Developing management strategies using a new method for vulnerability assessment of wetland ecosystems (Case study: Choghakhor wetland)

Subject Areas : environmental management

fateme  jahani shakib ¹ (PhD of Environmental Evaluation and Land Use Planning, University of Birjand, Iran. *(Corresponding Author))
Bahram  Malekmohamadi ² (Assistant Professor, Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Iran.)
Elham  Yusefi ³ (Assistant Professor, faculty of environment, University of Birjand, Iran.)
Mehdi  Alipour ⁴ (MSc of Environmental Planning and Management, University of Tehran, Iran.)

Received: 2014-07-10 Accepted : 2015-08-16 Published : 2017-08-23

Keywords: DPSIR model, Threats, values, Vulnerability Assessment, Choghakhor Wetland,

Abstract :

Background and Objective: In order to understand the condition of ecosystems it is essential to asses the threats and disturbances affecting the ecosystems and to develope suitable strategies for environmental management, monitoring and assessment. Especially, sustainable management of wetlands, in terms of their terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems composition and characteristics, requires scientific and multidisciplinary approaches. Due to the impacts of these threats, characteristics of ecosystems have become vulnerable. Method: This study has been done to provide a new method for vulnerability assessment of Choghakhorwetland at fine scale in order to develop management strategies. At first, by using the Driver, Pressure, State, Impact and response (DPSIR) model the threatening factors and values including ecological, hydrological, economic and social factors were investigated. Then the threats, values and links between threats and values were assessed. Vulnerability assessment is done through combination of their scores. Conclusion: Results of this research indicated that main threats impact on ecological values included loss of birds and wildlife habitat. Increase of the height of constructed dam and drought have undesirable and severe impact on water supply for Gandoman wetland located in downstream lands. Finally, the strategies were presented as response to each factor of the analytical DPSIR model.

References:

1-      Loiselle S, Rossi C, Sabio G, Canziani G (2001). "The use of systems analysis methods in the sustainable management of wetlands", Hydrobiologia, 458:191–200

2-      Maltby, E., (1992). "Towards practical policies of wetland conservation and wise use", Proceedings of the Wetland Forum, Hokkaido, Japan, 205–217.

3-      Ramsar convention on wetland, 2013. www.ramsar.org

4-      Zhou, D., Gong, H., Wang, Y., Khan, S., & Zhao, K. (2009). "Driving forces for the marsh wetland degradation in the Honghe National Nature Reserve in Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China". Environmental modeling & assessment, 14(1), 101-111.

5-      Mitsch, W. J., & Gosselink, J. M. (1986).Wetlands. New York: Van Nostrand.

6-      MEA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment), (2005). "Ecosystems and human well-being", Washington, DC: Island Press.

7-      Barbier E B. (2011). "Wetlands as natural assets", Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56(8): 1360-1373.

8-      Acreman M C, Fisher  J, Stratfo rd C  J, Mould D  J, Mountfo rd  J  O.  (2007). "Hydrological science and wetland restoration: some case studies from Europe", Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11(1) 158-169.

9-      Adger WN. (2006). "Vulnerability", Glob Environ Change; 16: 268-81.

10-  Williams LRR, Kapustka LA. (2000). "Ecosystem vulnerability: a complex interface with technical components", Environ Toxicol Chem; 19:1055-8.

11-  De Lange, H. J., Sala, S., Vighi, M., & Faber, J. H. (2010). "Ecological vulnerability in risk assessment- a review and perspectives", Science of the Total Environment, 408(18), 3871-3879.

12-  Gitay, H., Finlayson, C.M. & Davidson, N.C. (2011). "A Framework for assessing the vulnerability of wetlands to climate change". Ramsar Technical Report No. 5/CBD Technical Series No. 57.

13-  Stratford, C.J., Acreman, M.C. and Rees, H.G., (2011). "A simple method for assessing the vulnerability of wetland ecosystem services", Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56 (8), 1485-1500.

14-  Johnson W C, Millett B, Gilmanov T, Voldseth R,  Guntenspergen G, Naugle D. (2005). "Vulnerability of Northern Prairie wetlands to climate change, Bioscience, 55(10): 863-872.

15-  Boughton DA, Smith ER, O'Neill RV. (1999). "Regional vulnerability: a conceptual framework", Ecosystem. Health; 5:312–22.

16-  Detenbeck, N. E., Batterman, S. L., Brady, V. J., Brazner, J. C., Snarski, V. M., Taylor, D. L., ... & Arthur, J. W. (2000). "A test of watershed classification systems for ecological risk assessment", Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 19(4), 1174-1181.

17-  Golden NH, Rattner BA. (2003). "Ranking terrestrial vertebrate species for utility in bio monitoring and vulnerability to environmental contaminants", Rev Environ Contam Toxicol; 176: 67-136.

18-  Penghua Q, Songjun X, Genzong X, Benan T, Hua B, Longshi Y. (2007). "Analysis of the ecological vulnerability of the western Hainan Island based on its landscape pattern and ecosystem sensitivity", Acta Ecol Sin; 27:1257–64.

19-  De Chazal J, Quétier F, Lavorel S, Van Doorn A. (2008). "Including multiple differing stakeholder values into vulnerability assessments of socio-ecological systems", Glob Environ Change, 18: 508–20.

20-  Malekmohammadi, B., & Rahimi Blouchi, L. (2014). Ecological risk assessment of wetland ecosystems using Multi Criteria Decision Making and Geographic Information System. Ecological indicators, 41, 133-144.

21- رحیمی بلوچی. لیلا و ملک­محمدی. بهرام، 1392، ارزیابی آسیب­پذیری اکوسیستم­های تالابی بر اساس ارزش­های بوم­شناختی و هیدرولوژیکی آن­ها، مطالعات محیطی، دوره یازدهم، شماره 2، صص 66-55.

22- فریادی. شهرزاد، سپهر. حسین و رمضانی. مجید، 1392، تعیین آسیب­پذیری بوم­شناختی با ترکیب روش­های ماتریس آثار متقابل، فرآیند تحلیل سلسله مراتبی و فرآیند تحلیل توسعه­ای، محیط­شناسی، دوره 39، شماره 4، صص 54-45.

23- رفیعی. یوسف، ملک­محمدی. بهرام، آبکار. علی، یاوری. احمدرضا، رمضانی مهریان. مجید و ظهرابی. حمید، 1390، بررسی تغییرات زیست محیطی تالاب­ها و مناطق حفاظت شده با استفاده از تصاویر چندزمانه سنجنده TM (مطالعه موردی: تالاب نیریز)، محیط شناسی، شماره 57، صص 65-76.

24- زبردست. لعبت و جعفری. حمیدرضا، 1390، ارزیابی روند تغییرات تالاب انزلی با استفاده از سنجش از دور و ارایه راه­حل مدیریتی، محیط شناسی، شماره 57، صص57-64.

25-  بهروزی راد. ب، 1387، تالاب­های ایران، انتشارات سازمان جغرافیایی نیروهای مسلح، تهران.

26- مهندسین مشاور مهاب قدس، 1386، گزارشات ارزیابی اثرات محیط زیستی انتقال آب سبزکوه و افزایش ارتفاع سد، کارفرما: شرکت آب منطقه­ای استان چهارمحال و بختیاری، وزارت نیرو.

27- جهانی شکیب. فاطمه، ملک­محمدی. بهرام، یاوری. احمدرضا، شریفی. یونس و عادلی. فاطمه، 1393، ارزیابی روند تغییرات کاربری زمین و تغییر اقلیم در سیمای سرزمین تالاب چغاخور با تأکید بر اثرات محیط زیستی، محیط شناسی، دوره 40، شماره 3.

28-  Roggeri, H., (2009). "Wetland evaluation in developing countries". In: E. Maltby and T. Barker, eds., the wetland handbook. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

29-  OECD, (2006). "Applying strategic environmental assessment". Good practice guidance for development cooperation, Paris: OECD.