Biomass and carbon stocks in three types of Persian oak(Quercus brantii var.persica)of Zagros forests in a semi-arid area,Iran

Persian oak(Quercus brantii var.persica)is a dominant tree species of Zagros forests in a semi-arid area,western Iran.However,the capacity of biomass and carbon stocks of these forests is not well studied.We selected three types of oak,i.e.,seed-originated oak,coppice oak and mixed(seed-originated and coppice)oak of Zagros forests in Dalab valley,Ilam Province,Iran to survey the capacity of biomass and carbon stocks in 2018.Thirty plots with an area of 1000 m2 were systematically and randomly assigned to each type of oak.Quantitative characteristics of trees,such as diameter at breast height(DBH),height,crown diameter and the number of sprouts in each plot were measured.Then,aboveground biomass(AGB),belowground biomass(BGB),aboveground carbon stock(AGCS)and belowground carbon stock(BGCS)of each tree in plots were calculated using allometric equations.The litterfall biomass(LFB)and litterfall carbon stock(LFCS)were measured in a quadrat with 1 m×1 m in each plot.One-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test were performed to detect the differences in biomass and carbon stocks among three types of oak.Results showed that AGB,BGB and BGCS were significantly different among three types of oak.The highest values of AGB,AGCS,BGB and BGCS in seed-originated oak were 76,043.25,14,725.55,36,737.79 and 7362.77 kg/hm2,respectively.Also,the highest values of LFB and LFCS in seed-originated oak were 3298.33 and 1520.48 kg/hm2,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the other two types of oak.The results imply the significant role of seed-originated oak for the regeneration of Zagros forests.Further conservation strategy of seed-originated oak is an important step in the sustainable management of Zagros forests in Iran.

Comparison of Water Use Efficiency in Alfalfa Using Water and Waste Water

Growth of cultural and economic level of societies has caused conversion of villages to cities and establishment of wastewater treatment plant in cities. Wastewater treat- ment plants discharge significant amounts of wastewater into natural waterways and their output at the most critical time (the hottest day that crop water need reaches to maximum due to physiological conditions) reaches to the highest amount. Hence, with regard to permanent and accessible wastewater and study on performance and production of forage per water or wastewater consumption unit, the research project was performed in form of statistical plan of totally random blocks with four treatments in three replications during three years. The results indicate that function of forage at the third year of project implementation has increased than the first and second years. Treatments 2 and 4 (the treatments to use wastewater) had greater function than treatments 1 and 3 (treatments that have irrigated with well water), found with significant difference. In average, function of forage (dry and wet) in treatments irrigated with wastewater than the treatments irrigated with well water has been greater to 37 and 32 percent regardless of consumption amount. Water con- sumption efficiency in the treatments to use wells water and wastewater equals to 0.867 and 1.09 kg production of dry hay per cubic meter of water or wastewater.

The Underground Water Level Simulation in Imamzadeh Jafar Plateau by the Use of Mudflow Software

The most secure method in providing water in the dry and semi-dry regions is the use of underground water sources and due to over consumption of water aquifers capacities, most of fields and specially Imamzadeh Jafar are faced with negative performance and balance, which threatens the land subsiding. The plateau with the annual raining of 438 millimeters has 169 deep and semi-deep wells with annual 36.68 million consumption and this issue has increased the research signification, in order to protect and relive the required water aquifers, there is a need to predict the underground water level accurately in different condition. In this research, by the use of balance equation and modflow software in Imamzadeh Jafar, water aquifer was analyzed within seven scenario. The underground water level evaluation for the short run periods for 2 years and middle term of 4 years and 12 years of long term was performed;and the results showed that the performance and balance of the plateau was increased due to increase of water consumption compared to the water aquifer quantity in the region that was negative. To the point that the 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 scenarios (minimum 0.17 and maximum -11.34) and 2, 6 scenarios in different timely periods show that the underground water saving volume is positive (minimum 3.64 and maximum 19.83).

Evaluation of Calendula officinalis L.(marigold)flower as a natural growth promoter in comparison with an antibiotic growth promoter on growth performance,carcass traits and humoral immune responses of broilers

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dried powder of Calendula ojficinalis L.(marigold)flower as an antibiotic growth promoter substitute on growth performance,organ weights,and immunological parameters in broilers.A total of 240 mixed sex broilers(Ross 308)at 1 d of age were individually weighed and randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 4 replicates of 15 birds for 6 wk.The dietary treatments were:1)a basal diet(control);2)control plus 4.5 mg flavophospholipol/kg of diet;3)control plus 5 g marigold/kg of diet;4)control plus 10 g marigold/kg of diet.Antibody responses against Newcastle(NDV),influenza(AI)viruses,and sheep red blood cells(SRBC)were measured.Supplementing 4.5 mg flavophospholipol/kg of diet enhanced body weight(BW)of broilers at 14 and 28 d of age(P<0.05),but final BW at 42 d was not markedly affected.At 14 and 28 d of age,broilers fed diets supplemented with 10 g marigold/kg of diet had significantly lower BW compared with broilers fed the basal diet supplemented with antibiotic or 5 g marigold/kg of diet.During the starter period,broilers fed diets supplemented with antibiotic had significantly(P<0.05)better FCR compared with broilers supplemented with 10 g marigold/kg of diet,but did not differ from broilers fed the basal diet or basal diet supplemented with 5 g marigold/kg of diet.There were no significant differences in FCR between treatments,during grower,finisher phases as well as for the whole experiment.Carcass yield was significantly(P<0.05)higher in broilers supplemented with 5 g marigold/kg of diet compared with broilers in other groups.The treatments failed to induce any marked effect on immune parameters.In conclusion,the results of this experiment showed that supplementation of 5 and 10 g dried powder of marigold/kg of diet has no affirmative influence on growth performance of broilers.