Zagros Research Articles

Enhanced least-cost path analysis for infrastructure planning: achieving a comprehensive search space with civil engineering structures

Least-cost path analysis (LCPA) is a widely recognized and practical algorithm for determining cost-effective paths between two points. This research presents an innovative LCPA designed to identify paths for infrastructure projects with slope threshold conditions (an interval of acceptable slopes). The algorithm incorporates potential DEM modifications through civil engineering structures, including cut-and-fill, tunnelling, and bridging, to include paths that otherwise exceed the maximum slope threshold. We conducted experiments of the developed LCPA on an area with complex topography, the Zagros Mountains in Iran, using three slope thresholds (5°, 8°, and 10°), with and without tunnelling and bridging. The results demonstrated the algorithm’s ability to identify paths with lower cost across all slope thresholds, with the inclusion of tunnelling and bridging leading to further cost reductions. A comparison with an LCPA based on an extended moving window approach highlighted the identification of paths with lower costs, even in the absence of tunnelling and bridging, across all slope thresholds and window sizes. The implementation of the developed LCPA in real-world scenarios is expected to significantly enhance transportation planning and infrastructure design processes.

A botanical expedition in Eastern Alborz (Iran): rare plant species and assessing their conservation status

This study is a part of an ongoing floristic study in Eastern Alborz mountain range (Iran). The flora and vegetation of this area are less known compared to those of Central Alborz. The study area indicates the regionally significant connection between the Kopet Dagh-Khorassan and Central Alborz. A total of 41 rare-threatened taxa belonging to 26 genera and 15 families are presented. According to the IUCN criteria, our checklist identifies 3 taxa classified as Critically Endangered (CR), 19 taxa as Endangered (EN), 4 taxa as Vulnerable (VU), 4 taxa as Near Threatened (NT), 3 taxa as Least Concern (LC), and 8 taxa as Data Deficient (DD). Among them, 28 are hemicryptophytes, followed by chamaephytes (7 species), geophytes (4 species), and therophytes (2 species). During 10 years of field investigations on the semi-arid areas of Eastern Alborz, some rare-threatened endemic species have been rediscovered in the region. Geographic distribution maps of all rare species together with the accompanying species and their conservation status were drawn up. It is noteworthy that some rare species are known only from their locus classicus and no new specimens have been collected during the last 30 to 80 years. A total of 10 taxa were reported for the first time from Eastern Alborz, primarily exhibiting a disjunct distribution pattern occurring in the high elevations of Zagros, Alborz and/or other mountain ranges in SW Asia.

The first record of the rarely observed rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski et al., 2019 (Squamata, Colubridae) for Iraq

The Urartian rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski, Kukushkin, Avcı, Bunyatova, Ilgaz, Tuniyev & Jandzik, 2019, is a recently described species within the genus Elaphe, found in eastern Anatolia, Caucasian region and the northern Middle East. It stands as one of the rarely observed snake species, with its distribution and other aspects of natural history largely unexplored. This is particularly true for the territories of Iraq and Iran. Therefore, we report on the presence of the species in Iraq, the first documented evidence of the species’ distribution within the country. In conjunction with this record, we provide initial data regarding the species’ habitat and ecology in the region. The distribution record presented here is further supplemented by a new species record from the border regions between Iraq and Iran, encouraging further herpetological exploration within the Zagros Mountains.

Phylogeography of the freshwater crab Potamon persicum (Decapoda: Potamidae): an ancestral ring species?

The Zagros Mountains, characterized by complex topography and three large drainage systems, harbor the endemic freshwater crab Potamon persicum in Iran. Our study delves into the evolutionary history of P. persicum, utilizing two mitochondrial and one nuclear marker. We collected 214 specimens from 24 localities, identifying 21 haplotypes grouped into two major evolutionary lineages. Substantial differentiation exists between drainage systems and lineages. Historical demographic analysis revealed a significant decrease in population size during the late Holocene, accompanied by a recent population bottleneck. Species distribution modeling has revealed eastward shifts in suitable habitats between the last glacial maximum and the present day. Following the last glacial maximum, habitat fragmentation occurred, resulting in the establishment of small populations. These smaller populations are more vulnerable to climatic and geological events, thereby limiting gene flow and accelerating genetic differentiation within species. Historical biogeographic analysis traced the origin of P. persicum to the western Zagros Mountains, with major genetic divergence occurring during the Pleistocene. Our genetic analyses suggest that P. persicum may have shown a genetic pattern similar to a classical ring species before the Pleistocene. The Namak Lake sub-basin could have served as a contact zone where populations did not interbreed but were connected through gene flow in a geographic ring. Currently, genetic separation is evident between basins, indicating that P. persicum in the Zagros Mountains is not a contemporary ring species. Also, our biogeographical analysis estimated that range evolution may have been driven initially by dispersal, and only during the late Pleistocene by vicariance.

Unveiling the nexus of climate change, adaptation strategies, and food security: Insights from small-scale farmers in zagros mountains in Iran

In today's world, climate change and its unprecedented impact on food and nutrition security have emerged as a significant and formidable global challenge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of adaptation strategies on the food security of small-scale farmers in Khorramabad city, Iran, using a survey-based analysis. To assess the food security level, the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) was employed. Additionally, Structural Equation Modeling was utilized to examine the relationship between adaptation dimensions and food security. The findings revealed that households without children exhibited a higher level of food security (48%) compared to households with children (6%). Moreover, the results demonstrated a positive and significant correlation between the food security of households, regardless of whether they had children, and the different adaptation components. Despite a satisfactory level of knowledge regarding climate change adaptation in the study area, the actual implementation of such measures remained low. While weed management, agricultural crop insurance, and access to meteorological information were identified as the top three strategies employed by farmers, the results suggested that sustainable-oriented operations and organic-oriented practices could serve as more effective strategies for both climate change resilience and enhancing food security status.

Two new species of brush-tailed mouse, genus Calomyscus (Rodentia: Calomyscidae), from the Iranian Plateau

Abstract The monogeneric family Calomyscidae includes the brush-tailed mice, genus Calomyscus, which have a Palearctic distribution ranging from the Hindu Kush Mountains in western Pakistan to the eastern Mediterranean region. Zagros Mountains—stretching from northwest to south of Iran—was assumed for long as the range of a single species, Calomyscus bailwardi; however, recent studies revealed considerable heterogeneities among the geographical populations presumably referring to the persistence of undescribed diversity. One such group from the western Zagros Mountains has recently been recognized as C. behzadi Akbarirad, Dezhman, Aliabadian, Siahsarvie, Shafaeipour, and Mirshamsi, 2021. Using molecular, morphometric, geometric morphometric, and karyotypic data, we examine the divergence of 2 additional groups from western Iran and name these as new species. The first of these species is distributed in the northern Zagros and western Alborz Mountains in northwestern Iran was recovered as the sister species to C. urartensis from the South Caucuses. The second species from a single locality in the central Zagros Mountains was clustered closely with C. grandis from the western Alborz Mountains. Morphologic analyses, karyological features, and genetic distances disentangled these 2 new species from their sister species.

A revised model for Neogene Zagros foreland sedimentation in the Lurestan arc based on new geochemical data

AbstractThe Zagros foreland basin is an important sedimentary archive for the tectonic and paleoclimatic evolution of the Zagros Mountains and the entire Neotethyan Arabia–Iran collision zone. By combining new geochemical high‐resolution whole rock XRF data with clay mineralogy and soluble salt geochemistry we propose an evolution of the sedimentary environment in the Lurestan arc from the Serravallian to the early Pleistocene, closing a gap in understanding the complex exhumation history of the central Zagros mountain belt. An increase in ultramafic sedimentary input indicates a shift from provenance 1 to provenance 2 by ophiolite exhumation at ca.10 Ma in the Imbricated Zagros north of the Lurestan arc. Our data further indicates that the sedimentary environment of parts of the Lahbari Mb within the Lurestan arc represents a piedmont deposition of fine‐grained alluvial fans and siltstones with aeolian contribution deposited under hyper‐arid climate conditions. These represent provenance shift 3 and were likely sourced from evaporites of the underlying Gachsaran Fm and fluvial deposits of the Lower Aghajari Mb (provenance 1 and provenance 2), uplifted by the Mountain Front Flexure at around 5.6 Ma. Combining XRF whole rock data with clay mineral data refines formation conditions of the clay minerals in the foreland basin such as palygorskite, which is revealed to be authigenic in origin in the Lower Aghajari Mb. as a function of varying Mg‐content due to variations of erosion of the ultramafic and mafic rocks in the Imbricate Zagros belt. Palygorskite in the Lahbari Member is likely both inherited from the Neogene Gachsaran evaporites as well as of authigenic origin.

Two new species of Leptus (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae) parasitizing acridid grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Acrididae) from the Zagros Mountains, Iran

ABSTRACT Two new mite species of Leptus Latreille, 1796 (Acari: Erythraeidae) are described and illustrated based on their larval stages. All mites were collected from grasshopper hosts (Orthoptera: Acrididae) during surveys in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. This study is part of a more extensive survey of the Parasitengona fauna and their grasshopper hosts in diverse terrains along this mountain range, one of the global biodiversity hotspots. Leptus (Leptus) mallahae Kiany, Seiedy & Hakimitabar sp. nov. was collected parasitizing Oedipoda miniata (Pallas, 1771), Acrotylus insubricus (Scopoli, 1786), and Sphingoderus angustus Descamps, 1967. Leptus (L.) etesamiae Kiany, Seiedy & Hakimitabar sp. nov. was collected on Sphodromerus luteipes Uvarov, 1933.Leptus mallahae Kiany, Seiedy, & Hakimitabar in Kiany, Seiedy, Hakimitabar, Kiany & Husemann, 2024 http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A0C6312E-C5B8-4AF6-AB65-FC379234C832Leptus etesamiae Kiany, Seiedy, & Hakimitabar in Kiany, Seiedy, Hakimitabar, Kiany & Husemann, 2024http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8CF993F7-374E-4DDE-AD01-7014267805A0

Modelling principal stress orientations in the Arabian Plate using plate velocities

Abstract We model maximum principal horizontal stress orientations in the Arabian Plate using a 3D finite element approach in conjunction with plate velocities. To capture the impact of geometry and tectonics, the model considers an accurate plate boundary shape and associated deformations. Three primary geological units represent plate architecture: sedimentary cover, crust and upper mantle. The mesh resolution varies to capture important geometrical features. Subsequently, we calculate the stress field using the force balance equation. Displacement boundary conditions are evaluated as accumulative deformation. NE–SW maximum principal horizontal stress (S Hmax ) azimuths dominate in northeastern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, whilst NW–SE to NNW–SSE define the Dead Sea area. The Red Sea Basin and Saudi Arabia's interior is characterized by north–south S Hmax azimuths. Iraq's western area shows azimuths from NNW–SSE to NW–SE due to the collision at the Zagros Mountain Range, but changes to NE–SW in the east at the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. An extensive literature review reveals publicly available S Hmax azimuth data which augment the sparse records compiled in the World Stress Map database. Our simulated S Hmax azimuths are consistent with these data. The results further corroborate ongoing tectonic processes, deepen our understanding of in situ stress variation drivers and inform current elastic deformation mechanisms in the Arabian Plate.

REWORKED MESOZOIC RADIOLARIANS IN MIOCENE-PLIOCENE FORELAND SEDIMENTS IN THE ZAGROS BELT, IRAN

Micropaleontology can give important insights into the provenance and paleoenvironmental conditions in terrestrial sedimentary archives. For the current study, 84 samples representing a 2.6 km thick sedimentary profile from the SimplyFolded Zagros Mountain Belt were investigated. They span ca. 10.2 my from the late Middle Miocene (Serravallian) to the earliest Pleistocene (Gelasian), and comprised floodplain sediments and saline mudstones with an aeolian contribution. The mudstones revealed a unique Cretaceous radiolarian assemblage comprising largely of cryptothoracic Nassellarians and spherical spumellarians. This record highlights the reworking of sediments derived from Cretaceous Qulqula- Kermanshah radiolarian claystones and radiolarites in the Imbricated Zagros belt into the distal Neogene Zagros foreland sediments in Lurestan (Lurestan Arc). The high abundance of Holocryptocanium barbui (Dumitrica) and other cryptothoracic taxa compared to the Qulqula- Kermanshah radiolarian claystones and radiolarites potentially indicates a preferred erosion of softer units such as the Red Radiolarian Claystone Unit (RRCU) compared to harder radiolarian cherts. The observation of a reworked largely cryptothoracic assemblage might also point to additional sorting effects during fluvial and aeolian transport as well as during redeposition, depending on the morphology and hydrodynamic properties of individual radiolarian taxa.

A new Drusinae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) species from the Zagros Mountains in the Kurdistan Province, Iran.

A new species of the Drusinae subfamily, Drusus chelchamaensis Ibrahimi & Mohammadi sp. nov., is described based on male genital morphology. The male of the new species is most similar to that of Drusus bayburtii akin 1983 (known from several places in Anatolia, Turkey), Drusus ketes Olh & Mey 2017 (in Olh et al. 2017) (known from the Hamedan Province, Iran), and Drusus kazanciae akin 1983 (known from the Hakkari Province, Turkey) and differs in the formation of superior appendages, intermediate appendages, inferior appendages, parameres, spinate area of segment VIII, and segment IX. The species is currently known only from Chel Chama Mountain in the Kurdistan Province of Iran and is the second known species of the Drusus caucasicus Species Complex from Iran. Chel Chama is part of the Zagros Mountains, which is rich in freshwater ecosystems, but currently with only a few reported species of caddisflies.

Mapping endemic freshwater fish richness to identify high-priority areas for conservation: An ecoregion approach.

Freshwater ecosystems are experiencing accelerating global biodiversity loss. Thus, knowing where these unique ecosystems' species richness reaches a peak can facilitate their conservation planning. By hosting more than 290 freshwater fishes, Iran is a major freshwater fish hotspot in the Middle East. Considering the accelerating rate of biodiversity loss, there is an urgent need to identify species-rich areas and understand the mechanisms driving biodiversity distribution. In this study, we gathered distribution records of all endemic freshwater fishes of Iran (85 species) to develop their richness map and determine the most critical drivers of their richness patterns from an ecoregion approach. We performed a generalized linear model (GLM) with quasi-Poisson distribution to identify contemporary and historical determinants of endemic freshwater fish richness. We also quantified endemic fish similarity among the 15 freshwater ecoregions of Iran. Results showed that endemic freshwater fish richness is highest in the Zagros Mountains while a moderate level of richness was observed between Zagros and Alborz Mountains. High, moderate, and low richness of endemic freshwater fish match with Upper Tigris & Euphrates, Namak, and Kavir & Lut Deserts ecoregions respectively. Kura - South Caspian Drainages and Caspian Highlands were the most similar ecoregions and Orumiyeh was the most unique ecoregion according to endemic fish presence. Precipitation and precipitation change velocity since the Last Glacial Maximum were the most important predictors of endemic freshwater fish richness. Areas identified to have the highest species richness have high priority for the conservation of freshwater fish in Iran, therefore, should be considered in future protected areas development.

Speciation in the Iranian plateau: Molecular phylogeny and evolutionary history of the Persian long‐tailed desert lizard

AbstractMesalina watsonana is a well‐known species of small lacertid lizards with an extensive species distribution that exhibits high genetic diversity. The species has a wide distribution range in Iran, some parts of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India. This study aims to generate phylogenetic and phylogeographic evidence to derive taxonomic recommendations supporting. Furthermore, this species can be used as a model for examining Iranian Platuea's historical biogeography. We conducted a very detailed sampling of its distribution and used genetic approaches. Phylogenetic analyses were done implementing two mitochondrial (Cytb and 16S) and one nuclear (C‐mos) gene fragments. Combination of these results indicated that seven well‐supported distinct clades exist within this species complex, i.e. Kerman clade, Esfarayen clade, Halil clade, Ardestan clade, M. watsonana clade, Bardaskan Clade, and Khuzestan Clade in Iran. Also, our results revealed that several distinct clades diverged due to geologic events when the Dasht‐e‐Kavir and the Zagros Mountains were formed. It seems that the ancestor of M. watsonana spread to Iranian Plateau before the formation of the Zagros Mountains. Orogenic activities of the Zagros Mountains and the formation of deserts have influenced the separation of these lineages from the Late Miocene by allopatric speciation. Generally, our findings suggest that each of the seven clades corresponding to distinct geographic regions deserves to be elevated to the species level.

Unveiling rural energy pattern determinants: insights from forest-dwelling rural households in the Zagros Mountains, Iran

IntroductionThis study examines the determinants of energy sources among rural households in the forested regions of the Zagros Mountains in Iran.MethodsThe research focuses on 157 forest villages, categorized into three groups based on their access to different fuel sources: wood, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and natural gas (NG). A survey was conducted among 346 rural households using a multi-stage stratified random sampling approach and a questionnaire.ResultsThe findings reveal that firewood plays a significant role in household energy patterns, particularly in remote areas. Income is identified as a crucial determinant of energy structure, but non-income socio-economic factors also strongly influence energy patterns. Moreover, commercial energy sources exhibit higher energy efficiency, resulting in reduced annual energy consumption compared to the use of firewood as the primary fuel.DiscussionThe study emphasizes the urgent need to address the reliance on low-efficiency energy sources to mitigate deforestation risks. In countries like Iran, where forest resources are limited, transitioning from firewood to higher efficiency fuels becomes imperative for forest conservation and sustainability. The implications of this research underscore the importance of considering both economic and social dimensions in energy planning and interventions, promoting accessible and affordable alternatives to traditional biomass fuels, and designing targeted policies to encourage the adoption of cleaner and more efficient energy sources in rural areas.

Ecological and morphological correlations in the setation patterns of Gammarus Fabricius, 1775 (Amphipoda) from the southern Zagros Mountains, Iran

Abstract The southern limits of the Zagros Mountains (Iran) include various aquatic habitats ranging from cold purely fresh to warm saline springs, many of them in isolated watershed basins. Diverse habitats could be correlated with morphological variation in freshwater taxa, as in for example, highly variable patterns of setation in amphipods. We measured length and density of the setae on selected appendages in six species of Gammarus Fabricius, 1775 collected from 14 locations (two species being sympatric) and tested for correlation with seasonal mean water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH of their respective habitats. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance, linear model, and correlation analysis. These regions showed significant variation in the selected ecological factors, and the species had significantly different patterns of setation. It may be supposed that increasing setation in gammarids can improve ventilating activity and hence their respiratory efficiency at higher temperatures and salinity conditions. This correlation may reflect selective pressure on the speciation of gammaridean amphipods in the southern Zagros region.

Long‐Term Variability and Trends in Snow Depth and Cover Days Throughout Iranian Mountain Ranges

AbstractIn Iran, the mountain snow cover generally feeds major rivers and thereby largely provides water resources required for improving human lives and protecting nature. Hence, understanding historical variability and trends in mountainous snowpack water resources in Iran in response to global warming and climate change can play a critical role in the sustainable development of this country. Accordingly, this study investigated long‐term (1982–2018) snowpack climatology at 13 hydrometeorological measurement stations scattered throughout the Iranian mountain ranges, with a focus on Elburz, Azerbaijan, Zagros, and Khorasan mountainous regions. The non‐parametric Mann‐Kendall test was used to detect statistically significant (p < 0.05) trends, the Pettitt test to identify possible abrupt shift years, the Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure relationships among different time series, and the partial correlation to determine the most important climate factor influencing snowpack dynamics The annual snow depth (maximum snow depth) significantly declined throughout Iranian mountain ranges during 1982–2018, with an average rate of 1.0 (3.4) cm decade−1. The annual snow cover days (SCDs) also showed significant decreasing trends, ranging from 3 to 15 days decade−1 during 1982–2018, in 69% of the stations studied. Such considerable reductions in snow depth and cover days were mainly related to the compound effects of substantial increases in temperature, sunshine, and wind speed as well as decreases in precipitation and cloudiness during the SCDs across the Iranian mountain ranges. However, precipitation was the most influential climate factor controlling snow resources throughout both the Elburz and Zagros mountains in Iran.

Observed changes in the contribution of extreme precipitation over the Zagros Mountains, Iran

Due to global warming, precipitation regimes are expected to change, and heavy events are expected to occur more frequently. This study investigates the relative share of heavy daily precipitation events to total precipitation for past and current climates. In this regard, daily precipitation data with a spatial resolution of 0.25° × 0.25° from the APHRODITE and CHIRPS databases are used. We used two nonparametric tests, the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator, to identify the trend. The results showed that the frequency of daily heavy precipitation has been increasing in most regions of Iran. The relative share of heavy daily precipitation events to total precipitation has increased over the southwest and central areas of Iran from a case of the past to the current climate. The rise in the share of heavy precipitation of the total precipitation has led to a decrease in the frequency of rainy days (wet days) and an increase in the intensity and concentration of precipitation in Iran. The amount of increase in the share of heavy rainfall to the total precipitation is more prominent in the middle parts of the Zagros Mountains. These conditions lead to heavy floods in the southwestern plains of Iran.

A Bayesian luminescence chronology for the Bawa Yawan Rock Shelter at the Central Zagros Mountains (Western Iran)

Bawa Yawan Rock Shelter is one of the critical Palaeolithic sites discovered recently in the Central Zagros in Western Iran. The site exhibits a rich assemblage from the Middle Palaeolithic (Zagros Mousterian) to the Epipalaeolithic, and it discloses one Neanderthal canine tooth. The site stands out as one of the handfuls of Palaeolithic sites in the Central Zagros that contain human remains. Therefore, establishing a reliable chronology revealing the temporal period in which Neanderthals inhabited the region plays a significant role in our understanding of the human past in the region. We employed luminescence dating in combination with Bayesian modelling to improve the precision of the estimated ages. Our results indicate that the Middle Palaeolithic assemblages unearthed from geological layers GH3 to GH5 in the site fall in the [58–80] ka time frame (68% credible interval). More importantly, the Bayesian age for the layer containing the Neanderthal remains exhibited [65–71] ka (68%). This age contradicts the previous 14C-based chronology. We argue that it is likely that the 14C dates underestimate the timing of the Middle Palaeolithic industries at Bawa Yawan.Furthermore, our study reveals the first luminescence age for the Epipalaeolithic in the Central Zagros, which is dated to [13–15] ka (68%).

Phytochemical Investigation and Biofilm-Inhibitory Activity of Bachtiari Savory (Satureja bachtiarica Bunge) Aerial Parts.

Satureja bachtiarica is an endemic plant from the Lamiaceae family, growing in the Zagros mountain range in Iran. Even if S. bachtiarica is reported to possess many biological activities, little is known about its chemical composition. For this reason, in the present research, a phytochemical investigation of this species was carried out. To have a preliminary metabolite profile of S. bachtiarica, the n-BuOH extract was analyzed using LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS/MS in negative ion mode, allowing the identification of specialized metabolites belonging to flavonoid, monoterpene, indol, phenylpropanoid, phenolic, lignan, coumarin, biphenyl, and triterpene classes. The LC-MS/MS analysis guided the isolation of compounds, and their structures were characterized using spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and HRMSn analysis. In this way, a compound never reported before belonging to the biphenyl class was identified. Total flavonoid content of the extract along with the antioxidant activity were assessed. Based on the traditional uses of S. bachtiarica suggesting potential antibacterial properties, an evaluation of the biofilm inhibitory activity of the extract and isolated compounds against mature biofilms of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as their influence on the metabolism of sessile bacterial cells, was conducted. The results evidenced that some compounds including parmentin B, biphenyls, and 1-(1H-indole-3-carboxylate)-β-D-glucopyranoside might inhibit some changes occurring in the bacterial cells, which increases their virulence. In particular, biphenyl derivatives at a concentration of 80 μg/mL were capable of limiting remarkably the mature biofilms of A. baumannii and L. monocytogenes remarkably at a percentage ranging between 52.76% and 75.02%, and they reached an inhibition percentage of 69.28 % against E. coli. Biphenyl derivatives were also effective in exerting an inhibitory action against the mature biofilm of P. aeruginosa (inhibition ranging from 59.38% to 81.08%) and Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition percentage reached 82.94%). Of note, the biphenyl derivatives resulted in being capable of acting on the metabolism of the cells within the biofilm of all five pathogens.

Investigating the impacts of agricultural land use on soil earthworm communities: A case study of northern Zagros Mountains of Iran

Earthworms play a crucial role in the invertebrate community of soil by contributing to the belowground biomass and biogeochemical cycle. Environmental stresses, such as human activities and land use changes, have been found to negatively affect their abundance and diversity. To investigate the impact of agricultural land use and pastures on earthworms' genetic diversity in the Northern Zagros Mountains, we used COI molecular marker and DNA barcoding approaches. We collected earthworm specimens from four farmland sites and six pastures and assessed the abundance and species composition of earthworm communities across the two land uses using quadrat sampling. Using the barcoding method, we identified 13 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) among the captured earthworms. Our results showed that the number of total MOTUs, density, and earthworm communities differed significantly between the two land uses. We also found that pastures had more abundant earthworms, while farmlands had greater diversity. The diversity of OTUs in the Lumbricidae family was dominant in the agricultural system. Overall, the population of invasive earthworm species in cultivation systems is influenced by chemical inputs and organic materials from plant residues, cover crops, manure, or organic fertilizers. Given the rapid rate of land use change worldwide, especially in Iran, it is crucial to understand the impact of disturbances on earthworms.