A new model for evaluation of Iran’s ecological capabilities to establish service and civil development application (case study: district 22 of Tehran

Subject Areas : environmental management

Seyed Ali Jozi ¹ , Sahar Rezaian ²

1 - Faculty of Environment, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University
2 - Sahrood Branch, Islamic Azad University

Received: 2006-10-22 Accepted : 2006-12-25 Published : 2009-12-22

Keywords: Geographical information syste, Ecological capacity evaluation, service and civil usage, phase theory, Delphi method, linear mathematical model,

Abstract :

Abstract Ecological capability evaluation is to realize the potentialities of a land in the form of expected and achievable applications. This study is aimed to design a new model for service and civil development application to be employed in the evaluation of the country’s ecological capability studies. To this end, first the frequency of sustainable and unsustainable ecological factors inIranwas identified. Then, theDelphimethod which is a branch of phase theory methods was used. Prioritization of effective ecological factors and assessment of the frequency value of each factor were made by completing 750 questionnaires for desired branches (Delphigroup). The gathered data were analyzed using SPSS software version 11.0. After being designed, the model was introduced to the geographical information system using Arc info program. The model’s sensitivity analysis test was done with the purpose of determining the extent to which favorable responses are affected by certain changes in the target function through Simplex method using lingo software. This model is used in the evaluation of ecological capability at the time of analyzing the ecological resources of the field under examination and after preparing the map of environmental units. In fact, environmental units map is considered as the fundamental map in ecological capability evaluation studies. To asses the capabilities of the new method, ecological capability of District 22 in the city ofTehranwas evaluated as a case study and the service and civil development application map was prepared using Arc view GIS 3.2a program. The results of the study show that the points given to environmental units vary from zero to sixty-five. Such restricting factors as the existence of some environmental units along the river bank, fold passages, and hilly areas prevent these units from being allocated to service and civil development applicati