We reconstructed the paleohydrologic and climatic history of the Lake Neor region, NW Iran, from the end of the late glacial to the middle Holocene (15,500-7500 cal yr BP). Subfossil chironomid and pollen assemblages in a sediment core from a peatland located south of Lake Neor enabled identification of four main hydrologic phases. The period 15,500-12,700 cal yr BP was characterized by a relatively dry climate with an open landscape, suggested by the abundance of Irano-Turanian steppe plants (e.g. Amaranthaceae, Artemisia and Cousinia). Dominance of several shallow-water and semi-terrestrial chironomid taxa (e.

Iran is one of the largest honey-producing countries worldwide and is considered as an important source of honey for international markets. However, since Iran is not registered for honey export to Europe, the quality of Iranian honey remains unknown to European traders. As the first step in filling this gap, we analyzed 225 honey samples using palynology, sensory, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and conventional physicochemical analyses as outlined by the European Union coordinated control plan. The results show that while various types of genuine unifloral honey can be harvested in Iran, 85% of collected samples were adulterated. Performing principal component analysis on physicochemical parameters reveals that feeding tablet sugar and syrup of C4 origin to bees during the foraging season is a common mode of fraud. Replacement of natural nectar with sugar syrup together with presence of intensive aftertaste from Taraxacum and Eryngium affect the taste of unifloral honeys produced in Iran.

Unfavourable climatic conditions force Iranian beekeepers to translocate over large distances in the course of the year. However, irrespective of the main place of production, the honey is always labeled with the name of the beekeepers' hometown, which leads consequently to mislabeled products. The present study investigates the capability of DNA metabarcoding to locate the geographical origin of honey. The molecular markers (ITS2 and rbcL) allowed identification of 926 plant species in studied samples. A comprehensive review of floristic reference books specified 34 key species that could be used to successfully determine the geographical origin in 91.4% of samples. These key species were usually present in honey with tiny amounts and thus, conventional palynology might not be able to detect them. The present investigation indicates that although ITS2 is able to detect more species than rbcL, utilizing a combination of both markers provides more robust evidence of geographical origin.

The objective here is to assess the atmospheric evaluations with respect to the perilous hailstorm phenomenon in Tehran. To accomplish this study, the available data regarding 9 (WW) present weather codes that reveal the hailstorm phenomenon with different intensities in 3 hrs observations for 6 meteorological stations of Tehran and vicinity for the period between 1985-2015 are applied. It is revealed that hail occurrence in Tehran is at its maximum in transition seasons of spring and fall between the hrs. 6 -18 (UTC). It is found that the instability indexes intensify in the afternoon with a higher atmospheric flotation indicative of the possibility in occurrence of thunder hailstorm. Synoptic assessments point to the fact that the synoptic pattern created this thunder storm due to expansion of two: low-pressure cores over Arabia and North-Europe and the cold high-pressure over South Russia with a NS orientation have developed an intense pressure gradient over Tehran province. The study area being located at the left exit of sub-tropical jet stream has made a Baroclinic atmosphere condition on Tehran province. Access to great humidity resources of Mediterranean and Black seas and a drastic decrease of temperature at the upper level of the cloud verifies the hail occurrence on March 30 th of 2015 in Tehran.

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