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Aims: The Zagros Mountains are a part of the 20^th global hotspot, the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot. In this study, we aim to develop a comprehensive checklist of endemic herpetofauna species in the Zagros Mountains as one of the biodiversity hotspot regions, to provide more information about this important area and the necessity of conservation programs to protect it.
Materials & Methods: The Zagros Mountains, with an area of about 533,543km², ranges from Turkey and Iraq to western and southwestern Iran along the eastern edge of the Persian Gulf. A list of endemic species has been collected from the literature review.
Findings: This region contains 3 species and 7 subspecies of endemic amphibians belonging to three genera and two families, the Salamandridae (8) and the Bufonidae (2). Neurergus and Calliopersa are endemic to this hotspot. There are 40 species and 6 subspecies of endemic reptiles belonging to 24 genera and 10 families. The families with the greatest number of endemic species are the Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae, and Colubridae. Three genera, Asaccus, Mediodactylus, and Eirenis, dominate the region, with 32 endemic taxa. There are also two endemic genera, Parsigecko and Lakigecko.
Conclusion: Many amphibians in the Zagros Mountains, especially all the species of the genus Neurergus, are categorized in IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List and CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The habitats of the Zagros Mountains herpetofauna, especially those of endangered and endemic species, should be protected and managed to maintain or restore populations of the declining species.
 

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The first checklist of halictid bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in Tunisia is established based on available data in the literature. This list contains 114 species belonging to four subfamilies (Halictinae Thomson; Nomiinae Robertson; Nomioidinae Börner; Rophitinae Schenck) and nine genera. The genus Lasioglossum Curtis within the subfamily Halictinae is the most diverse with 51 species and subspecies. The highest number of species is reported in the Tunisian south region with 51 species and subspecies. For each species, the global and provincial distribution in Tunisia is given based on the relevant literature. 40 taxa are without specific locality in Tunisia and confirmation of their presence in the country is needed. All reported species from Tunisia are Palaearctic and more than 20% of them have an exclusive north African distribution and among them, five species are endemic to Tunisia. This study is an initiative for further research on local wild bee faunas aiming to suggest their conservation strategies.

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Odonata diversity of the Kuruva Islands in Wayanad, a part of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot in southern India, was studied for a year using transect counts. A total of 59 species were recorded of which 7 are endemic to the Western Ghats. Herb cover, shrub cover, open space, water pH, air temperature, and a composite water chemistry variable incorporating conductivity, TDS, and salinity emerged as the most important predictors of Odonata diversity. The distribution of the endemic and Vulnerable Disparoneura apicalis (Fraser, 1924) in the islands is influenced by particular species of plants that act as their perching posts and ovipositing sites. It is recommended that the tourists visiting the Kuruva Islands be sensitized about the importance of the place as an odonate habitat. The highly range-restricted D. apicalis can be made a flagship species for the conservation of this unique ecosystem.

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Aim: Ethno-botanical knowledge is widespread and important among tribesmen. However, this knowledge is based on experimental findings rather than on a scientific basis. Apart from this, there is a risk that this ethnobotanical knowledge may disappear and be neglected. One of the endemic plants in Iran is Morina persica L., known in ethnoveterinary and ethnobotany. In this study, the chemical compounds of Morina persica L., an endemic ethnoveterinary plant, were investigated for the first time in Iran using GC/MS.
Materials & Methods: The collection of all M.persica aerial parts was conducted during the flowering stage. The extraction of essential oils was performed by a hydro-distillation method using a Clevenger device. Then, the gas chromatography-mass spectrometer device was employed to determine and analyze the essential oils composition. Kovats retention indices (KI=RI) were used to confirm the identification by the mass spectra
 

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Rice cultivated areas and yield information is indispensable for sustainable management and economic policy making for this strategic food crop. Introduction of high spectral and special resolution satellite data has enabled production of such information in a timely and accurate manner. Knowledge of the spectral reflectance of various land covers is a prerequisite for their identification and study. Evaluation of the spectral reflectance of plants using field spectroradiometry provides the possibility to identify and map different rice varieties especially while using hyperspectral remote sensing. This paper reports the results of the first attempt to evaluate spectral signatures of seven north Iranian rice varieties (Fajr, Hybrid, Khazar, Nemat, Neda, Shiroudi and Tarom plots) in the experimental station of the Iranian Rice Research Institute (main station in Amol, Mazanderan Province). Measurements were carried out using a field spectroradiometer in the range of 350-2,500 nm under natural light and environmental conditions. In order to eliminate erroneous data and also experimental errors in spectral reflectance curves, all curves were individually quality controlled. A set of important vegetation indices sensitive to canopy chlorophyll content, photosynthesis intensity, nitrogen and water content were employed to enhance probable differences in spectral reflectance among various rice varieties. Analysis of variance and Tukey’s paired test were then used to compare rice varieties. Using Datt and PRI1 indices, significant differences (= 0.01) were found among rice varieties reflectances in 19 out of 21 cases. This promises the possibility of accurate mapping of rice varieties cultivated areas based on hyperspectral remotely sensed data.

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Thegenus Achillea is one of the most important medicinal plants in the Asteraceae family. Nineteen species of this genus have been described in the Flora Iranica, of which Achillea aucheri Boiss is an endemic species to Iran. Given the effect of geographic location on the quality and yield of essential oil, we performed an investigation to determine oil contents of A. aucheri growing at different altitudes of Mount Damavand and analyzed its components. Essential oil was extracted with hydro-distillation method and nearly 96.20% of oil components were identified using GC and GC/MS, on average. These components included isopulegol (16.39%), yomogi alcohol (10.92%), (Z)-ß-ocimene (9.84%), camphor (5.65%), 1,8-cineole (4.98%), linalool (4.81%), γ-terpinolene (3.66%), α-fenchene (3.60%), camphene (3.20%), α-pinene (3.15%), α-terpineol (2.71%), nerolidol (2.54%), chamazulene (1.74%) and α-thujone (1.67%), with 34 other components. In general, essential oil composition of A. aucheri was influenced by climatic condition prevailing at different altitudes. By increasing altitude, constituent of α-thujone, a harmful compound for human body, decreased in its value. Moreover, going from 3,900 to 4,300 m altitude, the valuable constituent of chamazulene increased more than 10 times.

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In order to study the effect of irrigation with saline water on physiology, biochemical, and anatomy characteristics, growth, and yield of different melon cultivars, an experiment was performed in split-plot with randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were two melon cultivars resistant to salinity (Sooski and Diamond) and two sensitive cultivars (Daregzi and Zard Ivanaki) with two salinity levels [0 (control) and 8 dS m^-1 of NaCl] of irrigation water. The results showed that fresh and dry weight of shoot, fruit and seed weight, fruit acidity, fruit firmness, fruit length/diameter, fruit number and yield, photosynthesis rate, transpiration, and stomatal conductance decreased by irrigation with saline water. Under salinity condition, resistant cultivars showed the highest amount of the abovementioned parameters and had higher proline, phenol, and antioxidant activity. Generally, the results showed that by applying salt stress, growth parameters, photosynthetic parameters, and quantitative characteristics of the fruit decreased. This decrease was lower in Sooski resistant cultivar. It seems that melon cultivars achieved their resistant; firstly, improving yield instead of vegetative growth; secondly, increasing antioxidant and phenol content to reduce deleterious salinity effect, and finally, increasing TSS to have more osmotic adjustment for promoting photosynthesis at the acceptable level for producing enough assimilate for commercial yield under salinity conditions.

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Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a warm-season plant, which is originated from Andes and Mesoamerica. There are wide range of morphological and biochemical characteristics in snap bean varieties. Snap bean is harvested for its green pods. The pods are a valuable source of dietary protein, essential vitamins, low-calorie carbohydrates, fiber, and minerals for human health. The evaluation of eight different snap bean varieties, namely, ‘Pirbakran’, ‘Sunray’, ‘Burpees’, ‘Valentine’, ‘Dragon’, ‘Kentucky’, ‘Cherokee’, and ‘Id-Market’ for their cultivation and nutritional value illustrated that P. vulgaris var. Burpees’ had higher carotenoid (56%), antioxidant (16%), and  phenolic compound (69%) than the popular commercial variety’ Pirbakran’. Folate content was 33%, and total essential amino acids were 20.6% higher than ‘Pirbakran’, while the pole type ‘Kentucky’ showed better vegetative and pod yield indices. Additionally, ‘Burpees’ had the highest calcium content, which was almost 40% higher than the other varieties and two times higher in Zn compared to ‘Valentine’ and ‘Kentucky’. In conclusion, ‘Burpees’ can be recommended based on its high productivity in terms of vegetative growth and pod yield, and nutraceutical values, including folate and total essential amino acids, compared to the other seven varieties.