JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

The effect of broad-leaved forest trees (Alnus glotinusa, Ulmus glabra, Popolus caspica and Parrotia persica) and their canopy position on soil C and N storage and mineraization in the plain forest areas of Noor was investigated. Soil samples were taken from two positions (near and away from the main stem) with the microplots of 30×30×15 cm. Litter (C and N), soil physical (bulk density, texture and water content), chemical (pH, EC, organic C, total N and available Ca), biochemical and biological (N mineralization and microbial respiration) characteristics were measured at the laboratory. Carbon mineralization rate (CMR) was calculated using the equation [incubation time period (hour) ×soil volume (gr) / CO₂ amount (mol C)]. Soil C and N storage (ton/ha) was calculated by C and N contents, bulk density, and the soil sampling depth. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the C storage under the studied tree spcies, whereas N storage presented significantly greater amounts, under Alnus glotinusa (0.79 ton/ha) rather than Ulmus glabra, Popolus caspica and Parrotia persica (0.69, 0.45 and 0.21 ton/ha, respectively). The higher values of soil C (0.001 mol C/kg) and N (0.3 ml N/kg) mineralization were significantly recorded under Alnus glotinusa instead of tree species. Soil C and N storage and mineralization process were not affected by the sampling positions. According to the results, soil C and N storage and mineralization were influenced by litter quality and soil chemistry.

Since the introduction of cities and urbanization, healthy water supplement and urban wastewater treatment have been considered as an important factor to evaluate progress in the urban areas. Tehran as a megacity is facing the lack of water. Tehran water supplement is far from its area; therefore, Tehran-Karaj plain has been considered in this study. So, Tehran water quantity index using the DPSIR model (Driving force, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response) in a period of 3 years (2008-2010) was considered in this paper. Driving forces included population, urbanization, green spaces, and industries. Pressures on urban water included water consumption, water losses, rainfall and evaporation. Then, Tehran water quantity status was investigated based on the existing water in dam reservoirs and groundwater resources. Their impacts on urban area were evaluated and finally, appropriate responses were presented. Some of the presented approaches included industries transmission, improvement of water consumption pattern, improvement of the water treatment plants status and unconventional water resources reuse, identification and rearrangement of subterranean, improvement of irrigation systems operation, and reduction of Tehran urban population.

Salinity adversely affects crops metabolism and yield. The present work was conducted to evaluate the singular and interaction influences of Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and brassinolide, as an active group of (brassinosteroids) BRs, on some physiological parameters of wheat plants to cope with salt stress14-day old mycorrhizal (Glomus mosseae) and non- mycorrhizal wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plants were foliar sprayed with 0 and 5 µM epibrassinolide 3 times once every two days. Then, each group was treated with 0 and 150 mM NaCl once every 3 days for 10 days. After salt treatment, some plants were harvested to estimate the leaf reducing sugar and glycine betaine contents. After the final growth, all wheat plants were harvested to measure some yield parameters. Synergistic influence of brassinolide and AM fungi was observed in protein and 1000-grain weight. It seemed that this was rooted in the increased accumulation of reducing sugars and glycine betaine, both helping to maintain osmotic potential in cells under high salinity in soil.

In this study, the distribution of heavy metals pollution including arsenic, antimony, nickel, copper, cadmium, cobalt, bismuth, lead and zinc in the stream sediments of Zarshuran- Aghdarreh area was investigated by using statistical techniques and the geometric integration of each sample basin. For this purpose, the degree of pollution in 154 stream sediment samples was analyzed and the distribution maps for enrichment factors were prepared by using a combination technique, pixel estimation, and statistical and geostatistical methods. The results of calculating the enrichment factors indicated that the higher enrichment was related to arsenic, antimony, bismuth, cadmium and lead. Furthermore, the concentration of zinc, copper, lead, arsenic, antimony, cadmium and bismuth in the stream sediment samples was higher than the global average. Application of the principal component analysis on the data led to the recognition of 9 main components for the dataset; the first 5 were components with eigen values greater than 1 and a cumulative percentage more than 85%. Arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead and zinc in the first component, cobalt in the second component, bismuth in the third component, copper in the fourth component and nickel in the fifth component had the highest values.

Trees crown can be regarded as main factor contributing to the conservation and support of soil in many ecosystems including semiarid forests in Zagross. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of tree crown of pictachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf) on N, OC, P, pH, EC and the texture of the soil. Soil samples were collected in and outside the crown of 5 single pistachio trees on four directions of each tree in a northern slope from the 0-5 cm depth of soil in the Sarvabad region, Kurdistan. The results of this study showed that the amount of the soil organic carbon was decreased from 6.71% in the soil inside tree crowns to 4.73% in the soils outside the tree canopies. The soil inside trees had a higher concentration of soil nitrogen (0.406%) than the one outside (0.224%) the tree crown; the concentration of phosphorus was measured to be 32.7 mg/kg in the soil inside canopy, while it was 21.1 mg/kg in the soil of outside the tree canopy. EC under the tree crowns was more than that outside the canopy. The results, therefore, showed that soil texture was lighter inside the canopy, as compared to outside; however, the acidity of the soil was not affected by tree crowns and no significant differences were observed in different areas of the crown. Therefore, Persian turpentine trees have positive impacts on the soil properties in Zagros forests and eliminating them will lead to the significant loss of soil fertility and greater soil erosion.

In order to study the effects of different irrigation regimes and different levels of salinity on the growth parameters of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), this experiment was performed in the research green house of Water Engineering Department, at f Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, during 2016. The experimental design was a factorial with n a randomized complete design in three replications. Treatments included three irrigation levels (100, 75 and 50 percent of water requirements calculated by the evaporation pan class A) and five salinity levels (0.5, 4.3, 8, 11.8, 16 dSm^-1). The results showed that the effect of irrigation on the Leaf area index, chlorophylls and RWC (P<0.01) and Leaf length, and width (P<0.05) was significant. The effect of salinity levels on the Leaf area index, chlorophylls, Leaf length and width, RWC, Specific leaf weight (P<0.01) and Leaf petiole length (P<0.05) was significant too. The interaction between irrigation and salinity levels on chlorophylls and RWC (P<0.01) and Leaf width (P<0.05) was significant as well. According to the results, Quinoa had a good tolerance to the elevated levels of deficit irrigation. Decreasing the irrigation levels from 100 to 50 percent of pan evaporation resulted in the reduction of the Leaf area index and RWC to 24.6 and 7.3 percent, respectively. The result also showed that Quinoa had a good tolerance to the elevated levels of salinity, the mixing sea water, and tap water at rate of 30 percent, with control treatment having no significance for all of the parameters. It seems that good stand establishment in the saline soils and water conditions could be insured if proper management is applied in the farms.

Scour around structures in the river is the most destructivr factor of these structures. Therefore, different methods have been studied to reduce it. A creation slot is one of these methods in the suitable position that can be modified to control the flow pattern scour. In this study, the effects of using two parallel chord rectangular slots  in the single spur dike  with the opening of the effective spur dike area of 10% and a ratio of a/b = 4 (a and b are the length and width of the slot) on two occasions were investigated, one near the bed (near the slot spur dike) and the other near the water surface (away from the nose of spur dike) on the pattern of erosion and sediment around the nose triangular spur dike in clear water conditions. In all experiments, flow depth and angle of the triangular spur dike installation angle were constant. The experiment was done in different hydraulic conditions (Froude number 0.287, 0.304, 0.322). Eventually the results of spur dike without slot (control experiments) were compared. The results showed the slot near the bed toward the slot near water surface and control experiments had a better performance in reducing the maximum depth of scour and deposition of sediments washed to the outer bank. The reduction of the maximum depth of scour at the slot near the bed in Froude numbers 0.287, 0.302 and 0.322, respectively, was  compared to the control experiments , which were 23%, 13% and 24%, respectively, and then compared to the slot near the water surface, which was 60%, 40% and 32% respectively.

Nowadays, water resource management has been shifted from the construction of new water supply systems to the management and the optimal utilization of the existing ones. In this study, the reservoir operating rules of Doroodzan dam reservoir, located in Fars province, were determined using different methods and the most efficient model was selected. For this purpose, a monthly nonlinear multi-objective optimization model was designed using the monthly data of a fifteen-year period (2002-2017). Objective functions were considered as minimizing water scarcity index in municipal, industrial, environmental and agricultural sectors. In order to determine the operating rule curves of reservoir, in addition to the nonlinear multi-objective optimization model, the methods of ordinary least-squares regression (OLS), fuzzy inference system and adaptive network fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were used. Also, the reliability, resiliency, vulnerability and sustainability criteria were used to compare the different methods of reservoir performance rules. The results showed that ANFIS model had the higher sustainability criterion (0.26) due to its greater reliability (0.7) and resilience (0.42), as well as its lower vulnerability (0.13), thereby showing the best performance. Therefore, ANFIS model could be effectively used for the creation of Doroodzan reservoir operation rules.

Due to the water scarcity in Iran, it is important to provide strategies to reduce water consumption in the agriculture sector. Zycosil is a nanotechnology material that makes a great hydrophobe in the soil. This study was conducted based on completely randomized block design within microlysimeter with the height of 15 cm and the diameter of 8 cm to investigate the hydrophobic effect on the amount of consumed water in pepper. Sweet pepper seedlings were planted in them; then the treatments were applied. The Z25, Z50 and Z75 treatments consisted of  covering 25, 50 and 75 % of the soil surface by Zycosil; these were compared with  the control (Ctrl- no Zycosil application) in three replications. The results showed that Z75 treatment reduced 27% water consumption and increased the fresh yield by approximately 62 %. The increased yield of Z25 and Z50 was 5 and 26 %, respectively. Dry pepper yield was increased in Z25, Z50 and Z75 treatments by 22, 19 and 80%, respectively, as compared to Ctrl treatment. The amount of water consumed was decreased by 10 % per 25% coverage level. The least amount of water use efficiency was observed in the control treatment (1.28 gr/cm3). The Z75 had the highest water use efficiency (2.96 gr/cm3). Hence, the application of hydrophobic material such as Zycosil in the soil surface reduced water evaporation and increased water retention. This increased the yield and water use efficiency.

In recent years, microbial contamination of surface and groundwater is a serious problem in some countries, leading to dangerous diseases. Soil salinity and irrigation water can affect the amount of transport or survival of bacteria in soil. In this study, the effect of different levels of salinity of irrigation water with EC: 0.5, 2.5, 6 ds/m and three manures including poultry manure, cow manure and the mixture of poultry and cow manure with 10 ton ha^-1 on the transport of Escherchia coli was investigated in disturbed soil columns with 30cm height and 10cm diameter under unsteady-state water conditions. The concentration of Escherchia coli was measured. The severity of the effluent contamination of the treated columns with water salinity was 6 ds/m, which was less than that with the salinity of 2.5 and 0.5 ds/m. This difference was significant at the 0.01 probability level. Also, the effluent contamination of poultry manure-treated columns was greater than the cow manure and the mixed manure, and the contamination of mixed manure was greater than that of cow manure. The interaction of different salinity treatments on the concentration of Escherchia coli in different fertilizer treatments was significant at the 0.01 probability level. The results showed that the concentration of the released bacteria was affected by irrigation water salinity and with increasing the salinity, the concentration of the bacteria was reduced.

Soil erosion by surface runoff introduced as surface erosion is one of the main mechanisms of land degradation in the hill slopes. Slope characteristics including aspect and gradient can control the differences of soil properties along the hillslope. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of slope aspect and gradient on variations of some soil properties in the short slopes. Five hills including both north and south aspects with different gradients (9-10%,
13-16%, 17-22%, 29-31% and 33-37%) were considered in a semi-arid region with 30 ha in area, in the west of Zanjan, northwest of Iran. The hills were weakly covered with pasture vegetation covers. Soil samples were collected along the slopes from two depths (0-5 cm and 5-15 cm) in four positions with 2 m distance along each slope with two replications. A total of 160 soil samples were analyzed for particle size distribution (sand, silt and clay), gravel and bulk density. Surface erosion was determined based on the variation of grain size distribution and bulk density. Differences of the grain size distribution and surface erosion between the two slope aspects and among the slope gradients were analyzed using the Tukey test. No significant difference was found between slope aspects in surface soil erosion. Nevertheless, surface soil erosion was affected by slope gradient in each slope aspect (R²= 0.78, p< 0.05). Surface erosion in the north slopes was more dependent on the slope gradient, as compared to the corresponding south slopes. In the south slopes, surface erosion was affected by the movement of silt particles from soil surface, while in the north slopes, it was significantly affected by the loss of clay particles.

One of the main sources of runoff in arid and semi-arid mountainous highlands is typically composed of before Quaternary formations. Since the structure and lithology of formations are different, varying formations can have different significance in terms of runoff and sediment. The present study aimed to investigate the sediment production potential and the runoff generation threshold on three formations (Shirkooh Granite, Shale, Sandstone and Conglomerate of Sangestan and Taft Limestone) in Shirkooh mountain slopes. The 60 mm/h rainfall intensity with the 40 minute continuity, according to region rainfall records, and the ability of the rainfall simulator were selected as the basis for the study. Field experiments were conducted in dry conditions based on one square meter plot on rocky slopes with a gradient of 20 to 22 percent and a maximum thickness of 30 cm of soil. The results showed that in 60 mm/h rainfall intensity, the minimum rainfall to produce runoff on Sangestan, Shirkooh and, Taft, was 10, 10.7 and 16.7 mm, respectively. The maximum amount of the sediment was measured on Sangestan, Taft and Shirkooh, respectively. Statistical tests related to runoff and sediment production on all three formations confirmed a significant difference at the 5 % level. In terms of the time required to start runoff, the minimum time was for Sangestan, Shirkooh and Taft, respectively. According to the results, in terms of the potential for runoff generation and sediment production, Sangestan, Shirkooh and Taft can be ranked from high to low levels.

Understanding the distribution of different P forms in soil aggregate fractions is important in evaluating the risk of P run-off and leaching in the agricultural soils. The objective of the present research was to determine the effect of aggregate size on soil phosphorus availability and fractionation in 10 calcareous soils. Micro aggregate (< 0.25 mm), macro aggregate (> 0.25 mm) and whole soil were separated by dry sieving. Olsen P, total P, organic P, and inorganic P fractions in micro aggregate, macro aggregate, and whole soil were determined. Soil inorganic P fraction was  determined by a sequential extraction procedure including: dicalcium phosphate (Ca₂-P), octa calcium phosphate (Ca₈-P), apatite (Ca₁₀-P), P absorbed by Al oxide (Al-P), P absorbed by Fe oxide (Fe-P) and P incorporated in to Fe oxide (O-P). The results showed that the amounts of (Olsen P), (Ca2-P), (Ca8-P), (Ca10-P), (Organic P), (Al-P), (Fe-P), (O-P) and (Total P) in 70, 60, 40, 40, 60, 70, 60, 50 and 70 percent of soils, respectively, in the micro aggregates were significantly higher than those of the macro ones. Finally, by increasing the P content, particularly the smaller sized aggregates, it was likely that the eroded material would favor greater P loss.

The persistent scattering interferometry (PSI) technique is a valuable tool in displacements' monitoring of earth's surface. The persistent scattering interferometry (PSI) based on persistent scatterrer (PSInSAR) is one of the techniques used to reduce constraints (temporal and spatial incoherency). It is based on persistent scatterer and monitor displacement of only the pixels with timely-constant properties of scatterer. In order to detect and monitor landslides,  two time series SAR data sets including PALSAR ascending images from 2007 to 2010 and ASAR images from 2003 to 2010 with C-band and L-band wavelength were applied, respectively. Also, the PSI technique was implemented in a landslide near Noghol village, Padena, Semirom of Isfahan province. The results revealed  that both PALSAR and ASAR data set were efficient in identifying Noghol landslide. The results obtained  from ASAR and PALSAR images processing (with the values of 1253 mm and 1578 mm in two stages of time 4 and 7 years, respctively) were compared. The obtained vertical displacement's rate of the landslide by using ASAR data was more suitable because of its descending orbit. However, PALSAR images that indetified  more persistent scatterrer points were better in the  detection of the  landslide area. The results of GPS and PSInSAR techniques revealed that landslide displacement values and aspect were the same, confirming 135 centimeters of displacement to the  west aspect. Finally, a combination of radar data in two different passes provided the possibility of monitoring the mechanism of landslide and its movement direction.

Factor analysis is one of the multivariate statistical techniques that considers the interrelationships between apparently irrelevant variables and helps researchers to find the hidden reasons for the occurrence of an event. In order to evaluate the effects of different irrigation levels and humic acid foliar application and identify the factors affecting water use efficiencies of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a split plots experiment based on RCBD design with three replications was conducted during the 2014-15 growing season, at the Research Farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Irrigation levels (50 and 100% of water requirement) and foliar application and non-application of humic acid were assigned to main and sub plots, respectively. The results showed that in sesame, the highest seed yield and biological yield were obtained from 100% of water requirement and humic acid spraying treatment. In maize, humic acid spraying under condition of supplying 50% of water requirement increased seed weight per plant, plant height, and leaf area index and soil pH In bean, the highest seed weight per plant, plant height, leaf area index, crop growth rate and soil phosphorous content were observed in the treatment of 100% of water requirement and humic acid spraying. Factor analysis results also showed that in sesame, the variables of seed yield, biological yield, seed weight per plant, plant height, leaf area index, crop growth rate, soil phosphorous and water use efficiency were assigned to the first factor and the variables of soil nitrogen, soil pH and EC were assigned to the second one. In maize, seed yield was assigned in the same group with the variables of biological yield, leaf area index, crop growth rate, soil phosphorous, EC and pH and water use efficiency; in bean, this was with the variables of seed yield and water use efficiency. In general, the research results revealed that identifying the effective variables in each factor and those logical nominations according to Eco physiological knowledge can lead to the direct management of effective variables with regard to associated factor, thereby leading to water efficiency improvement.

Yield is a function of root distribution and activity. In flood conditions, root growth and efficiency are essential for crop productivity. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of different irrigation regimes on the root development, yield and yield components of green pepper (green Hashemi cultivars). This study, which was based on a completely randomized design with three replications under greenhouse conditions, was done at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 2016. Different irrigation regimes consisted of 3 levels (100, 125 and 150 percent of water requirement). The results showed that the effect of different irrigation regimes on root volume, root length, root area and number of fruit was significant at 1 percent level (P<0.01), but water use efficiency, and fresh and dry weight of fruit were significant at 5 percent level (P<0.05). The results also revealed that green pepper plants were sensitive to over irrigation. Increasing irrigation levels from 100 to 125 percent of pan evaporation resulted in the reduction of root volume, root length, water use efficiency, number of fruits, and pepper fresh weight to 20, 13.8, 26, 29and 6.4 percent, respectively. As the conclusion, with the increase in water irrigation level, the fresh weight of the fruit was significantly decreased.

The irrigation and drainage network of Zarrinehroud with an area of 65,000 hectares is the most important network of Lake Urmia basin, with the direct link to the lake. With the current crisis in the lake, an assessment of the existing network's performance is essential in the Urmia Lake Rescue Program. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the transmission, distribution, and utilization efficiency and irrigation efficiency at the surface of the network. Three products were selected from the cultivar with the highest crop area (10% beet, 22% and 22%, and 38% wheat). The dominant method of irrigation was surface irrigation. At the network level, soil moisture in the field before and after irrigation, soil physical and hydraulic properties and water use volume for irrigation were measured. The results showed  that the average transmission efficiency in canals with the concrete coating of the network was about 79%, which was  in the range of 33% (in the  smaller channels) to 100% (in the  larger channels). The water distribution efficiency in the network was, on average, 76%, varying from 50% to 100%. Water use efficiency in the fields based on soil moisture balance analysis varied from 41% in the sandy loam soils to 66% for the clay texture. Based on the analysis of the data on the amount of harvest, production costs and product sales price, the water use efficiency (in kilograms of product per cubic meter of water used) varied from 0.4 for the  elderly hay to 5.1 for the  sugar beet. The amount of water used in this network (in Rials per cubic meter of water consumption) was between 2740 for alfalfa aged over 10 years and 6900 for wheat. It can be concluded that in the case of water constraints, wheat, sugar beet and alfalfa could be the most economic cultivar, respectively.

Soil erosion by water is a serious environmental problem, particularly in semi-arid regions. In these areas, water loss strongly affects soil loss as well as soil productivity in the rainfed lands. Determination of appropriate seed density for each tillage direction is vital to achieve high crop yield and to prevent soil and water losses. This study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of tillage direction and plant density on the soil and water losses in a rainfed land. Twelve crop plots with the dimensions of 1.5 m × 5 m were installed to investigate the effect of two tillage directions (up to the down slope and on the contour line), two seed densities (90 and 120 kg h^-1), a three replications in a rainfed land with 10% slope steepness. Soil and water losses were measured in each plot during the wheat growth period (from October 2015 to June 2016). Significant differences were found between both tillage direction and plant density in the runoff (P<0.05) and soil loss (P< 0.001). Runoff and soil loss in the up to down slope tillage was 4.16 and 4.08 times bigger than the contour line tillage, respectively. Runoff and soil loss with the seed density of 120 kg h^-1­ ­­were 11.25 and 26.32% lower than those with 120 kg h^-1­, respectively. This result was associated with the increased cover crop and its control on water flow and the enhancement of water retention in the soil. There was no significant interaction between tillage direction and plant density in the runoff and soil loss. The importance of tillage direction in the soil and water loss was very larger than that of the plant density. The application of 120 kg ha^-1 seed density on the contour line could, therefore,   considerably prevent soil and water losses in the rainfed lands.

In this research, a regression model was introduced to study the mechanisms of the formation of gullies in the Quri Chay watershed, northern Ardebil province (Moghan Plain); this was done through investigating the effective factors of geo-environment and soil characteristics on the gully erosion. For this purpose, 17 gullies were randomly assigned through field surveys. Mapping and recording the morphometric of the selected gullies were performed by GPS positioning after seven rainfall events. The catchment-upper area of each gully was determined and its related physical parameters were calculated in order to investigate the effect of the physical characteristics of the catchment. Soil sampling was also done at the head of each gully at two different depths (30-30 and 60-30 cm) in order to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. According to measurement of the morphometric characteristics of the gully and soil characteristics through multivariate analysis of the data, a suitable regression model was developed for the longitudinal development of erosion after determining and calculating environmental factors related to the upper catchment of the gullies. The results of the correlation matrix between the longitudinal extension of the gully and the factors investigated indicated that the factors related to the physical characteristics of the beside watershed (area, perimeter, main stream length and average width of the catchment, main stream slope), gully morphometric characteristics (mean of gully cross section, the gully expansion area, and the gully average width) and soil characteristics (geometric mean of the aggregates diameter, lime, organic matter percentage) affected  the formation and expansion of gully erosion in the Quri chay catchment. The results of regression analysis showed that the longitudinal expansion of the gully was mostly influenced by the area around each gully and the percentage of organic matter, which resulted in pressure on the rangeland and the loss of vegetation, which increased runoff and accelerated the lengthwise expansion of the gully. Also, the  increase in the area of the beside catchment the gullies is known as one of the factors influencing the length of the gully, due to the high volume of runoff entering the head cut section; so it is necessary to manage  runoff in the gully with the large beside catchment.