Region Of Syria Research Articles

Performance evaluation of machine learning algorithms to assess soil erosion in Mediterranean farmland: A case‐study in Syria

AbstractThe development of new techniques, such as machine learning (ML), can provide better insight into the processes and drivers of soil erosion and runoff. However, the performance of these techniques to assess soil erosion in agricultural landscapes is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of four machine learning algorithms, generalized linear model (GLM), Random Forest (RF), elastic net regression (EN) and multiple adaptive regression splines (MARS), in predicting soil erosion and runoff in Syria. Soil erosion and runoff were measured on three experimental plots (2.25 m × 1.50 m × 0.50 m, 0.10 m depth in the soil), combined with three different slopes and land use types: RS (8%, olive), SS (12%, citrus), KS (20%, pomegranate). Both erosion and runoff were determined after rainfall events of >10 mm between October 2019 and April 2020. Based on 24 effective rainfall events, the average soil erosion was 0.18 ± 0.14 kg m−2 per event in KS, 0.14 ± 0.11 kg m−2 per event in SS, and 0.12 ± 0.10 kg/m2 per event in RS. Regression analysis indicated strong relationship between the rainfalls and the runoff, the highest connection was recorded in the KS plot (r2 = 0.85; p < 0.05 n = 24). The analysis of covariance indicated that only the runoff had a significant impact on soil erosion (p = 0.02) with a medium effect (ε2p = 0.26). However, the impacts of rainfall events and slope categories on soil erosion were limited (ε2p < 0.01) and not significant (p > 0.05). ML techniques were usually efficient in the prediction, the RF and MARS models were the most accurate: RF had the strongest correlation with the measured values (r = 0.85) with a low estimation error (0.06 kg m−2), but MARS's standard deviation (SD) was closer to the recorded values' SD. GLM and EN were the weakest predictor models. Modeled values of the slightest slope (8%) had the worst accuracies, and the predictions of the 12% slope were the best in all models. This study provides important insights into the usefulness of machine learning techniques and algorithms in predicting the rate of soil erosion and runoff in agricultural dominated landscapes. We highlighted that the RF and MARS algorithms were better predictors of soil erosion and runoff in the coastal region of Syria.

Molecular characterization of Blastocystis subtypes in symptomatic patients from the southern region of Syria.

Blastocystis sp. is an enteric protist found in humans and a wide range of animal hosts. Genetic variations were established among the 38 different subtypes detected so far, 14 of which are commonly found in human and animal hosts. The aim of the present study is to estimate the prevalence of the common Blastocystis subtypes and evaluate the possible correlation with several variables (gender, age, symptoms, domestic animals…), among patients from the southern region of Syria. Fecal samples were collected from individuals suffering from gastrointestinal complaints. Microscopic examination along with genotype analyses using seven pairs of subtype-specific primers was performed. Our results revealed the presence of Blastocystis sp. in 46 isolates out of the 60 samples microscopically studied (76.7%); single infection was detected in 24 isolates whereas co-infection with other protozoa was identified in 22 ones. Molecular detection targeting the SSU rRNA gene revealed a 100% positive presence of Blastocystis sp. in all the samples. Genotyping results detected the presence of five different subtypes (ST1-ST5) with varying proportions. However, ST1 was the dominant subtype observed (66.7%). Mixed subtype infections were found in 9 isolates (15%). Three samples remained undefined, nonetheless. Our statistical results showed no significant correlation between Blastocystis STs infection and the different studied variables. In conclusion, this study provides the first genetic characterization of Blastocystis subtypes prevalence in patients from the southern region of Syria. ST1 distribution was highly predominant. Further molecular studies are needed to estimate the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. infection in other regions in Syria and to understand the epidemiology and sources of transmission to humans.

Identification and exploitation of wild rye (Secale spp.) during the early Neolithic in the Middle Euphrates valley

AbstractCharred remains of wild rye from five sites in the Middle Euphrates region in Syria dated to the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene are examined. This period spans the transition from gathering to the beginnings of cultivation. Today wild rye cannot grow in the region because temperatures and aridity are too pronounced. Wild rye grains and wild two-grained einkorn are morphologically similar, which has led to difficulties in identification; in some cases rye may have been identified as two-grained einkorn or as Triticum/Secale. In this paper, with reference to modern specimens and re-examination of charred material from Dja’de el-Mughara, Jerf el-Ahmar and Mureybet, we examine the criteria for identification and revise the results for charred caryopses and wild spikelet bases. We then present these new results which show that at the early Neolithic sites of Jerf el-Ahmar, Mureybet, Dja’de el-Mughara and Tell ‘Abr 3 wild rye frequencies are much higher than einkorn but wild barley is the dominant cereal. This is followed by discussions of how and why wild rye may have been exploited during the early Neolithic and why rye disappears from Euphrates sites with the advent of mixed farming.

The Status of Wheat Stem Rust in Syria During the Period 2018-2021

Kassem, M. 2023. The Status of Wheat Stem Rust in Syria During the Period 2018-2021. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 41(4): 339-347. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-41.4.339347 Wheat stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) is an important disease of wheat in the world. This disease is also observed in Syria and repeatedly increased from one year to another during the last decade. This study aimed to investigate the status of the distribution of the disease in the Syrian wheat fields, in addition to its virulence by evaluating the reaction type of differential lines and local varieties. The results of the field survey showed that the spread of wheat stem rust disease in all studied regions in Syria (northern, central and coastal regions) during the period 2018-2021. The prevalence of infected fields reached 59, 75, 67, 59%, respectively, with some variability among regions based on the moisture level (rainfall/irrigation) and average temperature. In general, the infection with Pgt appeared in wheat fields earlier than usual in Syria (mid-May), with costal wheat field infection observed at the beginning of April, whereas from mid to late April in the central and northern regions. The dominant bulk of Pgt characterized by increased virulence, year after year in Syria. The percentage of susceptible genes reached 77% in 2021, whereas it was 47.7% in 2018. One major gene Sr13 was still effective against Pgt population. Reaction type of resistance genes varied, some of them maintained the reaction type during the study period, but most of them was susceptible and moderately susceptible, and the others lost its resistant. For example, genes 9e, 24 and 31 that were resistant in 2018 began to lose resistance in 2019. The reaction type of Syrian local cultivars was affected by the virulence of the Pgt bulk. The percentage of susceptible cultivars was 66.6%, the moderately susceptible was 20.8%, and the moderately resistant was 12.5% and restricted to three varieties (Doma 6, cham 9 and Bohouth9), whereas resistant varieties were absent. Keywords: Differential lines, Cham 9, Bohouth 9, wheat stem rust, Sr2, Sr13, Syria

Population Dynamics of Lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea in Cotton Fields in the Central Region of Syria

Hawis, B., Z. Chikh Khamis and M. Al-Nabhan. 2023. Population Dynamics of Lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea in Cotton Fields in the Central Region of Syria. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 41(4): 375-383. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP41.4.375383 Dynamics of Chrysoperla carnea population dynamics were studied for two growing seasons (2017 and 2018) in cotton fields in Hama at central Syria. Adults of C. carnea were prevalent in the field from July until the end of the season. The highest numbers of the predator adults caught by the sweeping net were in the middle of September (4 and 8 adults per 50 sweeping net beats in 2017 and 2018, respectively). The correlation between predator adults and maximum, minimum, and average temperatures were negative with low significance, and positive with weak significance between C. carnea adult population and relative humidity in 2017, but no correlation between these variables in 2018 were recorded. The correlation between adults and sunshine duration was negative in both seasons. C. carnea eggs were recorded in cotton fields in July of both seasons and continued to be present all during the season until 14 October in 2017 (22.96 eggs/100 leaves), and in 2018 predator eggs were reduced at the end of September to 7.41eggs/100 leaves. The highest number of eggs were noticed at the third week of 382 مجلة وقاية النبات العربية، مجلد ،41 عدد 4 ) 2023( august (38.52 and 49.63 eggs in 2017 and 2018, respectively). There was intermediate positive significance between eggs and minimum and average temperature in 2018. Positive correlations were recorded between the predator eggs and whitefly and aphid’s nymphs in both seasons. The low and middle levels of the cotton plant leaves were the preferred sites for females to put their eggs, and the proportion of eggs placed on these parts of plant in both seasons was 76.34%. Keywords: Chrysoperla carnea, population dynamics, weather parameters, Bemisia tabaci, Aphis gossypii, oviposition preference

Northeastern Syria (Jazeera) in the Colonial Policy of France in 1936-1938.

The article deals with the French policy towards Syria, its mandated territory, in the second half of the 1930s. In the fall of 1936, the French Popular Front government concluded the Franco-Syrian treaty, which implied the imminent termination of the Mandate and independence of Syria. It was an obvious departure from France's traditional policy of supporting national and religious minorities against the Arab national movement. For two years (1937-1938) Syria became a practically autonomous state, the role of Mandate authorities was reduced to a minimum. The discontent soon arose in areas densely populated by minorities. It threatened the unity of Syrian state and gave the French opponents of the Treaty excellent "trump cards". The "colonial party" sought at least to revise, and at the most - to cancel it. The author focuses on the situation in Jazeera, the northeastern region of Syria with especially complicated ethno-confessional situation. In summer of 1937, the “separatist” movement against the Syrian authorities led to a political crisis and bloody clashes. The "colonial party" used it in a propaganda campaign against the Treaty "concluded by the Marxists", which culminated in the pompous visit of the Syro-Catholic prelate Cardinal Tappouni to Paris in November 1937. The Mandate authorities tried to exert a deterrent effect on the "separatists", ostensibly adhering to the letter and spirit of the Treaty. The new French government used the “separatist” factor to make the Syrians renegotiate the terms of the Treaty, easily sacrificing this “card” to make deals on other issues.

Kuzeybatı Suriye'de COVID-19 aşısı ile ilk aşılanan sağlık çalışanlarının değerlendirilmesi: Acil servislerde aşı yan etkisi gözlemleri

Aim
 In this study, we investigated the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine administered to health workers in northwestern Syria.
 Materials and Methods
 The study retrospectively analyzed data from 260 health care workers who received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine between May 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021, in the northwestern Syria region by searching the Syrian Immunization Group database (SIG) and patient records from hospital or health center emergency departments.
 Results
 The mean age of health care personnel was 35.86∓8.03 years, and 9.6% were women. Of those who participated in the study, 5.8% had comorbid diseases. 109 (42.1%) were vaccinated in hospital emergency departments and 151 (57.9%) in health center emergency departments. It was found that 63.5% (n=165) of those vaccinated experienced adverse reactions to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The most common adverse reactions to the vaccine were fever in 128 individuals (49%), fatigue in 89 individuals (55.6%), headache in 54 individuals (20.8%), weakness in 53 individuals (20.4%), joint pain in 50 individuals (19.2%), injection site pain in 47 individuals (18.1%), and muscle pain in 33 individuals (12.7%). The side effects noted were classified as severe, moderate, and mild. Of these, fever 15.4% (n=40), fatigue 11.9% (n=31), and headache 9.6% (n=25) were the most common severe side effects. It was found that 14 (5.4%) individuals required hospitalization and medical treatment due to adverse reactions to the vaccine. When evaluating the side effects observed in hospitalized patients, the most common side effects were fever, chills, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue, and weakness. 
 Conclusion
 It was concluded that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine administered to health care workers in northwestern Syria had no fatal side effects and that fewer side effects were generally observed in this study compared with the literature. Research on side effects through independent studies will help address global and regional concerns about vaccines.

Groundwater Potential Zone Mapping: Integration of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and GIS Techniques for the Al-Qalamoun Region in Syria

One of the most critical processes for the long-term management of groundwater resources is Groundwater Potential Zonation (GWPZ). Despite their importance, traditional groundwater studies are costly, difficult, complex, and time-consuming. This study aims to investigate GWPZ mapping for the Al-Qalamoun region, in the Western part of Syria. We combined the Multi-Influence Factor (MIF) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to estimate the GWPZ. The weight and score factors of eight factors were used to develop the GWPZ including drainage density, lithology, slope, lineament density, geomorphology, land use/land cover, rainfall, and soil. According to the findings, about 46% and 50.6% of the total area of the Al-Qalamoun region was classified as suitable for groundwater recharge by the AHP and MIF methods, respectively. However, 54% and 49.4% of the area was classified as having poor suitability for groundwater recharge by the AHP and MIF methods, respectively. These areas with poor suitability can be utilized for gathering surface water. The validation of the results showed that the AHP and MIF methods have similar accuracy for the GWPZ; however, the accuracy and results depend on influencing factors and their weights assigned by experts.

Lights on the emergence backgrounds of the de facto autonomy of North and East Syria (NES). Its features of quasi state and interdependence with roots of the Kurdish question in Syria

Abstract The research is presenting backgrounds to the sudden informal secession of the Kurdish regions in Syria from the central government of Damascus in 2012, to successively create a kind of de facto autonomy known as Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). This research is trying to expose features of a quasi state demonstrated by AANES through analyses of its existence mechanisms and collaborations with the International Coalition in fights against ISIS, and also in the efforts by AANES to obtain international recognition for its autonomous project. Furthermore, to point the relations between indigenous secession attempts presented by AANES and roots of the Kurdish question in Syria, also the inter-engagements with micro- and macro-aspects and fluctuations of political transformation inside Syria and the existing severe ethnic and sectarian fragmentations of Syria’s society, considered as the main factors behind Syrian state failure and fragmentation, that also became very obvious after the outbreak of civil war in 2011, to finally present prognoses about the fate of AANES and Syrian state.

Rainfall Trends in the Southwestern Region of Syria Using Spatial and Statistical Analysis Methods

This study aims to analyze the rainfall trends and the spatial-temporal variations in five stations during the period (1960-2019) in the southwestern region of Syria using MK & GIS. And to Predict rainfall amounts using IDW. The results showed decreasing trends in the monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall. The annual average showed a great variation with a standard deviation ranging between 51.1 – 131.7 mm from the average annual at the Damascus International Airport station, and 232.6 – 697.7 mm from the average annual (697.7 mm) in the Quneitra station. Quneitra showed a significant negative trend during the study period at a 5% significance level in the annual rainfall series. The upper limit for the significant changes on the monthly level was in the stations (Daraa, Quneitra, and Mezzeh), the stations (Daraa and Quneitra) showed the maximum decline in the general direction; This indicates a sharp change in the amount of monthly rainfall during the study period, which amounted to (8.03 mm in Daraa, and reached (18.7 mm/month) at the significance of 5% in the series of rainfall during March. The trends of rainfall changed from winter to spring and then autumn, and the results of the MK analysis showed the presence of low negative trends in the winter season, and high negative trends in the fall and spring seasons. The Quneitra station was the most changing compared to the stations and recorded the maximum negative decrease in the amount of rainfall, which amounted to 3.9 mm in May.

Sanitary municipal landfill site selection by integration of GIS and multi-criteria techniques for environmental sustainability in Safita area, Tartous governorate, Syria.

Urban waste disposal is a problem that poses a major challenge to city planners as a result of rapid population growth and urbanization. Finding suitable sites for solid waste is one of the most important solutions developed globally to manage this problem. In this regard, a set of physical, socio-economic and technological criteria must be considered to tackle the problem. Safita area (Tartous governorate) witnessed a rapid population growth during the decade of the war in Syria due to the onrush of internal refugees, which resulted in several environmental problems, including random waste dumps. After perusing the previous literature and considering expert opinions, a map of the spatial suitability of sustainable waste sites in the Safita area was developed by integrating the multi-criteria decision- making methodology (analytic hierarchy process) with the geographic information system. Thirteen criteria, including elevation, slope, permeability, distance to faults, distance to settlement, land use/land cover, distance to drainage, distance to water supplies, distance to lakes, distance to road, distance from tourist centers, distance from archaeological centers, and distance from religious centers, were used to achieve the goal of this study. The layer maps for these criteria were developed based on various data sources, including conventional and remote sensing data. Potential landfill sites were identified and divided into five categories: unsuitable (83.28%), less suitable (8.49%), moderately suitable (4.49%), highly suitable (2.57%), and very highly suitable (0.72%). The results of this study provide reliable spatial outputs that will help in suggesting new landfill sites that maintain environmental and socio-economic sustainability in the post-war phase. Moreover, the application of the methodology of this study can be generalized to the rest of the regions in Syria within the framework of the integrated management of the problem of random landfills.

Natural occurrence of fungal endophytes in cultivated cucumber plants in Syria, with emphasis on the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana

A survey was conducted to investigate endophytic Beauveria spp. and associated fungi in the tissues of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivated in open fields and greenhouses in some regions of Syria during 2018–2019. Cultures of fungal endophytes belonging to nine genera were obtained (frequency %): Aspergillus (87.1%), Penicillium (41.23%), Fusarium (38.15%), Beauveria (12.83%), Trichoderma (9.87%), Colletotrichum (4.36%), Cladosporium (3.54%), Alternaria (2.79%), and Chaetomium (2.2%). Only Beauveria and Trichoderma cultures were entomopathogenic. Beauveria bassiana isolates were identified morphologically and molecularly from the stems, leaves, petioles, and fruits of cucumber plants collected at seven agricultural sites. Their ability to artificially colonize all cucumber plant parts was confirmed in the laboratory using soil drench. In this study, the natural association between the endophytic entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana and cucumber plants is newly reported. In addition, a checklist of plant species reported in the literature to harbor this fungus is also provided.

‘Rojava’: Evolving Public Discourse of Kurdish Identity and Governance in Syria

Abstract The Syrian conflict has contributed to major debates in culture, media and politics around transitions linked to borders, ethnicity and identity. Against this backdrop, this article explores the use of ‘Rojava’, a keyword referring to Kurdish-majority areas in the country. It examines the term’s changing meanings and usage against the evolving backdrop of the governance project led by Kurds since the post-2011 power vacuum in North(eastern) Syria. The article identifies how the term has been both operationalized and later abandoned and replaced by other nomenclature while highlighting the implications of these changes on public and political discourse. The term ‘Rojava’ traces its origins to the context of (pan-)Kurdish nationalism, with its literal meaning of ‘western’ (Kurdistan) implying a notion of trans-border Kurdish identity. From this point of departure, the author considers how it has been popularized in anarchist and Western solidarity circles as well as through international media in expressions such as the ‘Rojava experiment’ and ‘Rojava Revolution’. The article unpacks how it has become shorthand in Western media for an ideology of women’s liberation and leftist grassroots governance, as well as considering the term’s less favorable reception in the Arab press, where the word ‘Rojava’ itself is treated as a foreign, and sometimes threatening, concept. Finally, the article presents how from 2016 the Kurdish-led authorities in this region of Syria sought to formally distance themselves from the term they had introduced. This change was due to realpolitik imperatives to re-brand their governance project under the ‘Syrian Democratic’ banner when incorporating non-Kurdish-majority territories (Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Menbij). In the context of its official abandonment, the term has nonetheless retained currency in the media as well as popular everyday contexts among Kurds on street level.

Accuracy Assessment of ESA WorldCover 2020 and ESRI 2020 Land Cover Maps for a Region in Syria

Accuracy Assessment of ESA WorldCover 2020 and ESRI 2020 Land Cover Maps for a Region in Syria

Zinā and Gender (In)Equality in Ismāʿīlī Druze Law

Abstract In the 5th/11th century in Cairo, Imam Ḥamza, the founder of the Druze faith, abrogated the entire substantive laws, including the Islamic one. And yet, four centuries later, Druze jurists in the mountainous regions of Syria developed their own legal doctrine. This essay explores the evolution of Druzism from an esoteric doctrine according to the Ismāʿīlī vision to a madhhab (doctrinal school of law) using the prism of gender (in)equality. Through a close reading of the Imam’s epistles in the Ḥikma (i.e., the Druze canon of scripture) and Druze law treatises from the 9th/15th century, I show how premodern Druze jurists were influenced particularly by Shāfiʿī and Mālikī law. Although they remained faithful to the strict gender equality articulated in their sacred book, Druze jurists established a gender hierarchy in marriage and permitted wife beating based on Q 4:34. They however expounded an original doctrine of zinā (adultery): despite their construction of femininity as inferior and irrational, and their assumption of women’s intellectual deficiency, Druze jurists considered nonconsensual marriage as well as nonconsensual sex in marriage to be crimes of zinā. I argue that Druze jurists developed rules that enforced sexual equality but simultaneously conformed to their patriarchal vision of society to maintain the social cohesion of their religious community, clans, and extended families, all of which provided local networks for informal conflict resolution.

Evaluation of the opinions of patients applying to the emergency department in the north of Syria about COVID-19 vaccine

Background: In north of Syria, health care is provided with humanitarian aid. Mass vaccinations, seen as a way out of the pandemic in Syria, are to be carried out with the support of WHO and under the supervision of Turkey. In this study, we assessed the knowledge and opinions of people who applied to hospital emergency departments in north of Syria Region about COVID-19 and the vaccine.Methods: A face-to-face survey was conducted by trained interviewers among patients and their relatives who applied to the emergency department of Azez Vatan and Çobanbey Hospitals in North of Syria Region.Results: A total of 331 subjects, 40.2% males and 59.8% females, participated in the study. The mean age was 36.06±12.69 years. While 42.9% of the participants wanted to be vaccinated, 42% said they did not want to be vaccinated, and 15.1% were undecided. When those who answered “No and I am undecided” to the question “Would you like to be vaccinated?” were asked about their hesitations about the vaccine, 129 people indicated that they did not think the vaccines were safe, and 107 people were not sure whether the vaccines provided protection. Belief was found to have no significant effect on the desire to be vaccinated.Conclusions: It is believed that vaccine awareness in the global sense, misconceptions and concerns about vaccines are effective and should be taken into account in vaccination activities and pandemic response in Syria as well as around the world.

Compilation of a Local Electrical Insulation Pollution Map in the Sheikh-Najar Industrial Region of Syria

A method for improving the performance reliability of electrical installations under the conditions of polluting the insulation of the 66 and 230 kV overhead lines (OHL) and outdoor switchgears (OSG) in the Sheikh-Najar industrial region near Aleppo, the economic capital of Syria, is considered. According to the relevant regulatory documents, the most efficient approach to selecting the insulation levels is the one based on compiling regional and local insulation pollution maps (IPMs) in the territory where the grid facilities are located. An electronic local IPM in the Sheikh-Najar industrial region was compiled using the characteristics of industrial pollution sources. The article presents the climatic characteristics of the Aleppo city area, the electrical circuit diagram and insulation characteristics of the existing 66 and 230 kV OHLs and OSGs, the characteristics of industrial pollution sources (in terms of produced goods types and amounts), estimated pollution degrees (PD) at various distances from the enterprise boundaries with a circular wind rose, and those adjusted for the real wind rose in the city of Aleppo, and the local IPM of the Sheikh-Najar region drawn using the AutoCAD software. It has been established that there are zones with insulation pollution degrees 2, 3 and 4 in the Sheikh-Najar industrial region territory. Based on the study results, recommendations have been elaborated for increasing the specific effective creepage distance of the OHL and OSG insulation by adding linear insulators to the strings, for choosing the optimal types of substation electrical equipment, and for taking preventive measures. To refine the boundaries of local IPM zones, it is recommended to study the features characterizing the pollution of electrical installations insulation caused by both industrial and natural factors, as well as to generalize the experience gained from the operation of electrical installations in the Sheikh-Najar industrial region.

Genetic diversity of Origanum syriacum L. (Lamiaceae) species through Touch-Up Direct Amplification of Minisatellite-region DNA (TU-DAMD) marker

Origanum syriacum L. (Lamiaceae) is a perennial species with an important role in medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. However, the attention regarding its genetic diversity is negligible worldwide. Touch-up direct amplification of minisatellite-region DNA (TU-DAMD) marker has been employed to investigate genetic diversity of natural Origanum syriacum L. populations, where 37 wild O. syriacum genotypes were collected from coastal, central and southern regions of Syria. TU-DAMD assay resulted in 188 total bands, of which 152 (80.85%) were polymorphic. The total bands number ranged between 7 and 22 with an average of 11.75 bands/primer. Polymorphic bands number ranged between 4 and 19 with an average of 9.5 polymorphic bands/primer. Moreover, polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged between 0.051 and 0.322 with an average of 0.225. As for marker index (MI), this value ranged between 0.308 and 5.092 with an average of 2.284. Overall, the present study suggests that the O. syriacum samples collected from coastal region (Lattakia, Jableh, Banyas and Tartous) are genetically distinct from the ones collected from central and southern regions (Homs, Hama, Damascus, Swedah and Qunetra) based on the estimated percent disagreement values (PDV) average of 0.20. Thereby, TU-DAMD test successfully discriminate O. syriacum genotypes showing high genetic diversity within the studied species. In conclusion, TU-DAMD test could be considered as a new tool for studying genetic diversity of other plant species.

GIS-Based Frequency Ratio and Analytic Hierarchy Process for Forest Fire Susceptibility Mapping in the Western Region of Syria

Forest fires are among the most major causes of global ecosystem degradation. The integration of spatial information from various sources using statistical analyses in the GIS environment is an original tool in managing the spread of forest fires, which is one of the most significant natural hazards in the western region of Syria. Moreover, the western region of Syria is characterized by a significant lack of data to assess forest fire susceptibility as one of the most significant consequences of the current war. This study aimed to conduct a performance comparison of frequency ratio (FR) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) techniques in delineating the spatial distribution of forest fire susceptibility in the Al-Draikich region, located in the western region of Syria. An inventory map of historical forest fire events was produced by spatially digitizing 32 fire incidents during the summers of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The forest fire events were divided into a training dataset with 70% (22 events) and a test dataset with 30% (10 events). Subsequently, FR and AHP techniques were used to associate the training data set with the 13 driving factors: slope, aspect, curvature, elevation, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), rainfall, temperature, wind speed, TWI, and distance to settlements, rivers and roads. The accuracy of the maps resulting from the modeling process was checked using the validation dataset and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves with the area under the curve (AUC). The FR method with AUC = 0.864 achieved the highest value compared to the AHP method with AUC = 0.838. The outcomes of this assessment provide constructive spatial insights for adopting forest management strategies in the study area, especially in light of the consequences of the current war.

Proposals for territorial planning of the desert region of Syria

The restoration of the territories of Syria, destroyed as a result of the crisis and the war of 2011, determines the need to develop proposals for territorial planning as the basis for the implementation of urban development activities in the regions. Based on the systematization of the processes occurring in the "Region" system, proposals were formulated for the territorial planning of the Desert Region of the SAR, which has a significant territorial resource. Based on the concept of sustainable development, the expediency of developing the energy industry based on renewable energy sources of the sun and wind as biospherically compatible, having a lower impact on the environment in comparison with power plants operating on other types of fuel (coal, oil, gas) is shown. Approximate estimates of the theoretical potential of solar and wind energy on the territory of the Desert Region are given, based on data from the Global sun Atlas and Global Wind Atlas. The determination of territories promising for the placement of wind and solar power plants was carried out taking into account the existing land use by sequentially excluding already occupied sites using Openmaps software. Proposals for the territorial planning of the Desert region are formulated, justifying the location of new energy facilities in the region, ensuring economic growth and allowing a balanced use of natural potential.