Rivers are critical to agriculture, industry, and the needs of humans and wildlife. This study evaluates the water quality of the Beheshtabad River in Iran's Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, using water quality index and multivariate statistical methods. Nitrate, temperature, phosphate, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, electrical conductivity, total solids, and pH were measured at five selected stations along the river over 6 months using standard methods. Water quality index results demonstrated that water quality varied in the selected stations between average and good and that pollution in this section of the Beheshtabad River increases from upstream to downstream. Clustering and principal component analysis were also utilized. Multivariate statistical methods were used to analyze water conditions for efficient management of surface water quality. Agricultural fertilizers, upstream wastewater discharge, and fish farms constitute the main elements that decrease the water quality of the Beheshtabad River. To preserve this water resource against pollution, the implementation of stringent rules and guidelines are needed to enhance health and preserve water resources for future generations.

This study presents concentrations of mercury in tissues (feather, kidney, liver, and muscle) of three kingfisher species from Shadegan Marshes located in the Khuzestan province in the lowlands of southwestern Iran at the head of the Persian Gulf. The order of mercury concentrations in tissues of all the kingfishers such as pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and white-breasted kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) was as follows: feather > kidney > liver > muscle. No significant difference was detected in mercury tissue levels between species of birds. Liver mercury concentration was positively correlated with kidney mercury levels in all of the three species of kingfishers. Although, the average levels of mercury we observed in these birds were below levels known to be associated with adverse behavioral or reproductive effects, mercury levels in some individual birds exceeded adverse effect level.

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We document mercury distribution in tissues of two waterfowls; moorhen (Gallinula chloropus; n=6), and Common Teal (Anas crecca; n=6) from Shadegan wetlands in Southwestern Iran. Mean value of mercury in moorhen liver was (0.36 Hg microg g(-1) dry weight), Common Teal had (4.34 Hg microg g(-1) dry weight) mercury. In all tissues, Common Teals had significantly higher mercury concentrations than moorhens (U test, p

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