https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/ Management of Natural Ecosystems en daily 1 Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_734261.html The phenomenon of desertification is one of the main environmental challenges in Iran's semi-arid regions. Tarom County in Zanjan Province, with an approximate area of 2235 km², features diverse topography including along the margins of the Qezel-Owzan River and surrounding highlands. Annual precipitation averages about 200 mm in the valleys and 400–450 mm in the highlands. Vegetation in the valleys (especially in Manjil and Mahneshan) is weak and desert-like, whereas the highlands have adequate cover including juniper forests (Jish Abad), pistachio-almond stands (Shirmisheh), and olive orchards along river margins. This study evaluated the desertification potential of Tarom with the Iranian IMDPA model and focused on climate and vegetation criteria. The value of each criterion was calculated from the geometric mean of the indicators and the overall intensity was calculated from the geometric mean of the criteria, and maps were prepared. Final maps were prepared. Results indicate the climate criterion by value 2.83 has the greatest role in exacerbating desertification, mainly from low rainfall and high evaporation in valleys. The vegetation cover criterion is in a better condition with a value of 1.89, which is due togood Vegetation cover of highland and orchard. The overall intensity of desertification was calculated to be 2.31, which places the area in moderate class, near severe.The climate criterion showed that about 89 percent of the area is in the arid and semi-arid classes, and creates a high risk.Vegetation cover is suitable, The final map of desertification intensity shows that 20–25% of the area (mainly valleys) is in the severe class, 50–55% in the moderate class, and 25–30% (mainly highlands) in the low class.. This spatial pattern highlights the key role of topography; Therefore, conservation measures focused on valleys and maintaining the Vegetation cover of highlands are essential to control desertification. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735562.html Understanding the ecological characteristics of plant species and their response to environmental factors provides the essential information for vegetation management and rangeland improvement. Due to the importance of the Caroxylon dendroides (Pall.) Tzvelev. species in soil conservation and fodder production, the present article studies its ecological requirements, emphasizing the determination of ecological factors affecting changes in vegetation cover and examining the response of this species to changes in ecological factors, using the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Generalized Additive Models (GAM) in Mazandaran Province.The results of the Canonical Correspondence Analysis showed that environmental factors such as percentage of clay and sandof soil , geographic direction, acidity (pH), saturated moisture percentage, soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil lime percentage, annual rainfall, and mean annual temperature played a significant role in the changes in vegetation cover in the studied habitats.The results showed that the response of the C. dendroides species to organic matter percentage, organic carbon percentage, silt percentage, clay percentage, and sand percentage follows a Monotonic decrease model, The pattern of response of this species to to mean temperature, acidity, lime, and electrical conductivity followed a Monotonic increase model. The pattern of response to phosphorus amount, potassium, litter percentage, rainfall, and soil saturated moisture percentage followed a model, with its optimum growth limits for each of these factors being 12 and 500 mg/L, 10%, 350 mm, and 42%, respectively. The species’ reaction to aspect is such that it has the highest percentage of vegetation cover on eastern slopes and the lowest presence on northeastern slopes. It has a distribution across steep to relatively steep slopes, but has a higher percentage of cover on 40-50% slopes; the species’ response to slope percentage followed the second model. The study of species’ response of Caroxylon dendroides along the gradient of topographic and soil factors provided valuable information for determining the ecological requirements of this species, which can be considered in rangeland improvement operations in similar areas. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735088.html The effective management and conservation of wildlife populations depend on human understanding and prediction of wildlife habitat connectivity. Determining the distribution of species is essential for the conservation and management of populations, particularly threatened species. This study was conducted to assess the habitat suitability of the caracal (Caracal caracal) and the effective factors affecting on its distribution in Yazd province. The Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) approach implemented in MaxEnt software was used for habitat suitability modeling of the caracal (Caracal caracal) from spring 2021 to spring 2023. Information layers determined as environmental variables affecting the distribution of the caracal include the elevation, aspect, slope percentage, soil, land use, climate, water resources, distance from asphalt roads, and distance from cities and settlements. Presence data was collected through field surveys across the province and entered into the MaxEnt software. Then, its relationship with digitized maps was examined. The results showed that approximately 5.12% (381437 ha) of Yazd province is suitable habitat for the caracal. Based on habitat suitability map, the caracal preferred an elevation range of 1000 to 1800 meters above sea level and slope of 10 to 30 percent. Furthermore, variables such as water sources (springs), high-quality rangelands, and northern slopes were important factors affecting the presence of this species. The model evaluation with an area under the ROC curve of 0.994 indicates excellent diagnostic power. Suitable, integrated habitats for the caracal are located within managed and hunting prohibited areas in Yazd province including Kalmand and Bahadoran, Bafgh Mountain, Ariz, Dareh Anjir, Bagh Shadi, Borouiyeh, Shirkuh, Siah Kooh, Qareh Tapeh, Marvar and Panjangoshti Abarkooh and they are more integrated. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735564.html Accurate estimation of surface runoff in arid and semi-arid regions is fundamentally important for integrated water resource management, flood control, and planning for sustainable development. Isfahan Province, as one of the central industrial and agricultural hubs of Iran, has faced both water scarcity crisis and concurrent flood hazards in recent years, emphasizing the need for accurate assessment of runoff potential. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of annual runoff across 19 counties in Isfahan Province during a 26-year period (2000–2025) using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method implemented on the Google Earth Engine cloud platform. Precipitation data were sourced from the CHIRPS database, land use data from MODIS database, and soil information from the OpenLandMap dataset. The results showed that the spatial distribution of runoff follows a west-east gradient, such that mountainous and western counties of the province, including Fereydunshahr and Semirom, recorded the highest annual runoff with averages of 354.63 mm and 295.76 mm, respectively, while eastern counties such as Naein, with an average runoff of 70.55 mm, recorded the lowest annual runoff. The provincial average annual runoff was calculated at 166.41 mm with an average runoff coefficient of 81.16 Spatial coefficients of variation for precipitation and runoff across the province were 53.33% and 57.65%, respectively, indicating significant spatial heterogeneity of these parameters. The findings provide a scientific basis for rainwater harvesting planning, watershed structure design, and flood risk management in Isfahan Province. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735090.html Wildfire is a catastrophic phenomenon causes structural changes in vegetation cover. The estimated average annual burned area in the world's forests is four million square kilometers, and these wildfires lead to the destruction of vegetation cover, global warming, and the loss of biodiversity. Given the importance of the topic, post-fire vegetation changes were analyzed using a time series of satellite images. To investigate post-fire vegetation changes, data from three large-scale wildfires (covering the entire burned area) in different years—2010, 2017, and 2019—were used, which occurred in the Bivareh, Kabir-Kuh, and Siraneh regions of Malekshahi County, respectively. In this study, satellite images from the wildfire years were first downloaded from the USGS website, and then the NDVI index was used for fire detection using TerrSet 2020 and GIS software. Additionally, the Mann-Kendall Tau test was applied in Excel software to examine the trends of vegetation cover changes in fire-affected and control areas in the years following the wildfires. The results showed that by generating time series and conducting spatiotemporal monitoring of burned areas using spectral indices, the NDVI spectral index used in this study, based on the Mann–Kendall Tau test, has the ability to assess vegetation cover changes and its regeneration in the years following wildfires. Additionally, the significance analysis of the Mann–Kendall trend test for the NDVI index was conducted on an annual time scale at the95 percent confidence level. A significant difference at the 5 percent confidence level was observed in both burned and control areas. Identifying the effects of wildfires on vegetation characteristics in forest ecosystems is of particular importance for post-fire management. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the impacts of wildfires trend of vegetation cover changes and to understand the behavior of vegetation in response to wildfire for the management of Malekshahi County forests. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735108.html Ethnobotany, as an interdisciplinary field, examines the interaction between humans and plants across cultural, social, and livelihood contexts. particularly within multiethnic societies, plays a significant role in identifying local capacities and advancing the sustainable utilization of plant resources.. The present study aims to investigate the various uses of rangeland plants from the perspectives of the Lur, Turkic, and Arab ethnic groupsin the Sabzkooh region of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province. furthermore, this study examines differences in perceptions among the ethnic groups.. The research methodology was descriptive, analytical, and field-based. Data were collected through questionnaires based on a Likert scale.. in this study, a purposive sampling approach was employed, and 33 Lur, 25 Turkic, and 27 Arab key informants were selected from the respective ethnic groups., the questionnaire’s reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, and its validity was established by a panel of experts.. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and the non-parametric KruskalWallis test. The Results showed all three ethnic groups assigned the highest priority, respectively, to fodder, edible, and medicinal uses.For the Lur ethnic group, the mean values were reported as 4.09, 3.81, and 2.57, respectively. For the Turkic ethnic group, the mean values were 3.88, 3.64, and 2.84, respectively, and for the Arab ethnic group, the mean values were 4.07, 3.77, and 2.81, respectively. Furthermore, all three ethnic groups assigned the lowest priority, respectively, to handicraft value and the spiritual and sacred value of plants. For the Lur group, the mean values were 1.84 and 1.51; for the Turkic group, 1.80 and 1.56; and for the Arab group, 1.41 and 1.15, respectively. Overall, the findings indicate the existence of cultural–ecological convergence in the knowledge of plant uses and ethnobotany among the studied groups. This convergence may serve as a basis for sustainable development policies and participatory natural resource management. This study can be cited as scientific evidence that, in the study area, ethnic and linguistic diversity does not necessarily mean differences in indigenous plant knowledge. The research emphasizes the importance of cultural–ecological convergence, and its findings can be used in natural resource policymaking, local education, and the development of indigenous knowledge of rangeland plants. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735115.html Land, as the fundamental input in the agricultural sector, requires precise valuation for sustainable decision-making. This study aimed to conduct a comparative valuation of rainfed and irrigated agricultural lands in Marvdasht County, emphasizing the role of physical, spatial, and legal-ownership factors. This research is descriptive-analytical in type and employs an econometric approach. Cross-sectional data for the year 2025 were collected through structured questionnaires and field interviews with 80 farmers (40 rainfed farmers and 40 irrigated farmers) selected using stratified random sampling. Given the specific heterogeneous and immovable nature of land, this study performed modeling within the framework of the Hedonic pricing method, and two separate estimations were conducted in the model based on the differences among the variables. The results of both estimations showed that distance from the city, village, road, well, and consumer market negatively impacts the price of agricultural land. Furthermore, the rainfed also had a negative impact on the price of agricultural land, while being irrigated increases the land’s value.”. The degree of land fertility had a positive impact on agricultural land prices. However, the total area shows no significant effect on the price of agricultural land. Additionally, legal-ownership factors such as the type of ownership document and access to water rights showed a positive and significant impact, while a history of property disputes had a negative and significant impact on land prices. Overall, the estimated Hedonic model indicates that alongside the irreplaceable role of traditional production factors like soil fertility, legal factors (security of title/deed and water rights) act as intangible yet productive inputs, playing a decisive role in land valuation. These findings emphasize the necessity for policymakers to pay attention to legal and judicial institutions, alongside conventional production factors, to achieve sustainable management of agricultural lands. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735234.html Environmental hazards and waste disposal, due to their direct connection with human life, require control and the implementation of management systems. During the selecting urban waste disposal sites, efforts are made to identify locations that pose the least risk to the environment and human health. The aim of this study was to identify areas with minimal negative environmental impacts and to determine the most suitable site for the landfill of municipal solid waste in the city of Mashhad.For landfill site selection in Mashhad County, eleven criteria were utilized through theAnalytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. The final weights derived from the hierarchical analysis Process indicated that vegetation cover, slope, and soil texture received the highest importance values, respectively. After determining the weights of the criteria and their various subclasses, the information layers were overlaid and integrated in the GIS environment based on the relative importance of each class. Subsequently, criteria influencing landfill suitability—such as distance from residential areas, water resources, and other environmental factors—were classified and scored using the AHP method. After the elimination of restricted zones based on previous studies, three proposed areas for the disposal of Mashhad’s municipal waste—namely the old Nishabur road, the current landfill on the Miyami road, and the Cement Road corridor—were evaluated considering geomorphological, environmental, and social criteria. The area located 15 km from Mashhad along the Cement Road, with a weighted score of 1.034, was identified as the most suitable landfill site and This zone achieved the highest scores in criteria such as vegetation cover, distance from industrial centers, and distance from active faults. https://emj.ardakan.ac.ir/article_735107.html Vegetation constitutes one of the most significant manifestations of the natural landscape and serves as an optimal indicator for assessing the ecological factors of a given area. In this research was investigated in the Bozdaghi region, located in Bojnord County, North Khorasan Province. Sampling was performed during the peak growing season of plant species using a systematic-random method. The area of sampling units was selected according to the recommended plot sizes for different vegetation types: 1 m² for herbaceous cover, 25 m² for shrub cover, and 100 m² for tree cover. Shannon-Wiener, Simpson diversity, and species richness indices were calculated.  The simultaneous analysis of species abundance and functional characteristics was conducted by measuring functional diversity indices. The relationship between biodiversity indices (species diversity and functional diversity) and altitude was investigated under two different grazing management types (enclosed and grazed). The relationship between altitude and biodiversity indices was examined using correlation and linear regression. Statistical analyses were computed in R Software Investigating the effect of management type on the relationship between diversity indices and elevation revealed that management type significantly influences the relationship between elevation and biodiversity indices. This influence, in some cases, altered the direction of the relationship (from positive to negative) or eliminated the relationship (transforming a significant relationship into a non-significant one). For example, in the enclosed area, a significant positive relationship was observed between elevation and community-weighted mean of specific leaf area (R² = 0.146, P-value = 0.043), whereas in the grazed area, no significant relationship was observed (P-value > 0.05). Overall, research findings indicate that livestock grazing causes significant changes in the structure and function of plant communities. Specifically, in the present study, the presence of livestock grazing has led to the disappearance of the relationship between biodiversity and elevation.