The book Atlas of Iran’s Sensitive Marine Ecosystems (the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman), compiled by Dr. Ali Nasrollahi, faculty member of the Department of Animal Biology and Marine Sciences at the Faculty of Biological Sciences and Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, and produced in collaboration with a group of university researchers, has been awarded the Selected Book of the Year Prize in the Basic Sciences category at the 30th University Book of the Year Festival.
This book, comprising 320 pages and seven chapters, includes an introduction, mangrove forests, mud–sand flats, wetlands, seagrass meadows, sandy shores, rocky shores, and coral reefs. The atlas is the result of at least two decades of research by the authors and researchers in the field of marine sciences. Through the use of 39 original maps, more than 350 exclusive photographs, as well as numerous figures and tables, it provides comprehensive information on the structure, functions, ecological conditions, threats, and conservation status of coastal and marine habitats in the region.
In this atlas, field data, remote sensing, satellite imagery, and aerial photographs have been employed to produce distribution maps of habitats and their coverage. In addition, lists of plant and animal species associated with each habitat are presented. Atlas of Iran’s Sensitive Marine Ecosystems is considered an effective step toward raising awareness among the general public, managers, specialists, and regional governments about the true value of marine ecosystems, and toward laying the groundwork for achieving sustainable development goals in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman