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Factors affecting the spatial variations of water quality of the Mazandaran coastal ecosystem was determined in summer 2012. For this purpose, water quality parameters (nutrients, temperature, conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll α and turbidity) were evaluated along 4 transects (Amirabad, Babolsar, Noshahr and Ramsar) in the depths of 5, 10, 20 and 50m, using multivariate analysis methods.  Based on the cluster analysis of data, the sampling sites could be classified into 5 distinct groups, including 35-50m water layer of station 50m in all transects, 0-5m layer in station 5m in all transects, Ramsar transect and the majority of surface and bottom layers of 3 transects including Noshahr, Babolsar and Amirabad. Based on discriminant analysis, 86.40% of the sampling sites were correctly classified. Factor analysis explained 87.53% of the total variance, the five principal components of which (viz. temperature, turbidity, nitrate, silica and ammonium) were considered as the most effective parameters on the spatial variation of water quality. This study suggests that the number of sampling locations can be reduced to two transects. Thermocline, transport of nutrients (specially phosphorus and ammonium) from rivers, sea floor, cage culture and the ctenophore, M. leidyi, were the most effective sources on spatial variations of water quality. Moreover, the multivariate statistical methods were found to be useful tools to recognize the spatial variations pattern along the Mazandaran coasts in summer.

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Settlement of benthic community depends on environmental conditions and interspecific reactions. The effect of substrates on the surface cover by the soft coral, Zoanthus sansibaricus, and the brown algae, Iyengaria stellata and their computational condition, was compared in the Hormuz Island by estimating of coverage area in 40 quadrates (50×50 cm). Z. sansibaricus is a dominant soft coarl (Zoanthid) species in Hormuz island coasts in the other side I. stellata considered as dominant macroalgea, most of year in area. Significant negative correlation (p<0.01; r = -0.607) revealed competition between two species in settlement on the two substrates. Soft coral with 61.7% coverage was dominant vs. 16.8% for brown algae on muddy-Rubble substrate, but on sandy-Rubble substrate, the brown algae was dominant with 37.8% coverage vs. 19.5% for the soft coral. It seems that better compitiunal conditions in settlement on unconsolidated substrate have some advantages for Z. sansibaricus on Muddy-rubble substrate.

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Aims: This research aimed to evaluate the spatial patterns of water quality and its controlling factors in the Mazandaran coastal ecosystem during winter using the multivariate analysis methods.
Materials and methods: Water quality parameters such as nutrients, temperature, conductivity, salinity, DO, pH, chlorophyll-a and turbidity were measured monthly in 16 stations (44 layers) along 4 transects (Amirabad, Babolsar, Noushahr and Ramsar). To evaluate the data, several multivariate statistical methods were used including discriminant function analysis, cluster and factor analysis as well as correlation test.
Findings: Results of cluster analysis showed that the sampling sites (44 layers) were classified into 4 groups. Based on discriminant analysis, 93.20% of the sampling sites correctly classified. Factor analysis extracted 4 principal components that explained 74.05% of the total variance. Based on these analyses, organic phosphorus, organic nitrogen, turbidity, chlorophyll-a and temperature were the most effective parameters on the spatial variation of water quality.
Conclusion: This study suggested that the number of sampling locations could be reduced to 3 transects including Amirabad, Babolsar and west coasts (Noushahr and Ramsar) and 2 stations (one surface layer and one deep layer). Transport of nutrients from land, sea floor and fish cage culture were the most effective factors on spatial patterns of water quality in Mazandaran coasts. Based on the results, multivariate statistical methods are also introduced as one of the useful methods for identifying the spatial pattern of water quality.

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The tadpole shrimp of genus Triops is a well-known living fossil whose fundamental morphology has been unchanged for 220 million years. We collected specimens of Triops cancriformis in temporary water bodies near the southern part of Urmia Lake (in the Fall of 2005). Some biological characteristics of this Triops were investigated. The feeding re-gime of T. cancriformis was found to be related to the fauna and flora of the temporary pools. Invertebrates and animal detritus were found to constitute major part of the feed-ing regime. The existence of Triops cysts and particles in the gut also showed certain de-gree of cannibalism. Morphological and histological investigations showed that the popu-lation of T. cancriformis was female and there was only one male among 400 samples col-lected. Observation of sperm among follicle ducts of a few samples indicated some degree of hermaphrodity, but the animal seemed to reproduce mainly through parthenogenesis. Fecundity, varying from 100 to 2500 cysts, was with a few exceptions related to the body size. The average cyst diameter was 40085 m.