جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "تنوع زیستی" در نشریات گروه "جغرافیا"

Climate change, widely acknowledged as one of the most pressing global threats in recent decades, has significantly impacted biodiversity and natural ecosystems across the planet. The use of appropriate predictive tools can greatly aid conservation managers in their efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity. In this study, we investigated the effects of climate change on the spread and distribution of Luciobarbus barbulus (Heckel, 1847), a freshwater fish species, by employing an ensemble modeling approach using the Biomod2 package. We utilized six distinct algorithms to analyze current conditions and two future scenarios for the years 2070 and 2090, specifically focusing on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) includes SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. To build our predictive model, we incorporated a comprehensive dataset comprising eight variables, including climatic, topographic, and anthropogenic factors. The results indicated that the model's predictive performance was robust, with evaluation metrics—specifically the Area Under the Curve (AUC) and True Skill Statistic (TSS)—showing values ranging from very good to excellent (AUC ≥ 0.87). Our analysis revealed that the most significant factors influencing the distribution of Luciobarbus barbulus were Annual Mean Temperature (Bio 1), Annual Precipitation (Bio 12), and Mean Temperature of the Warmest Quarter (Bio 10). Alarmingly, the model forecasts a decrease in the species distribution range under both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios for the years 2070 and 2090. In conclusion, it is imperative for managers and decision-makers in the field of biodiversity conservation to recognize and address the impacts of climate change. Identifying and implementing effective measures to protect this valuable species will be essential for ensuring its survival in a rapidly changing environment.

 Valuing goods, functions, and ecosystem services is necessary. Not considering their long-term value has unfavorable consequences for society.

 In this research, the economic valuation of habitat services use the opportunity cost approach, including market-based techniques. An opportunity cost is the cost of passing up one opportunity for another. Data related to annual development incomes (GDP), such as industry, mining, and settlements, were extracted from statistical reports. Using the habitat quality index, we calculated the GDPR. To estimate the economic value of habitat services, habitat quality maps and spatial statistical analyses were used.

 In South Khorasan province, habitat services were worth 544,465.16 billion rials in 2020. LUT Desert has the highest total value within ecological boundaries or subbasins, while Lut Desert (3.32) ranks third among the four subbasins in terms of economic value. In part, this is due to the vast expanse of the Lut Desert and its nonhomogeneous conditions. The value of habitat ecosystem services per hectare in the province was estimated to be around 36 million rials.

 The research findings indicate valuable areas in the northeast with a favourable climate and higher rainfall than the rest of the province. However, the western half of the central region in South Khorasan province has similar conditions but is more arid. Biodiversity protection planners must consider the impact of mining activities in this area.

Innovation: 

Shifting the economic valuation approach towards spatial analysis methods (space-based), which can provide landscape managers with a more powerful tool for making informed and wise decisions. The quantitative and spatial findings from this research are crucial for evaluating environmental impacts, creating development plans, and estimating damages during decision-making processes.

Ecological connectivity function is one of the most important types of biological connections ‎among natural ecosystems due to providing ecological connections. Habitat fragmentation and ‎the subsequent decline of landscape ecological connectivity is one of the main reasons for the ‎devastation of biodiversity. Accordingly, in the present study, using the landscape ecology ‎approach, the function and landscape ecological connectivity was evaluated in the mangrove ‎forests of Khamir-Qeshm. In this way, by identifying the ecological functions and prioritizing ‎the barrier effect, the state of ecological continuity was discussed in this area from 1989-2021. ‎The results demonstrated that the most dispersion of ecological functions can be seen in the ‎bare land‎ and the most barrier effect in the tidal area‎. According to the ecological functions and ‎the existing barriers, most of the mangrove forests of Khamir-Qeshm are under the influence of ‎ecological barriers, the reasons for which can be mentioned to the development of human ‎activities, the reduction of forest lands, and the advancement of water body and tidal area in the ‎region. The results indicate a decreasing trend in the function and ecological continuity of the ‎area, and on the contrary, an increasing trend in the barriers effect. Ecological ‎functions and continuity have a direct relationship with the density of mangrove forests, ‎meaning that with the reduction of forest habitats under the influence of environmental and ‎human hazards, the level of ecological function and continuity has also decreased. According to ‎the results, the assessment of ecological function and continuity can provide the possibility of ‎analyzing the principles of development activities to increase human well-being by maintaining ‎habitat continuity and increasing the stability of ecosystems. The results of this study, as a ‎management solution, can help to protect and plan properly in line with human activities ‎development, followed by environmental risks and consequences.

Biodiversity within ecosystems is intricately linked to a various factor, with soil physicochemical characteristics standing out as pivotal contributors. The soil, particularly in forests, functions as a dynamic habitat supporting a diverse array of organisms, including land snails, which play a significant role in forest ecosystems. This study focuses on unraveling the intricate correlation between the presence of land snails and six key soil parameters: pH, total calcium (Ca), total magnesium (Mg), exchangeable calcium (Ca++), exchangeable magnesium (Mg++), and soil Saturation Moisture percent. These factors are investigated as crucial elements influencing the distribution patterns of land snails.

The research was conducted in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran, specifically targeting three distinct forest regions situated in Kordkoy, Amol, and Tonekabon. These areas were designated as sampling sites during field surveys. To ensure a comprehensive and representative approach, sampling was conducted at three distinct locations within each forest, resulting in a total of 27 sample plots, each measuring 3 m × 3 m for detailed ecological assessment. The identification of snails and the evaluation of biodiversity were enhanced by employing DNA barcoding techniques. Snail abundance and species diversity were measured at each forest site, offering valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of these ecosystems. This quantification process provided a comprehensive understanding of the population density of snails and the variety of species present in each forest location. The analysis of soil factors involved laboratory methods, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was utilized to simplify the multidimensional data. It identified important variables for subsequent Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), a sophisticated statistical technique. This comprehensive approach played a pivotal role in unraveling intricate relationships between soil physicochemical factors and the presence of snails. The analysis not only clarified the correlations between environmental variables and species distribution within the forests but also offered profound insights into the nuanced interplay shaping the ecological dynamics of these ecosystems.

A total of 679 snails were collected from the sampling stations, and phylogenetic tree analysis along with species delimitation revealed 37 sequences belonging to 10 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). ANOVA results indicated significant variations in snail abundance among the forests. Following PCA, key factors for CCA were identified, and CCA, utilizing total calcium, total magnesium, and soil saturation moisture percentage as factors, demonstrated a positive correlation with most OTUs and snail abundance. These factors are vital in shaping the distribution and biodiversity of land snails. Land snails need Ca and Mg to restore the shell. Also, areas with moist soil are more favorable habitats for Snails provide.

In conclusion, this research establishes a foundational understanding of the intricate relationship between soil properties and snail communities in sections of the Hyrcanian forests. The insights gained from such studies contribute fundamental information essential for developing a native biodiversity index based on land snails. This index, in turn, holds promise for informing the formulation of effective management strategies aimed at conserving the diverse fauna of land snails within these ecologically vital forest ecosystems.

Since climate change is one of the most important and biggest threats to nature and biodiversity, it makes it difficult to manage and protect species. Predicting and determining its effects will considerably help to provide appropriate protection solutions as well as management plans. In the present study, the impacts of climate change on the distribution of Mesopotamichthys sharpeyi species were forecasted by using the MaxEnt model in the R software environment. The environmental variables included slope, temperature annual range, flow accumulation, annual precipitation, annual mean temperature, and upstream drainage area. According to the results, the performance of the model in predicting the species was excellent (0.989) based on the AUC (Area Under the Curve) criterion. Moreover, the annual mean temperature and slope have been the most important environmental variables in determining the distribution of this species, respectively. In addition, the distribution range of this species will decrease in both the optimistic (RCP 2.6) and pessimistic (RCP 8.5) scenarios of 2050 and 2080. In conclusion, in order to protect this species, it is necessary for decision-makers to identify and implement appropriate actions in order to adapt the effects of climate change and reduce the related threats.

The increasing population, the expansion of industrial and urban wastewater, and the lack of proper treatment have significantly contributed to the existance heavy metals in the soil ecosystem. Preventing the impacts of heavy metals on the quality and health of the soil ecosystem requires selecting appropriate bioindicators. Thus, this study aims to investigate the impacts of heavy metals and the effective environmental parameters of the soil on Collembola, at genus level. For this purpose, in two stages, soil samples were taken from the stations around Charmshahr industrial wastewater treatment plant and Khin Arab and Parkandabad municipal wastewater treatment plants in Mashhad, Iran. Twenty-eight soil samples, each obtained by mixing four sub-samples, were collected from 14 stations. Statistical analysis was performed using R software. In the studied area, a total of 15 genera of Collembola were identified. All these genera were reported for the first time from Mashhad. The results of comparing the concentration of chemical parameters and the genera richness in Collembola showed that there is a significant correlation between them. The results show that the number of genera has a negative correlation with two metals, iron and chromium, and among the measured elements in soil, only total carbon has a positive correlation with the number of genera (p<0.05). The results of the canonical correspondence analysis showed that the response of the abundance of each Collembola genera to the concentrations of heavy metals and the environmental parameters is different. Thus, even if Collembola is advising as a proper bioindicator, we should mention that the response of the biodiversity to the abiotic parameters in soil is various, which must be deliberated in the ecosystem management.

Biodiversity faces various challenges which make its management difficult. This research aimed to investigate the challenges of biodiversity management in the Sorkhabad Protected Area of the Zanjan Province. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach through the grounded theory methodology. A sample of participants consisting of 15 experts from the Environmental Protection Administration and the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Administration in the Zanjan Province were selected through a theoretical and snowball sampling and the data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Using the Nvivo10 software, the data on biodiversity management challenges were analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, which led to exploring 92 concepts, 38 initial categories, 22 principal categories, and 9 core categories. Then, the relationship among the core categories was identified. It was identified that biodiversity loss is interconnected with other natural hazards and environmental crises. Moreover, the threat and loss of biodiversity and other natural resources are directly and indirectly influenced by various factors consisting of weak national strategies and policies on biodiversity management; the weakness of allocating human, financial and physical resources of organizations responsible for biodiversity protection; poor knowledge, attitude and value system of rural communities about biodiversity management; unsustainable agriculture and natural resources use by rural communities; unsustainable use and intervention of people outside rural communities; unsustainable actions of external organizations; and lack of integrated and participatory management in biodiversity management.

Decades of environmental conservation experience have shown that Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of human society is an essential part of conservation. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to investigate the KAP of Mashhad citizens towards biodiversity and related factors. This research was conducted with a mixed quantitative and qualitative method. The statistical population of the study, using Cochran's formula, 384 samples of people over 15 years old living in different areas of Mashhad, was determined based on clustering. The data collection tool was a localized EU questionnaire whose validity and reliability were 0.73 for 5 items of variable attitude, 0.77 for 7 items of variable and 0.71 of 5 items of variable behaviour. Descriptive statistics and results from Exell2016 and SPSS16.0 software as well as distribution and frequency tables and related graphs were applied to describe the data. SPSS16.0, t-test, test hypotheses from t-test, variance analysis and Spearman correlation test were applied to analyse the data and hypothesis test. The results showed that less than a third of people had heard of the biodiversity term. University education contributes to the improvement of the term biodiversity. There is also a significant relationship among the variables of gender, income and education's type of citizens' attitudes toward biodiversity. In addition, there is a positive and significant correlation between environmental knowledge and attitude. In fact, with the increase in the level of knowledge, the attitude of citizens towards biodiversity has been raised to a higher level. As a result, their behaviours are directed towards the protection of the environment. There is also a significant difference between the KAP of citizens living in different areas. Finally, by analysing the biodiversity profile in the KAP of Mashhad citizens and referring to the Delphi panel, a conceptual model of the research was presented.

Our goal is to identify the biological suitability in Geno desert area that is the most important protected area in Hormozgan, according to land evaluation by FAO models and ecological and sub structural factors. In this research we use different maps of slopes, dams, temperature, vegetation, soil, water resources and natural attractions (vegetation plants, kinds of wild life and wild life density) and sub structural factors (roads and distances of cities and facilities). Livestock grazing models enter the models of wildlife suitability, and then tourism suitability is determined. We use endemic plant suitability models for vulnerable, low-risk and rare vegetation landscape. The final results of tourism suitability in Geno show that 35.4% of the land has high limitations (S3) and 64.6 % is not suitable (N). There is no area with S1 and S2. Water resources, topography (dam, slope) are the limitation factors and temperature, natural attractions, wild life and native plant diversity are vulnerable and in danger. Proximity to citis and service facilities are the exasperting factors.

Biodiversity is one of the most important indicators of ecosystem diversity and dynamism. Birds, as a clinker indicator of ecosystem biodiversity, are considered as the habitat suitability and other necessary living conditions for any species. Therefore, the study of birds, especially migratory birds, is of particular importance as a clinker indicator. Due to the need for studies in this field, the present study was conducted to investigate the desirability of the habitat and identify the most important environmental variables affecting the distribution of the Anser anser species as a migratory and index species in Iran. Using 23 environmental variables and the nine models in the BIOMOD software package under R software, the Anser anser species is distributed in three types of habitats including winter-passing, summer-passing and breeding and stopeover modeling. The findings from species modeling showed that the models, used in species distribution modeling, have high accuracy in studying species distribution. In general, temperature and precipitation variables are the most important, while the variables such as vegetation and distance to roads are less important in the distribution of Anser anser species in Iran.  According to the results, 15.91% of the surface of Iran was identified as a desirable habitat for Anser anser species, which overlaps with 15.95% of the protected areas. Therefore, the used method in this study identifies the desired habitats of the species correctly. Besides, it can be applied as a suitable method to model the habitat suitability of similar species, which is essential from the perspective of conservation providing comprehensive and practical wildlife management programs.

Bird watching or the scientific study of birds is one of the oldest environmental sciences. The migration of birds, especially aquatic species, has long been of interest to many researchers. Birds, as a clinker indicator of ecosystem biodiversity, are considered as the habitat suitability and other necessary living conditions for any species. Therefore, the study of birds, especially migratory waterfowl, is of particular importance. Due to the need for studies in this field, the present study aims to investigate the desirability of the habitat and identify the most important environmental variables affecting the distribution of Anser anser species as a migratory and index aquatic species in Iran.

In this study, 10 presence spots for the summer-passing and breeding population, 116 presence spots for overwintering population and 25 presence spots for the passing population of Anser anser have been applied in order to model the distribution of Anser anser species in three habitat types including winter-passing, summer-passing and hatchery, as well as stopping places in Iran. These spots were obtained from the bird census reports of the Environmental Protection Agency. Three groups of environmental variables including topography, climate and land use / land cover were used to investigate the factors affecting the distribution of Anser anser species. Finally, 23 environmental variables were called for modeling in the biomod software package.

The values ​​of accuracy evaluation indices reveal that models such as FDA and RF have high accuracy in the modeling process out of the nine models implemented in modeling Anser anser stopover. Moreover, variables such as seasonal rainfall, distance to rural areas and the amount of rainfall in the least rainy season play an important role in the selection of stopover by the Anser anser. According to the results of the overlap analysis of the total area of ​​Iran, only 20.99% is known as desirable habitats of this species, which includes 18.69% of the total desirable habitats in protected areas.
Based on from modeling the habitat of summer Anser anser, all the models used in this study have high accuracy in studying the species distribution. On the other hand, the distribution of this species in Iran depends on factors such as distance to wetlands, distance to forest and distance to streams. According to the findings, 3.22% of the total area of ​​Iran is known as a suitable habitat summer Anser anser and overlaps with the presence of species, which is 4.09% of the total summer habitats. Optimal laying and hatching of this species is covered by protected areas.
The results of modeling the Anser anser species in the surface of wintering habitats indicate that all models have high accuracy. The distribution of this species in the surface of wintering habitats is affected by factors such as rainfall, distance to the city and the warmest rainfall of the year. Optimal habitats of this species cover 23.52% of Iran, which is 25.09% of the total desirable habitats of the studied species overlap with protected areas.
Examining the distribution of species at the level of ecological nests and understanding the relationship between environmental variables and the distribution of species using a biomod software package show how species respond to environmental changes at the present time. The findings from evaluating the algorithms used in modeling the habitat types of the Anser anser species reveal that the biomod software package has a high ability to predict the optimal habitats of this species. Thus, it has identified desirable species habitats at the present time, habitats that can be used in the future and have favorable conditions for species introduction, as well as habitats that had ideal conditions in the past. In this regard, the species of Anser anser Choose to spend winters in areas such as Urmia Lake, Fars province, Sistan and Baluchestan, Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and the southern parts of the Caspian Sea and in some eastern and northern areas of the country that have ideal biological conditions. According to the frindings from modeling, the Anser anser is mainly present in summers in Azerbaijan province, especially Urmia Lake and the surrounding wetlands. These areas are more preferred than other parts of the country due to favorable weather conditions, adequate security and availability of food resources. Locations of Anser anser in the country include areas such as the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, parts of the west and northwest, as well as northeastern areas. Proper identification of stops and providing applications to protect these areas is important due to the functional role of stopping places in meeting the needs of migratory species. In general, in the present study, it is found that 15.95% of the total habitats of the Anser anser species are located in protected areas. This indicates the existence of a large part of the desirable habitats of this species outside the protected areas. Therefore, the results of the present study show the need to reconsider the demarcation of protected areas in the future more than in the past in Iran.

The current study aims to investigate the distribution of Anser anser species and the effect of environmental variables on the distribution of this species in Iran using a biomod software package.  Based on the results, the method used in this study correctly identifies the desired habitats of the species and can be used as a suitable method to model the habitat suitability of similar species and also to study the biodiversity of habitats. This is essential from the point of view of conservation and the presentation of comprehensive and practical wildlife management programs.

In recent years, forest control and management in accordance with biodiversity and economic and social issues and its relationship with sustainable development has received a lot of attention. The present study aims to evaluate and compare the resource stability of two forest reserves in the valley of Somaqh   and Baneh Aznavaleh Malayer in Hamadan province. In this study, a combined method, including multi-criteria AHP evaluation method and sustainability indicators the guidelines of the 505th issue of the Forests and Rangelands Organization have been used to determine and prioritize indicators of sustainable forest management at the local level. Biodiversity, with the lowest score in both reserves including legal measures and organizational structure, economic and social functions, forest production functions, forest resources, conservation functions with the lowest score have the greatest impact on the instability of two forest reserves respectively. Somaqh Valley forest reserve with a final weight of 0.571 compared to Baneh Aznavleh forest reserve with a final weight of 0.428 has more relative stability which is due to better biodiversity and species richness. So that the Somaqh Valley Reserve with a score of 51 has moderate stability and Aznavaleh, 31 points, is in a state of instability. Biodiversity, health and well-being, conservation functions, economic and social functions of Somaqh forest reserve has better sustainability which is due to the greater differences and advantages of indicators of forest resources. Indicators show the importance of local participation in the sustainable management of both reserves. So that the lack of social acceptance is one of the most important reasons for the failure of forest rehabilitation plans and programs. The combination of AHP model technique and forest sustainability assessment indicators can be an appropriate tool for sustainable forest management.   

The concept of sustainable forest management has three basic elements including economic, social and ecological sustainability, which has received much attention regarding biodiversity and economic and social issues and its relationship with sustainable development in recent years. Some criteria have been proposed to assess forest sustainability in which biodiversity is considered as one of the important criteria. Nowadays, the recognition of indicators is recognized as a tool to assess forest sustainability by planners and decision makers. Recent studies show that existing benchmarks and indicators are applicable nationally and internationally which can rarely be applied locally. In fact, these national indicators and criteria must be adjusted to make the right decision at the local level to be usable. Therefore, distances and uncertainties should be evaluated in order to determine local criteria and indicators, so that they can be used in relation to forest sustainability assessment at the local scale. These criteria and indicators should include all stakeholders with different economic and social demands and needs and be effective, useful and efficient in sustainable forest management decisions.  The present study aims to evaluate and compare the resource sustainability of two forest reserves Somaqh vally and Baneh Aznavaleh Malayer in Hamadan using a combined method to determine and prioritize sustainable forest management indicators at the local level using AHP multi-criteria evaluation method and indicators. Sustainability is the guideline of the 505th publication of the Forests and Rangelands Organization of the country.  

In this study, a combined approach including AHP hierarchical analysis process method and guidelines of 505 Journal of Rangeland Forests Organization has been used to determine and prioritize criteria and indicators of sustainability at the local level forest reserves of Baneh Aznavaleh and Somaqh vally of Malayer in Hamadan. At first, the viewpoints of the two main groups, including local stakeholders and the second group of academics and research centers were applied to determine local criteria and indicators. Since the views of local stakeholders do not express all the challenges of sustainable management of the two repositories, we have used the second group to complete the process of determining and prioritizing the criteria. Then, the weight and absolute weight are calculated based on AHP method. In the next step, the forest stability score is calculated and compared with the absolute weight according to the instructions of the 505th publication of the Forests and Rangelands Organization. The stability of the two reserves has been evaluated.    

The evaluation of the criteria showed that the prioritization of the criteria based on weight, from the highest to the lowest, includes biodiversity, socio-economic issues, production roles, health and survival, legal frameworks, erosion, quality and extent, respectively. The role and impact of biodiversity with the highest weight is the most important indicator in the sustainability of both reserves. In general, the study of relative weights for each reserve, total relative weights, final weight of each reserves in terms of sustainability showed the Somaqh forest reserve are more preferred than Aznavaleh reserve in terms of biodiversity, socio-economic criteria, legal frameworks, policies Organizational, production roles and quality .The results show that the Somaqh Valley deposit with a final weight of 0.71479764 is in a better condition in terms of stability than the Baneh Aznavaleh reserves with a final weight of 0.480654343. The results of total relative weights show that after biodiversity, economic and social functions, forest production functions, forest resources range, and conservation functions have the greatest impact on the instability of both forest reserves, respectively.  

Studies show that the final score of stability of Somaqh forest is 51 and Baneh Aznavaleh forest is 31, which based on the qualitative determination of sustainability indicates the existence of instability in Aznavaleh reserve and moderate stability in Somaqh valley. Surveys show that the importance of biodiversity is very important in forest sustainability leading to instability due to low scores in both reserves. Field observations show that biodiversity, health and vitality, extent and production functions and conservation are the most important indicators that are relatively better in the Somaqh forest. However, studies show that the forests of the region are not able to produce industrial wood due to special ecological conditions. Their main function is a supportive and protective role. These indicators show the importance of local people in the sustainable management of both reserves. The lack of social acceptance is one of the most important reasons for the failure of plans and programs for sustainable forest restoration and development.

The purpose of this study is to assess the habitat status and species diversity in the Parvar protected area. This research is of a fundamental type that has specifically studied birds. The required data were obtained through extensive library studies and field visits and the use of census results. The results indicate that the study area has valuable habitat and species diversity. The average habitat evaluation score was 3.89, which indicates a relatively high score. Also; Ecosystem services and products are mostly direct. On the other hand, it has 161 species of birds from 13 orders. Among them, 19 species are migratory hatcheries, 49 species are transient migratory species and 10 species are wintering migratory species. 12% of the total species identified in the region are birds of prey, which is very significant and appropriate. Three species of birds are in a state of conservation and eight species are in a state of extinction. Also; eight species are also in "endangered" status. The main distribution of birds is in the central and northern part of the region. The development of ecotourism and especially bird watching is suggested as one of the basic solutions. In general, the region needs protection measures and the development and implementation of a management plan based on the requirements of environmental law.

Food security is a situation where all people have access to adequate, healthy and nutritious physical and economic food all day long. Today, the agricultural sector is heavily dependent on chemicals to meet the growing needs of the world's growing population and to provide adequate food. But this increase in production has always been met with many environmental problems, such as pollution of water and soil resources, pests and new plant diseases, malnutrition and disease due to declining food quality. The concept of biodiversity is also considered as a desirable goal in this regard and indicates the preservation or improvement of existing plant and animal diversity. In addition to food production, biodiversity has positive effects such as food circulation, pest control, disease and weeds. Agricultural biodiversity also plays a role in controlling land erosion and increasing the efficiency of the use of inputs. Variety of high species through differences in food cycle has increased soil fertility, which can eventually lead to higher yields of crops. In this regard, this article, which is intended to review the books and resources prepared by reviewing the books, examines the concepts of biodiversity, its role and necessity in food safety and health and also Provide the necessary solutions.

This study aims to identify the importance of biodiversity in the development of ecotourism in Khar Turan National Park or Touran Wildlife Refuge in Iran.

This is an analytical survey. First, the map of the most vital habitats in the study area was prepared through locating the land points in GPS using GIS, The study used Landsat 7 (ETM+) data (updated in 2010). For this purpose, Arc GIS software, Version9.2 was used. A modified questionnaire was used to record users’ opinions and the importance of natural attractions in terms of biodiversity. The sampling method is a cluster random technique with 764 samples. Exploratory factor analysis is used to analyze the data.

The southern and eastern parts of the study area are desert (with 57%). Rangelands and plains, mainly in middle parts, cover 40% of the region. Moreover, there are 3 mountains (3%) in the northern part. There are 16 protected species in the list of biodiversity of this region. From the touristschr('39') point of view, the most important attractions related to wildlife are hunting, sport, recreation, education, and research and economic benefits, respectively, gun hunting has the biggest weight (with 0.75) followed by equestrian-related attractions (with 0.63), and animal-watching attractions (with 0.59), while economic benefits and drawing attractions carried very little weight, with 0.14 and 0.18, respectively

The study area has great potential for ecotourism. However, due to the high tendency of tourists to commit environmental violations and the low awareness of them and the local community about the consequences of environmental crimes, it is needed to apply management principles including education, planning, and making environmental laws.

Humans have affected 83 percent of the land surface till now (Sanderson et al., 2002). Habitat fragmentation is the process of subdividing a contiguous habitat into smaller pieces (Kolbert, 2014). There is a major concern that land use change and habitat fragmentation have direct and indirect effects on biodiversity, which can lead to the extinction of many species (McInerny et al., 2007). To all intents, the major cause of species extinction is habitat loss (Keenleyside et al., 2012). Although roads are a major cause of habitat fragmentation (the process during which a large expanse of habitat is transformed into a number of smaller isolated patches) and usually negatively affect many mammal populations, different mammal species can be highly variable in their tolerance to the fragmentation and other human developments (Schuster et al., 2013). Landscape fragmentation seriously affects the survival of meta-populations. Patch size can affect the resilience of ecosystems and population structure. In larger patches, the populations are more stable and population viability could increase under the conditions. Rodents are mammals belong to the order Rodentia. About 40% of all mammal species are in this order and they play a considerable role in ecosystems (Amori & Gippoliti, 2000), but they are rarely taking into account by the legislation and only very few small mammal species are currently protected according to national and international laws (Bertolino et al., 2015).

This research is a filed study which focuses on the habitat fragmentation caused by civilization development. In order to study the impact of habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of common voles (Microtus arvalies), three small habitat patches (0/3 – 2 ha) that are surrounded by roads and highways were selected. These patches with the grassland cover type are located in Louvain-la-Neuve city in Belgium. This city is an almost newly born town (created in 1969) that is situated in the French-speaking part of Belgium, in the Wallon Brabant province. In this study, the common voles’ colonies of each patch were considered as a single meta-population.
The study used Capture-Mark-Recapture which is one of the most widely used techniques for demographic studies. This technique mostly can be used to assess population status (such as abundance fluctuations) or to investigate population dynamics. To capture the common voles, 65 ugglan small mammal live capture traps that have high efficiency were used. This study was conducted in a period of 1/5 year (during four seasons). Trapping was done in 13 sessions. During each session, traps were opened over 2 nights and were closed during the day. In order to differentiate between the captured animals, each animal was tagged by two 11.2 mm “Michele clips” (ear tags). Captured animals were released back to their habitats after some information such as tag number, sex, age class, body mass and reproductive status were noted. Population dynamics and population structure were analyzed using CMR specialized package and Microsoft office 2007, respectively.

A total of 283 specimens were captured and tagged; 176 specimens were new and they were being caught for the first time. In general, all the studied patches showed the highest population size in June and July. Persistence curves of successive cohorts (have been caught during the same session) in studied plots revealed abundance fluctuations in each plot and the differences in population survival between the studied plots. Plot B was considerably different from the two others. The common voles in this plot showed an instability or low persistence and strong downward trends of population size.
In plot C, with larger size in comparison to other patches, more stability in the population structure and abundance were observed. This study showed how habitat fragmentation has negatively affected meta-populations of common voles and showed that the risk of local extinction is high in the studied meta-populations.
The results clearly indicated that patch size and habitats isolations have an important role in animal population survival and its structural stability. Moreover, this study demonstrated that the remained small isolated meta-populations of common voles after huge landscape fragmentation and civilization of Louvain-la-Neuve city, generally failed to find adaptive mechanisms to their new man-made conditions.

The study proposes considerable differences among studied meta-populations in the survival and sex ration resilience. The results demonstrated that the meta-population of patch B was not able to recover itself. Consequently, common voles in this patch are facing a local extinction. The preventive efforts for maintaining the integrity of the ecosystems can have an effective protection against environmental disturbances. Development and construction projects must be done with full attention to landscape structure and regional biodiversity. Nevertheless, re-establishment of populations would be very costly, time-consuming and mostly impossible for the government and biodiversity conservationists.

Application of remote sensing data in identification of important areas in terms of biodiversity, prediction of the mechanism of the distribution of species and modeling the responses of biosphere communities to natural and human changes is one of the important issues in research. Environmental parameters with certain bio-physical characteristics can indicate the mechanism of distribution and frequency of species at the surface of the land and explain how the habitat is occupied by species. New data from remote sensing technology have made it possible to combine them with ecological models to answer many questions about biodiversity. Recent advances in spatial and spectral resolution of sensors have made studying various aspects of biodiversity, such as identifying communities of species, estimating species richness, identifying climatic variables, and studying the habitat structure possible. In cases where direct recognition of a living creature is not possible, by using the indirect remote sensing approach, we can derive meaningful information from the bio-physical properties. This paper reviews the application of remote sensing in biodiversity and conservation studies, which involves the use of direct and indirect remote sensing in identifying species and communities, estimating species richness, identifying climatic variables and studying the habitat structure. Today, it is necessary to form increasing collaboration between remote sensing researchers and researchers in the field of biodiversity and conservation, so that steps can be taken towards better conservation goals.