Rain simulators are suitable tools for research related to the process of erosion and runoff. However, it is possible to use these simulators on other topics as well. For example, in designing the rainwater catchment systems such as micro-catchments for planting trees on slopes, curve pits in pastures, and determining the size of the water collection pond, knowledge of runoff coefficient and volume of collected water are essential. For this purpose, in a national study, several tons of soil from four selected rainfed lands including Faraghi (Golestan province), Sararoud (Kermanshah province), Kouheen (Qazvin province), and Sarab neniz (Kohgilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province) were transferred to the Rainfall Simulation and Erosion Laboratory of the Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute and after preparation by standard methods, the soils were subjected to a heavy rainfall of 64 mm per hour on three slopes of 6, 12 and 25% for 30 minutes. Such rainfall is unlikely to occur and can be used to design rainwater catchment systems. Outlet flow during the experiment was measured at intervals of 1 to 3 minutes (17 times in total) and the total runoff volume, and then the runoff coefficient and soil infiltration capacity were calculated according to the rainfall volume. In addition, soil infiltration capacity was calculated about 3 to 6 cm per hour. The runoff coefficient of these soils (except Sararoud soil with high infiltration) was calculated between 50 to 90%. According to the characteristics of the soil, soil structure, specific weight, and the amount of organic matter are the factors that determine the infiltration capacity. The volume of runoff (except Sararoud soil) in the most severe events was estimated between 15 to 30 liters per square meter, which is used in the design of the rainwater catchment systems. For soil with high infiltration, it is recommended to compact the soil or use other methods to reduce the infiltration and increase the runoff coefficient.

Rainfall harvesting and storage in soil depth through micro catchment contribute to curtail water deficiency of plants. The objective of this research that was conducted in Kaboodeh-Olya village in Kermanshah province, Iran, was to compare the effects of three different micro catchment systems on soil moisture storage including flat, crescent and rhombus shaped. The experimental research was performed at the completely randomized factorial that was conducted in a 20% hill shoulder with 20% slope and northern direction. Micro catchments shapes mulched by compacted soil with crop residue, plastic under gravel and surface soil (control treatment). Soil moisture in three soil depths (0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) were measured two times a month after rainfall occurrence using TDR. The data statistically ware analyzed through SPSS software. Results showed that micro catchment shapes alone did not significant affects on runoff harvesting and consequently soil moisture storage, while the treatments of mulches were effective on runoff harvesting into soil. Thus, plastic under gravel mulch was contributed in 92% rainfall harvesting as the possible treatment (micro catchment) for maximum moisture storage, even little rainfall occurrence during dry season. It is concluded that the micro-catchments, especially plastic with pebble can be considered as the suitable methods for combat drought stress during dry season.

At present due to lack of proper utilization and management in non-renewable natural resources, most of the watersheds are in critical conditions. Since about 80 percent of Iran watersheds located in arid and semi-arid climatic conditions, thus addressing the issue of optimal utilization of rainfall is most important. In this research, the surface of micro catchment was isolated by plastic to increase runoff coefficient. Six treatments and three replications were considered in down part of the micro catchment. The surfaceswere prepared by available materials such as greenhouse plastic, gravel, fine and coarse sand, and for infiltration, a filter with 50 cm depth and 15 cm diameter was used. Soil moisture in 30 and 50 cm depths, was monitored by Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). The first step eas started by cleaning grasses and compacting soil surface and monitoring 18 rainfall events. In the next step, soil surface was covered by plastic and 21 rainfall events were monitored. Results showed that the runoff coefficient increases by six to 47 percent or 7. 8 times more than natural condition. The statistical analysis by T-test showed that all treatments and depths of isolated and natural conditions have significantly different results in 90 percent level of confidence. Finally, the average soil moisture content for isolated condition in comparison of natural condition is 6. 4 and 9. 4 percent in 50 and 30 cm of soil depth, respectively. In other hand, isolated surface increased soil moisture 3. 8 and 2. 8 times compared to treatments in 50 and 30 cm of soil depth, respectively.

The use of Rain-Water Harvesting (RWH) systems for fruit seedling planting in addition to helping to make optimal use of runoff and soil and water conservation, will also help the production of agricultural and horticultural products. Accordingly, this study has focused on the investigation of the effects of RWH systems on the growth of fruit seedlings and their establishment, especially in Zanjan, East Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, and Markazi provinces. For this purpose, all relevant domestic published papers over the last six years have been reviewed to provide an analytical overview of the published results. Although based on the literature review, there is reliable evidence in RWH systems efficiency in runoff production and the positive effect of such systems on photosynthetic activities and consequently fruit seedlings, there is insufficient evidence to select the most effective treatment of the RWH systems. Also, the results of most of the studies have shown some improvements in collar diameter growing and height of the seedlings, but there is no comprehensive conclusion on the positive effect of RWH systems because of the insufficient studies with inconsistent published results in this field. Although the studies have been conducted by some provincial research institutes under the supervision of Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), the creation of management and executive recommendations resulting from such research is hampered by some weaknesses in the designed research plan. On the other hand, short data collection period (only 1-3 years), use of different guidelines for designing the RWH systems, designing the RWH systems without given consideration to species of seedlings, the rainfall regime, and intervals, and the optimum volume of water needed to collect in each system are the weaknesses of the conducted researches, which hamper designing managerial and necessary plans using the results to overcome some problems of water deficit in Iran. Regardless of the aforementioned weaknesses, it is hoped that the promising route initiated by the AREEO and especially its affiliated Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute (SCWMRI) finally leads to national benefits for water resource management and agricultural production.

Water harvesting is the collection of runoff for productivity purposes, instead of runoff being left to cause erosion. In arid and semi-arid drought-prone areas, microcatchments are widely used as a water harvesting method to improve rangeland condition.The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of micro-catchment on ecological indices of rangeland health in Ghick-Sheikhha, Jiroft, Iran using LFA (Landscape Function Analysis) method. A free micro-catchment area (as control) was selected to compare the effects of micro-catchment on the soil and vegetation cover. In this method 11 soil parameters were assessed (transects of 100 m length) to recognize three functional properties, including stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling. Statistical data analyses were done using analysis of landscape function and paird t test to compare the performance indicators in the control and micro-catchment. To determine the best factors affecting the health of the range, multivariate regression model was used. The results showed that in the micro-catchment treatment, the length of patches was more than that in the control area.Significant differenceswere observed between the areas in terms of three indices (p≤0.05).Regression models suggested that the parameters of soil sedimentation, soil resistance to humidity, soil surface roughness and canopy cover in the micro-catchment area, and soil surface roughness, litter cover and surface resistance to disturb in the control area had respectively, the higher impact on rangeland health indices. Generally, the present study suggested the effectiveness of micro-catchment compared to the control area.

Rapid soil erosion is an undesirable phenomenon that reduces soil fertility and water resources capacity and causes water pollution. Investigators have suggested variety of models for prediction of runoff and erosion from which EUROSEM is a distributed single event model that can predict erosion risk from a hydrologic wathershed with respect to space and time. Due to spatial and temporal variations of rainfall magnitude and intensity, soil physical characteristics and topography of watershed area, consideration of these required variables can not be ignored. In this study, the impact of slope and unevenness density of a micro-catchment with heavy clay loam soil texture on runoff and erosion was evaluated using EUROSEM. In the first series, the experiments were performed for three unevennesses with three different densities and three replications in the direction of slopes of 5, 10 and 20 percent. In the second series, the experiments were performed with the same densities and slopes, but in the opposite direction of slopes. Totally, seventy seven tests including witnesses were accomplished. The results showed that density of unevennesses were effective to reduce runoff and erosion, especially when they were set up in the opposite direction of slopes, by 54 percent and erosion by 56 percent. The EUROSEM evaluation also showed that the model was able to assess all hydrograph parameters with regression coefficients (R2) more than 97 percent at the level of 95 percent and RMSE less than 4 percent successfully. Modle also is able to predict some of sedigraph parameters such as time to start sediment, time to peak of sediment and mass flow of sediment with regression coefficients (R2) more than 97 percent at the level of 95 percent and RMSE less than 0.289 percent successfully, but time to peak sediment was not successfully predicted, due to low R2=25 percent and high RMSE=7.56

One of the major sectors of water loss is the loss of rain runoff. Kirkby (2001) the Effect of soil surface characteristics in the production of runoff in time and space scales concluded that soil properties such as undulating, soil texture and structure on the amount and spatial pattern of runoff are effective. In this research that was conducted in the Latian watershed, twenty experimental plot Manufacturer runoff collected at the end they were constructed Bankettes longitudinal dimension equal to the width of runoff plot, poster collection, depth 0.5 meter and width of 0.5 meter was constructed. Depth of rainfall runoff from natural and 12 each with artificial rainfall intensity rainfall simulator with 8 mm to 42 mm per hour was established, was measured. Since the end Bankettes within plots were covered with plastic, all collected runoff was measured on it. The plastic cover was pulled out of water completely penetrating Bankette. After 24 hours on Bankette collected water depth was measured so that how deep the penetration has. After the plastic cover was created to prepare for the next runoff is measured. Part of the rainwater Collected in a barrel with a volume of 220 liter were stored on the first of the spring was covered with a plastic cover to prevent evaporation of collected water for limited irrigation water supply in June to 30 July to 15 of 62 mm were used and in forage maize plots nine branches were planted SC704. The results showed that compared with the yield ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 (ratio of surface runoff collected rain Manufacturer of level of corn planted) yield of forage corn, respectively 9.6, 22.6 and 28.8 T.ha respectively. Whereas in the control treatment, there was no water limitation and the rate of 41.5 T.ha of forage maize yield was, The total water used in the three above treatments, respectively 616, 696 and 776 mm was. (In addition to direct rain water collected from runoff) and supplementary irrigation water depths in all three treatments was 62 mm. Thus yield respectively 23, 55 and 69 percent compared to the control (grown with full irrigation) has been. In this research the effect of vegetation and soil in runoff amounts were compared.

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a form of anxiety disorders. PTSD typically follows an exposure to severe stress. It is characterized by a particular clinical syndrome, including re-experiencing symptoms and alterations in arousal, avoidance, cognition, and mood conditions. Recent evidences propose that micro-RNAs are crucial epigenetic players in mental disorders. It has been demonstrated that micro-RNAs are promising non-invasive biomarkers for different mental health disorders. It has been reported that the levels of micro-RNAs have been changed in psychotic diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and PTSD.Conclusion: Micro-RNAs seem to play a role in pathophysiology of psychological diseases. In this article, we discussed the new findings suggesting a relationship between micro-RNAs and PTSD as well as the possible roles of micro-RNAs in diagnosis and treatment of this mental disorder.

Geotextiles has been used to conserve eroded hillslopes, decrease soil loss and prepare bed for plant growth over the course of past few decades. In this study we tried to investigate the effectiveness of geotextiles for reducing runoff and sediment yield from an experimental micro-catchment. Two micro-catchment (control & treatment) were selected then the jute geotextile was installed as a buffer along contour line against superficial flow. Then, each micro-catchment was equipped with a flume at its outlet to measure runoff rate during storm events. Other variables (i. e. vegetation cover, soil, surface scree and slope steepness) were monitored during study period. Results showed high runoff and sediment variations during measurement period, so that the maximum and minimum specific sediment yield were equal to 2. 48 and 0. 69 gr. m-2 for events 30-Jan-2015 and 29-March-2015, respectively. Also, compare mean test revealed significant differences in specific sediment yield between two micro-catchments (P<0. 05) but no differences in runoff. High slope steepness along with considerable impervious outcrops are corresponding to high runoff generation even after installation of geotextile. Results from RRE confirmed high performance of jute geotextile in reducing sediment. For storm 29-Mar-2015 the highest RRE was obtained, equal to 50. 49 per cent which indicate tremendous sediment reduction in treated micro-catchment in comparison to control. In this event the geotextile reduced Specific sediment yield by half.