@article{ author = {Yaghmaei, L. and Jafari, R. and Soltani, S. and Hadian, F.}, title = {Monitoring Rangeland and Forest Vegetation Decline Regions in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Using Satellite Imagery}, abstract ={Natural ecosystems are highly affected by anthropogenic activities and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to detect land use/cover and vegetation decline in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, using Landsat different satellite imageries. For this purpose, images for 1993, 2009 and 2016 were obtained and the geometric, atmospheric and topographic corrections were applied. Land use/cover maps and vegetation decline regions were extracted, using maximum likelihood classifier with an overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient of 82% and 0.79 respectively. Results showed that the area of rangelands and forests has decreased from 358355 to 174735 ha and from 357190 to 343970 ha, respectively. Results also indicated that around 33937 ha of forests and rangelands have been declined in the last 23 years. According to the findings, an urgent and appropriate management of declining rangelands and forests is necessary across the study area. In this regard, developing a simple and applied vegetation cover monitoring software, based on satellite images, is recommended.}, Keywords = {Decline of plants, Land use change, Dam construction, Landsat}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {1-15}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.1532}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1035-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1035-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} } @article{ author = {Iranmanesh, Y. and Pourhashemi, M. and Jahanbazi, H. and Talebi, M.}, title = {Comparison of Biomass and Carbon Stock on Above ground, Litter and Soil Between Healthy and declined Stands of Brant\'s Oak in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province}, abstract ={In forest ecosystems, forest production, storage and carbon flow are calculated based on biomass measurements. The aim of this study was to compare the biomass and carbon stock of the above-ground, litter and soil in the oak decline and control plots in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Four one-hectare sample plots were selected in the healthy (control) and declined stands of oak. Then quantitative information of all trees were measured. Allometric equations were used to calculate the above-ground biomass and carbon stock. Ten microplots were established in each sample plot and all litters were collected. Wet and dry weights and carbon content of the litter samples were measured. To measure soil organic carbon, five soil samples were taken in each sample plot. The results showed that above-ground biomass in the control and decline sample plots were 31.4 and 15.8 tons/hectare respectively. Also, the average of the above-ground carbon stock in the control and decline plots were 15.1 and 7.7 tons/hectare, respectively. The mean of litter carbon in the control plots was 1584.1 kg/ha and in the decline plots was 1148.6 kg/ha. The amount of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and soil moisture content showed a significant difference between the control and decline plots. The results of this study indicated significant changes in biomass, carbon stock and soil in declined stands of oak which may cause irreparable damage to the Zagros forest ecosystem, in the long term. This issue highlights the need for the attention of managers and decision makers of natural resources, regarding the provision of management solutions to control this phenomenon.}, Keywords = {Biomass, Carbon, Decline, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {17-31}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.13122}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1043-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1043-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} } @article{ author = {Azizpanah, َََA. and Fathi, R.}, title = {Analysis of Energy Structure and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Walnut Orchards; a Case Study in Ilam Region}, abstract ={The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the pattern of energy consumption and greenhouse gases emission in different sizes of walnut orchards in Ilam region. The average of total energy requirement was estimated to be 65334.82 MJ/ha. Diesel fuel, irrigation water and machinery with 57.4, 12.55 and 10.65 percent, respectively, were the most consumed energy inputs in walnut production. Energy efficiency and productivity weres estimated to be 1.05 and 0.04 kg per MJ, respectively. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions for walnut production was calculated as 2496.5 kg of CO2 per hectare. The three inputs of diesel fuel, animal manure and nitrogen fertilizer with 73.62%, 16.82% and 2.92%, had the highest environmental pollution in walnut production. Positive regression coefficients were obtained from the Cobb-Douglas function for human labor inputs, machinery, diesel fuel, chemical pesticides and the regression coefficients of chemical fertilizer and irrigation inputs were negative. The results of econometric estimation and sensitivity analysis of walnut production inputs showed that by increasing one megajoule per hectare in energy inputs of human labor, machinery, diesel fuel, chemical fertilizer, animal manure, irrigation, chemical pesticides, electricity and pruning, yield increases by 26%, 03%, 001%, 004%, 36%, 2.78% and 0.16 kg/ha respectively.}, Keywords = {Cob Douglas, Greenhouse Gases, Climate Changes, Ilam}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {33-50}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.13351}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1056-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1056-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} } @article{ author = {Mohamadi, A. M. and Mousavi, S. A. and SoltaniKoupaei, S. and Kiani, Gh. H.}, title = {Strategic Analysis of Payments Approach for Ecosystem Services in Order to Balance the Utilization Level in Rangeland Ecosystems}, abstract ={One of the ways to reduce the improper utilization on natural ecosystems is the economic valuation of ecosystem services and payment to the service providers in exchange, to reduce the causes of degradation. This approach is known as“Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). In this research, the strategic factor analysis approach was employed to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) in rangelands of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Using a questionnaire and Delphi method, through a survey of 75 experts, the factors were identified. Weighted factors and priority of each factor were determined through multi-criteria entropy decision making method. Results showed that the most important strength is “reduction of grazing intensity by the implementation of PES” with a score of 0.149, the most important weakness is “the lack of monitoring and inspection of grazing capacity with a score of 0.165, the most important opportunity is “improving non-market services of rangeland ecosystem” with a score of 0.145 and the most important threat is “giving preference to the market functions over non-market functions by policymakers” with the score of 0.174. The payment scheme can be a complementary option to reduce grazing intensity if rangers voluntarily reduce their livestock.}, Keywords = {Economic Valuing, Strategic Factor Analysis, Market Functions, Grazing Intensity, Rangelands of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {51-65}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.13241}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1047-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1047-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} } @article{ author = {Mir, M. and Maleki, S. and Rahdari, V.}, title = {Application of Landscape Ecology in Spatio-Temporal Change Detection of Arid Regions, Case Study: Sistan Plain}, abstract ={Population growth followed by increasing human needs has caused widespread environmental changes in various ecosystems. Change detection is necessary to properly manage the ecosystem and protect the structure and functions of ecosystems. Landscape ecology provides concepts, theories, and methods for assessing and managing lands. In the current study landscape metrics were used to assess spatio-temporal changes in the Sistan Plain. Landscape metrics were created at class and landscape levels. These indices were calculated, using land use/cover maps of 1977, 2000, 2015, and 2021. Results showed that at the class level, the highest number of patches and fragmentation of the vegetation cover was occured in 2000 and the lowest number of vegetation patches was in 1977. With the inflow of water from Helmand and Farahrood rivers in 2015 and 2021, the vegetation cover, comprising a variety of Tamarix sp, Aeluropus sp, and Phragmites sp, has increased. Due to the inundation of Hamoun and Farah rood rivers, the water and vegetation cover has fewer patches with more connectivity. The highest number of patches in the water body class was in 2015, due to the limited inflow from the Hamoun wetland and the lowest number of water body patches was observed in 1977. This study shows that landscape metrics can determine changes in arid ecosystems. Also, these metrics can quantify the changes in ecosystems and be used in ecosystem management of arid lands.}, Keywords = {Hamoun wetland, Satellite image, Landscape indices, ecosystem, Sistan plain}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {67-81}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.13271}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1050-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1050-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} } @article{ author = {Khosravi, R. and Rahimi, K.}, title = {Assessing Distribution Range and Structural Habitat Connectivity of Four Species of Bovidae in Fars Province}, abstract ={Large herbivores play an important role in species-based and site-based conservation approaches in the country. The success of these approaches depends on reducing genetic threats posed by isolation of species in their key habitats. In the present study, we assessed structural connectivity for wild sheep (Ovis gmelini), wild goat (Capra aegagrus), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), and Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii), using species distribution algorithms and connectivity models. Our findings showed that while the distributions of the studied species were correlated to different variables, conservation areas, landscape roughness and grasslands were the most contributing factors in predicting distribution of the species. Majority of habitat patches were located within the boundaries of existing conservation areas, which could be caused by the high environmental resistance outside of conservation areas. Despite the strong structural connectivity in some species, large proportion of migration corridors outside of conservation areas and high degrees of anthropogenic disturbances in natural habitat may reduce functionality of the predicted corridors. The selection of unprotected habitat patches and high-rate migration corridors as Indigenous and Community Conservation Areas (ICCAs) can improve the efficiency of the existing conservation network. The obtained results revealed that the conservation of medium to large-bodied herbivores requires integrated landscape-level management to improve functional connectivity among habitats.}, Keywords = {Habitat connectivity, key habitat, migration corridors, Bovidae, conservation areas}, volume = {10}, Number = {2}, pages = {83-97}, publisher = {}, doi = {10.47176/ijae.10.2.832}, url = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1064-en.html}, eprint = {http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1064-en.pdf}, journal = {Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology}, issn = {2476-3128}, eissn = {2476-3217}, year = {2021} }