Northwestern Iran Research Articles

Soil security under salt attack: Protection of the soil against the salinization caused by drying up of Lake Urmia

In recent decades, Lake Urmia (LU), a hypersaline lake in northwestern Iran, has suffered significant water loss due to both human-induced and natural causes. This drought could lead to the emission of millions of tons of saline particulates from its dried bed, resulting in saline dust storms that compromise soil and food security in LU basin as an agricultural region. Despite some restoration programs by the central government and provincial administrations, efforts have not been sufficient to revive LU and mitigate risks. This paper explores the legal dimensions of the impact of LU's drying on soil security and assesses current legal initiatives for LU restoration and soil security along with their challenges. The study concludes that current legal initiatives for soil security against LU drought are inadequate, and without significant changes in sustainable water and soil governance, soil and food security in the region will be impossible. The paper recommends taking more serious actions to prevent LU drying according to the precautionary principle, promoting sustainable and polycentric soil and water governance, shifting economic and agricultural priorities, and protecting the environment and local people against the impacts of this catastrophe.

Redesign and ergonomic assessment of a chest-support baby walker.

Parents often use baby walkers (BWs) as assistive devices to improve their infants' independent movement and motor skill acquisition. However, the literature suggests that conventional baby walkers (CBW) may cause delays in an infant's ability to walk independently and musculoskeletal burden on parents. In the current study, a baby walker (RBW) with chest support was redesigned and ergonomically assessed during an infant-walking task. The anthropometric dimensions of 90 infants aged 7-11 months were measured in the city of Urmia, northwestern Iran. Following redesigning based on the results from expert panel meetings and prototyping of the RBW, 18 mothers (age: 28.33±4.27 and height: 163.75±5.32 and weight: 59.45±5.99) with their infants (9 boys and 9 girls) performed a simulated infant walking task in two experimental sessions using the CBW and RBW over a repeated measurements design. The infants' feet track patterns, including the number of steps and step distances were assessed via the image analysis of the footprints. The mothers' body posture and lower back spinal load were evaluated using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) technique and 3D Static Strength Prediction Program (3DSSPP), respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed infants walked more steps with the RBW (p = 0.002). Similarly, the distance between the infants' left heel strike (p = 0.008) and their right and left toe-off (p = 0.03 and 0.02 respectively) was also significantly lower in the RBW use. Additionally, the body posture of mothers was improved (RULA final score from 7 for CBW to 5 for RBW). Moreover, lower back compression and shear forces were reduced significantly (p = 0.002) by the RBW use. According to the feet track pattern, infants took more balanced steps when the RBW was used. In addition, mothers were subjected to less pressure on the lumbar region when they placed and lifted their infant from the RBW. However, further work is necessary to investigate potential long-term effects of the RBWs use.

High prevalence of antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation in Salmonella Gallinarum.

Antibiotic resistance is an indicator of the passively acquired and circulating resistance genes. Salmonella Gallinarum significantly affects the poultry food industry. The present study is the first study of the S. Gallinarum biofilm in Iran, which is focused on the characterization of the S. Gallinarum serovars and their acquired antibiotic resistance genes circulating in poultry fields in central and northwestern Iran. Sixty isolates of S. Gallinarum serovar were collected from feces of live poultry. The bacteria were isolated using biochemical tests and confirmed by Multiplex PCR. Biofilm formation ability and the antibacterial resistance were evaluated using both phenotypic and genotypic methods. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. According to Multiplex PCR for ratA, SteB, and rhs genes, all 60 S. Gallinarum serovars were Gallinarum biovars. In our study, the antibiotic resistance rate among isolated strains was as follows: Penicillin (100%), nitrofurantoin (80%), nalidixic acid (45%), cefoxitin (35%), neomycin sulfate (30%), chloramphenicol (20%), and ciprofloxacin (5%). All isolates were susceptible to imipenem, ertapenem, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and ceftazidime+clavulanic acid. All sixty isolates did not express the resistance genes IMP, VIM, NDM, DHA, blaOXA48, and qnrA. On the other hand, they expressed GES (85%), qnrB (75%), Fox M (70%), SHV (60%), CITM (20%), KPC (15%), FOX (10%), MOXM (5%), and qnrS (5%). All S. Gallinarum isolates formed biofilm and expressed sdiA gene. Considering that the presence of this bacteria is equal to the death penalty to the herd, the distribution of resistance genes could be a critical alarm for pathogen monitoring programs in the region. This study showed a positive correlation between biofilm formation and 50% of tested resistance genes. Also, it was found that the most common circulating S. gallinarum biovars are multidrug-resistant.

The socioeconomic impact of severe droughts on agricultural lands over different provinces of Iran

The lack of rainfall is the primary cause of drought, reduced crop harvest (CH), and socioeconomic drought. Agriculture is the primary source of income for most Iranians, and drought can harm people's lives irreparably. This study examines the changes in the CHs and crop prices (CPs) across provinces of Iran during the most severe drought of all time in Iran and its impact on producers (farmers), consumers, and public prosperity using the Surplus Economic Method (SEM). Our study focused on crops that have a big impact on Iranian life, such as wheat, barley, potato, onion, tomato, lentils, chickpeas, and alfalfa. Our results indicated that Iran's most severe hydrological drought occurred from 2000 to 2002. The rainfed farms experienced the most pronounced changes in terms of CH, while financial damages were the highest in irrigated areas. Among the crops investigated, rainfed wheat has experienced the greatest reduction of 80%. Moreover, grains have the greatest price change (40% increase) during the hydrological drought. Wheat underwent the steepest CH reduction. Legumes experienced the steepest price rise. During the drought, most crops had lower yields, causing losses for consumers, but some producers still made a profit. The drought affected northwest and west Iran farmers adversely, but southern and central Iran farmers gained from the drought through increased product prices. Drought has had adverse effects on the public prosperity for most of the examined crops and reduced it. The greatest reduction corresponds to barley in the western regions and the Zagros Mountains. The diversity of crops in northwestern and western Iran has made these regions the most important areas for farming and crop supply in Iran. Agricultural droughts in these regions can affect the lives of all Iranian people and lead to socioeconomic drought in Iran. Our study demonstrated that hydrological droughts in northwestern and western areas of Iran are chiefly caused by the shortage of winter and spring rains. Moreover, Identifying the primary factors of hydrological drought showed that the hydrological drought is most affected by the depth of snow during winter. Additionally, the data analysis revealed that the combined effect of winter precipitation with snow depth and snow depth with snow coverage has the highest impact on hydrological drought (61%). The results can make farming policies based on the region and climate, marketing plans for droughts, and solutions to address the harmful effects of drought.

The relationship between the large-scale relative vorticity fields and precipitation over Iran

Abstract This study examines the relationship between relative vorticity, a key variable in mid-latitude synoptic motions, and precipitation in Iran. Using the S-mode PCA, activity centers of relative vorticity and precipitation were identified. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was applied to the factor scores of these centers to reveal coupled patterns of relative vorticity and precipitation. The analysis is based on 500- and 850-hPa relative vorticity fields at 2.5° grid points (10°–70° E and 10°–70° N) and uses monthly relative vorticity values from NCEP-DOE reanalysis databases (1981–2020) along with standardized rainfall data from 97 Iranian synoptic stations. Three main CCA patterns reveal connections: 500-hPa relative vorticity changes in the eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and Iran relate to eastern Iran's precipitation. Relative vorticity over Eastern Europe inversely correlates with southern Caspian Sea coast precipitation. Changes over Turkey and Cyprus can affect northwestern Iran's rainfall. The changes in 850-hPa relative vorticity over the Arabian Sea inversely link to eastern Iran's precipitation, while those over the eastern Mediterranean directly connect to western Iran's precipitation. Relative vorticity changes in Eastern Europe negatively correlate with southwestern Caspian Sea coast precipitation.

Adopting normalized full gradient method for regional‐scale gravity modelling: A case study for Northwestern Iran

AbstractThe normalized full gradient was developed to determine anomalous bodies, such as oil and gas fields or simple geological structures studies. We believe that even in complicated geology, normalized full gradient is practical. We introduce data preprocessing and use step‐by‐step simple‐to‐complicated synthetic tests to develop previous researchers’ ideas for regional‐scale gravity modelling. One of the most important steps of the normalized full gradient is the determination of the N optimum value. We found that prevalent methods such as the standard spectral or maxima method are feasible in simple structures only. So, we have suggested the imaging criteria routine for complicated cases. We trace maximum normalized full gradient responses to detect the normalized full gradient responses at the increasing harmonic numbers as the transition of the extensive part of the anomaly to the sharp part of that. With imaging criteria for the determination of N optimum values, the complicated synthetic test results show the success of the normalized full gradient to understand complicated gravity signals. In the real case, we have studied the Northwestern Iran normalized full gradient model of the Bouguer ground gravity data beneath the seismic profile and prepared a P receiver function depth section to uncover the geometry of the Moho boundary and important interfaces in the crust. We suggest the inferred synthetic model from the Bouguer ground gravity anomaly and P receiver function depth section to normalized full gradient trustworthy test in real cases. According to the synthetic test results, we understand the frame of the normalized full gradient responses in the semi‐real case and truthful responses in the real case. Along with this, we study the second ground gravity profile of Northwestern Iran in a good resolution to uncover the deeper structures. The real case results show the possibility of Moho offset and thinning lithosphere beneath the North Tabriz Fault lithospheric boundary, the possible source of Sahand volcanic centre at the west side of the Moho offset beneath North Tabriz Fault, the deep root of the Sabalan volcanic centre in the lower crust and the lithospheric and asthenospheric wedge with the density contrast beneath Sahand–Sabalan volcanic centres. One of the most important results of our study is the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary offset and stepped Moho possibility beneath the Talesh Mts next to the South Caspian Basin boundary.

Plurigaussian modeling of non-stationary geological domains to assess geological uncertainty in a porphyry copper deposit

In mineral resources extraction projects, the morphology of geological domains that make up the ore types in a mineral deposit is essential for mine and plant planning and design. Modeling the layout of these domains and quantifying the uncertainty associated with such a layout can be performed via geostatistical simulation in order to provide multiple geological outcomes that are equally likely to occur. This work focuses on showing how plurigaussian simulation can help to model ore type domains exhibiting spatially varying probabilities of occurrence, through an application to a porphyry copper deposit in northwestern Iran. The results demonstrate the advantage of incorporating spatial variations of the domain proportions, in accordance with the geological interpretation of the deposit, to obtain geologically consistent and realistic outcomes.

The prevalence of elder abuse and risk factors: a cross-sectional study of community older adults

BackgroundThe old people population is increasing worldwide. Along with their increasing population, an increase in elder abuse cases is predicted. Elder abuse is a neglected problem, and many cases go unreported. This study was conducted to identify types of elder abuse and examine associated risk factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 500 older people in Ardabil (northwestern Iran). Data was collected over three months, from June to September 2020. Data was collected using a demographic information form and the Domestic Elder Abuse questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22). Logistic regression was used to identify factors related to elder abuse.ResultsThe results showed that out of the 500 participants, 258 (51.6%) were male, and 242 (48.2%) were female. Among the 500 participants, 377 individuals (75/4%) reported experiencing at least one type of abuse in the past year. The highest rate of elder abuse was observed for emotional neglect (47.2%) and psychological abuse (40.8%), while the lowest rate was measured for rejection (15.4%) and physical abuse (12.4%). The results indicated that elder abuse was significantly associated with chronic illness (OR = 0.601, 95% CI: 0.391–0.922) and having 1–4 children (OR = 1.275, 95% CI: 1.137–1.430).ConclusionConsidering the high level of elder abuse and its dangerous effects on the quality of life for older people, it is essential to develop appropriate programs to increase awareness among older people and their families.

Using Algal Indices to Assess the Ecological Condition of the Aras River, Northwestern Iran

This work is the first in a series, and its purpose is the comprehensive assessment of the ecological state of the Aras River using biological indicators of water quality by diatoms based on species’ ecological preferences, pollution indices, statistics, and ecological mapping. Samples of diatoms and soft algae and measurements of water quality were analyzed at sixteen sampling sites (between 2020 and 2022) along the Aras River. The impact of anthropological activity on the river was monitored concerning water quality, river health, and ecosystem function. The physical and chemical characteristics of the water were measured. The biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, including species composition, were also measured. Based on the studies conducted in this research, 280 species were identified. The most prosperous species were Diatoma vulgaris, Amphora ovalis, Cocconeis placentula, Rhoicosphenia abbre-viatae, Cymbella helvetica, Brevisira arentii, Navicula tripunctata, Nitzschia linearis, Microcystis botrys, Microcystis aeruginosa, Pseudanabaena limnetica, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Pleurosira laevis (a pollution-resistant and salinity-resistant species first found in aquatic habitats in the Aras River). As a result, the empirical data and algal indices showed the river’s lower reaches to be in poor condition. Exploration of the algal assemblage and water chemistry data using computationally unconstrained ordination techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated two strong gradients in the data sets. The results support that water body classification is a function of water chemistry and biological and hydrological characteristics, as it is necessary to include pollutant effects on biota since the nature of the receiving waters influences the river’s water quality.

Risk Factors and Causality of Early Graft Loss in Kidney Transplanted Patients in Northwestern Iran: A 10-Year Retrospective Study

Background: Early graft loss (EGL) is one of the rare complications of kidney transplantation. Several factors play a role in the occurrence of EGL in kidney transplant recipients, which must be identified and limited. Objectives: This ten-year retrospective study was conducted in a single center on 32 kidney transplant recipients with EGL to determine the reasons for and risk factors of kidney transplant rejection in Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study’s population included 605 kidney transplant recipients receiving kidneys during the last ten years in our center. The diagnosis of EGL was based on renal allograft biopsy examination and primary clinical complications, including a rapid increase in serum creatinine. The age, gender, blood group, and rhesus (Rh) of both donors and recipients, as well as the kinship between the donor and recipient (relative and non-relative), right/left-sided living donor/recipient kidneys, primary kidney disease, the presence of underlying disease in the recipient, dialysis duration, the year of kidney transplantation, transplant survival time, patient survival time, and complications (surgery and others) were gathered. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results: In this study, 32 out of 605 kidney transplant recipients (5.28%) experienced EGL (53.1% male and 46.9% female, average age of 41.12 years). The duration of kidney function after transplantation was 5.56 ± 0.13 days. The transplanted kidneys were functional between 72 hours and one week after transplantation in 34.4% of the patients. The causes of EGL were found to be tissue rejection in 31.3% of the patients and vascular thrombosis and hyperacute rejection in 21.8%. Nephrectomy occurred in 41% of the patients, and 43.75% died because of a heart attack. Conclusions: Our findings supported previous studies' results, suggesting that EGL is associated with receiving an incompatible kidney transplant and surgery-related complications, including bleeding and thrombosis.

The Ezafe in Hawrami

This chapter provides a basic description of the Ezafe in Hawrami, a dialect of the Gorani languages spoken in the Hawraman region of Northwestern Iran and Iraq. This study is based on the variety spoken in Paveh, Kermanshah province, Iran. A basic overview of the nominal domain in Hawrami is given, followed by discussions of varying morphology of the Ezafe vowel in the language. Important to note is the interaction between the system of definiteness and the Ezafe. Moreover, the expression of the genitive case in the Ezafe paradigm is of particular interest to discussions of case interactions in languages with Ezafe linkers.

Niche evolution and diversification in Middle Eastern stream salamanders (Paradactylodon): vulnerability to future climate change

Abstract The relict genus Paradactylodon is narrowly distributed in temperate forests throughout the Middle East region, including P. mustersi in Afghanistan, P. persicus, and P. gorganensis in northwestern and northeastern Iran. Recent phylogenetic analyses suggest that the Iranian Paradactylodon populations may belong to a single species, P. persicus. In this study, we addressed how climatic niche conservatism and/or niche divergence may have affected the evolution of all Paradactylodon species using ecological niche models and multivariate niche analyses to identify niche overlap and assess equivalency and similarity tests. We also used an ensemble of ten algorithms to predict Paradactylodon species distributions for recent (1970-2000) and future (2081-2100) climate conditions. The results show that future climate change may cause the loss of 80 to 97% of these species’ suitable habitat, especially at lower elevations. The niche divergence hypothesis was supported by the results of niche equivalency tests on P. persicus vs. P. gorganensis (and vice versa) with moderate overlap (D = 0.23, I = 0.41) and P. persicus vs. P. mustersi (and vice versa) with little overlap (D = 0.05, I = 0.06). Meanwhile, the niche similarity test for the niche conservatism hypothesis revealed significant results for P. persicus vs. P. gorganensis, P. mustersi vs. P. persicus, and P. persicus + P. gorganensis (as a single species) vs. P. mustersi. Due to these complex evolutionary ecological patterns and allopatric distributions, we recommend that P. gorganensis be considered a valid subspecies.

COVID-19 and Rural Households’ Environmental Incomes in Iran

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted rural livelihoods in the Global South. Environmental products, such as medicinal plants and fodder harvested in forests and rangelands, are a major source of income in many rural communities. In this paper, we investigate environmental product-related income and economic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic using face-to-face interviews with randomly selected household heads (n = 384) in 26 villages in northwestern Iran. We found that the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were a decrease in income (reported by 72% of households), an increased health risk (48%), and persistent fear of infection by COVID-19 (45%). Household economies were found to be particularly reliant on animal husbandry (26% of total annual household income) and farming (26%). Environmental products contributed an average of 18% of total household income. Almost half of the households (45%) experienced lower livestock prices, a lack of buyers (49%), and a lockdown of animal markets (38%). Fodder (collected by 45% of households), medicinal plants (42%), and wild fruits (29%) were the most important environmental products harvested during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found a negative but not significant effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on total rural household income and that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a slight non-significant decrease in relative forest income. The negative impact on relative forest income resonates well with existing scholarship on livelihoods and negative shocks. It is noteworthy, however, that there is substantial scope for increasing environmental incomes and, thus, the potential of environmental products as a response option in the face of covariant shocks such as COVID-19.

Estimation of wind drift and evaporation losses of sprinkler irrigation systems using dimensional analysis

Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL) critically determine the application efficiency of sprinkler irrigation systems. In specific conditions, even half of the irrigation water can evaporate or drift out of the irrigated area. The purpose of this study was to develop a WDEL estimation equation based on dimensional analysis (Buckingham's π method), considering a wide set of independent variables. An equation was sought that could be used for various sprinkler technologies and meteorological conditions in semiarid areas. Our research used experimental data from the literature, obtained in northeastern Spain and northwestern Iran. The complete data set consisted of 153 WDEL observations obtained at different operating pressures, nozzle diameters, irrigation durations, day and night irrigations, elevations from the soil surface and meteorological conditions. The experiments involved solid-sets and moving laterals, impact sprinklers, gear driven sprinklers and rotating spray plate sprinklers. The equation developed in this research included four technical independent variables (main nozzle diameter, auxiliary nozzle diameter, operating pressure and nozzle elevation) and four meteorological independent variables (air temperature and relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation). The equation resulted in improved estimation respect to the equations previously derived from part of the experimental data set. The proposed equation was calibrated using 70% of the experimental data and validated using 30% of the experimental data. When the proposed equation was applied to the complete experimental data set, the determination coefficient was 0.81 and the root mean square error was 3.49%. The proposed equation represents a clear improvement respect to the equations reported in the literature in terms of the number and range of the independent variables and the predictive capacity.

Impact of attitudes, factual and causal feedback on farmers’ behavioral intention to manage and recycle agricultural plastic waste and debris

There is a growing concern about the pollution of agricultural systems caused by plastic residue and debris. This pollution poses a threat to the quality of food products. To gain a deeper understanding of how to maintain cleaner farmlands and reduce plastic residue and debris pollution, this cross-sectional study investigated the intention and behavior of plastic residue management (BPRM) in farmlands. Using random sampling method, the study surveyed 338 farmers in northwestern Iran. The resulting evidence found that 37.6% of farmers perform the BPRM with a mean score above average. The path analysis cleared that among the conceptualized ecological, economic, and social connotations, only the ecological attitude had a significant and positive impact on the BPRM (βEcoAtti→BHV = 0.28, p < 0.001). It was found that both fact feedback (βFFBs→Int = 0.76, p < 0.001) and causal feedback (βCFBs→Int = 0.22, p < 0.001) contribute to reducing plastic residue pollution and forecasting the intention to perform the BPRM. The intention, in turn, directly predicts BPRM (βInt→BHV= 0.30, p < 0.001). Using a 2 × 2 cross-tabulation of causal feedback and the scenario of landfilling, derived from perceived action-based life cycle analysis of plastic wastes, the association between the two variables was found to be statistically significant (x2 (df) = 3.24(1), p < 0.05). The resulting evidence would provide essential information for farm management strategists and governmental authorities to reduce plastic residue pollution in farmlands. This can be achieved by implementing policy initiatives that aim to change farmers’ intentions and behaviors.

The effect of different fertilisers and planting patterns on the fatty acid profile of safflower oil

The soils of semi-arid regions have serious nutrient deficiencies, and it seems that the qualitative aspects of crops are strongly influenced by fertiliser management and planting patterns. The current experiment was carried out to evaluate the fatty acid composition of safflower oil under the application of different fertilisers (control, farmyard manure at 10 and 20 t ha–1, NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), nano Fe+Zn) and four different planting patterns (planting in-furrow or on-ridge with inter-row distances of 40 cm or 60 cm) in the semi-arid region of north-western Iran (Maragheh). Results showed that all oil compositions significantly responded to fertiliser treatments. Utilisation of farmyard manure (FYM) increased seed oil content, and the highest oil content was recorded in planting on-ridge, which was 18% higher than the control condition. The highest percentage of seed protein was obtained by application of NPK and planting on-ridge with wider inter-row distance. Evaluation of saturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, myristic, lauric) showed that the application of high levels of FYM significantly increased these compositions. However, the effect of FYM20 application on main unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid) was much more evident, and it increased iodine value. Taken together, the results of this study indicated a positive and significant effect of the application of high levels of FYM in on-ridge planting with wider row spacing on the qualitative and nutritional aspects of safflower oil.

A Sogdian Clan in Power at the Caliphate Caucasian Frontier: The Sajids. I. Abu ‘Ubayd Allah Muhammad (870&lt;sup&gt;s&lt;/sup&gt; – 890&lt;sup&gt;s&lt;/sup&gt;). Part 1

The article analyses the main stages in the career of an inϐluential family having sprung from Central Asian soil in the service of the Caliphate during the 9th – 10th centuries. The Sajids whose origins go back into the milieu of petty Transoxanian (Sogdian &amp; Ferganian) aristocracy in the ϐirst age of Islam rose in the entourage of the powerful generals under the early Abbasids and gave three generations of masterful administrators and military chiefs who left an imprint in the historical memories of both the Muslim &amp; the Christian contemporaries due to their functioning as governors (wulat) representing (often in a mostly formal way) the interests of Baghdad in South Eastern Caucasia and North Western Iran. Their destinies reϐlect the contradictory features in the formation, evolution and degradation of the provincial elite characteristic for the decades of Abbasid decline (860s – 940s).

Climate zones in Iran

AbstractClimate classification provides a framework for a better understanding of the dominant weather patterns in different regions of the Earth. This study aims at identifying climate zones in Iran based on the analysis of monthly temperature and precipitation over 139 synoptic stations across Iran during the period 1991–2020. Based on the application of the principal component analysis, we identified six distinct climate zones in Iran: mild and humid, cool and sub‐humid, cold and temperate semi‐arid, warm and semi‐arid, cool and arid, and warm and hyperarid. The highest precipitation occurs in the southern coastal plains of the Caspian Sea, characterized by a mild and humid climate. The climate of western Iran is identified as cool and sub‐humid, while northwestern Iran is characterized by a cold and temperate semi‐arid climate. Southwestern Iran is identified as a region with a warm and semi‐arid climate, while northeastern Iran has a cool and arid climate. Southeastern and central Iran are both characterized by a warm and hyperarid climate. The highest monthly and seasonal precipitation values over Iran occur in March (48.6 mm) and winter (134.2 mm), respectively, while the highest monthly and seasonal mean temperature values occur in July (29.1°C) and summer (28.0°C), respectively. In terms of seasonal variation, the maximum precipitation occurs in the southern coastal plains of the Caspian Sea in autumn, while the minimum occurs in southwestern Iran in summer. Our results have important implications for better understanding and analysing the climatic characteristics across Iran.

Predicting climate heating impacts on riverine fish species diversity in a biodiversity hotspot region

Co-occurring biodiversity and global heating crises are systemic threats to life on Earth as we know it, especially in relatively rare freshwater ecosystems, such as in Iran. Future changes in the spatial distribution and richness of 131 riverine fish species were investigated at 1481 sites in Iran under optimistic and pessimistic climate heating scenarios for the 2050s and 2080s. We used maximum entropy modeling to predict species’ potential distributions by hydrologic unit (HU) occupancy under current and future climate conditions through the use of nine environmental predictor variables. The most important variable determining fish occupancy was HU location, followed by elevation, climate variables, and slope. Thirty-seven species were predicted to decrease their potential habitat occupancy in all future scenarios. The southern Caspian HU faces the highest future species reductions followed by the western Zagros and northwestern Iran. These results can be used by managers to plan conservational strategies to ease the dispersal of species, especially those that are at the greatest risk of extinction or invasion and that are in rivers fragmented by dams.

Application of a regional climate model on autumn dust events over the Urmia Basin

Dust events have occurred over the Urmia Lake Basin in northwestern Iran for many years. In this study, we identified the mechanism and source of dust events in the region and assessed the ability of the Regional Climate Model (RegCM) to simulate these events. The observation data includes horizontal visibility and present weather phenomena achieved in Tabriz, Urmia, and Saqez stations. The ERA5, MERRA-2, and CAMS data were prepared for this research. The long-term dusty day analysis was conducted from 2000 to 2019. The synoptic-dynamic analysis and RegCM simulations were done during dust events on 28–31 October 2017—the HYSPLIT model and MODIS image usage to consider more detail. The results show that the Urmia Basin experiences two peaks, dusty days in the May and autumn months, including September and October. The persistent and widespread dust event in Urmia resulted from the approaching trough at 500 hPa to the north of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, trigged low pressure and increasing wind speed over the area. Based on the synoptic-dynamic analysis, MODIS satellite images, and the outputs of HYSPLIT, Iraq deserts were the primary source of dust on 28–31 October 2017. The dust distribution in the RegCM model, MERRA-2 data, and MODIS image agree. The RegCM aerosol optical depth (AOD) output time series agreed with MERRA-2 data, with a correlation coefficient of 0.84 and an index of agreement (IOA) of 0.56 in Urmia stations. The local dust source detected by the surface emission flux in the eastern Lake Urmia close to Tabriz can be a reason for the dustiest day in Tabriz. The AOD diurnal variation obtained from RegCM, MERRA-2, and CAM are similar in Tabriz and Urmia. The AOD of RegCM is underestimated compared to MERRA-2 and CAM in three selected stations.