus onager), to recommend solutions that can improve management and conservation of this species. In this descriptive-analytical study, 660 people from Fars ...
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The aim of this study is to determine the level of people’s awareness and willingness towards the protection of Persian wild ass (Equus hemionus onager), to recommend solutions that can improve management and conservation of this species. In this descriptive-analytical study, 660 people from Fars province were chosen via the clustered method. A questionnaire comprising items about the people’s demographics as well as their knowledge and cooperation regarding to protection of Persian wild ass was completed for all the study population through interviews. Subsequently, descriptive statistics, x2, t-test and Kruskal-wallis test were employed for analysis using SPSS Software (version 21). Result showed that, 63.6 percent of the cases had poor knowledge and 40.5% had no desire to support of this species. On the other hand, there were a significant correlation between knowledge and sex and awareness and age (P < 0.05). The highest level of knowledge was found among those with university levels of education. There was not a significant correlation between willingness to supports of Persian wild ass and educational levels (P < 0.05). Consequently, given that the majority of the people’s under study had poor knowledge and function about Persian wild ass protection and conservation, it seems advisable that regular and systematic training programs be devised in relation to population decrease prevention strategies such as practical classes on protection of Persian wild ass.
A. Farashi
Volume 3, Issue 3 , May 2015, , Pages 43-53
Abstract
Abstract Geographic information system (GIS), science and tecnology of georefrence datas analysis, can assimilate many parameters at once and this ability with modelling statistic bases supplies a suitable set of appling ecological models for ecologists. One of these ecological models is habitat ...
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Abstract Geographic information system (GIS), science and tecnology of georefrence datas analysis, can assimilate many parameters at once and this ability with modelling statistic bases supplies a suitable set of appling ecological models for ecologists. One of these ecological models is habitat model for wildlife species that it is important in fild of managemant and conservation wildlife species. Models predicting the spatial distribution of species and suitability habitat are currently gaining interest. As they often help both in understanding species niche requirements, their use has been especially promoted to tackle conservation issues, such as managing species distribution, assessing ecological impacts of various factors (e.g. pollution, climate change), risk of biological invasions or endangered species management. Accordingly, we explore the habitat models to introduce the approach to wildlife managers.
