مجله بوم شناسی کاربردی
پیاپی 44 (تابستان 1402)

The reduction of biodiversity and its adverse effects on plant and animal species is one of the consequences of global warming.  The wide spread of non-native species has inherent negative effects on other species and ecosystems and may pose a double and more serious threat to biodiversity in the future due to climate change. Knowing the future distribution of these species can be used for biodiversity conservation. In the current study, the distribution of non-native stone moroko fish was predicted under two optimistic and pessimistic (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) scenarios for the years 2050 and 2080 by the MaxEnt model. The results showed that the performance of the model in predicting species distribution was excellent (0.988) based on the Area Under the Curve (AUC) criterion. In addition, it is predicted that the distribution of the species is likely to increase significantly (more than 100%) in all years and optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. Therefore, managers and decision-makers should consider the significant expansion of this species in the future as well as, its potential effects on biodiversity and take necessary and appropriate management actions.

Increasing development activities have led to a reduction in habitat quality and biodiversity loss. Utilization of industrial and mining capacities and the development of infrastructure are among the most important components of habitat quality decline in Kerman province. In this study, the quality and destruction of habitats in Kerman province were modeled using Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The habitat quality map of the ungulates was valued using the cost compensation method, and the average habitat quality value was used as an independent variable in the regression analysis to predict the economic value of the habitat. The results showed the highest degradation of the habitats in the northwest of the province, where most of the threat factors are present. The northeastern parts of the province have experienced the least degradation. The highest-quality and most valuable areas, which cover 42.8% of the province, have the highest level of habitat degradation. These habitats are mainly cover by dense forests and rangelands. The total habitat value of Kerman was estimated at 2437 billion Tomans. The final habitat valuation map can be used as a decision-making criteria in environmental management for locating development projects, estimating damages, and updating the boundaries of protected areas.

Safe sites are microhabitats that provide the basic requirements for seed dormancy breaking, germination, and seedling establishment. They reduce threats from seed predators, herbivores, pests, and competitors. We identified and assessed living and non-living safe sites in the rocky outcrops and their effects on species diversity at six sites along a rainfall gradient in the north of Iran. Four dominant plant species were considered as living safe sites, but crevices and rocks were attributed as the non-living safe sites. Ten transects of 10 meters long were established at each site, along the rainfall gradient. Plant abundance and canopy cover were measured for all species along the transects. Soil physiochemical properties, moisture and temperature were recorded at the safe sites along the transects and their adjacent open areas. Rainfall had a significant effect on species diversity in non-living and living safe sites. Abundance and evenness increased in all safe sites; diversity indices increased in living safe sites and decreased in non-living safe sites. Soil nitrogen, carbon, potassium, and clay were significantly higher under the nurse shrubs. Results of this research indicate the crucial role of safe sites in maintaining the diversity of plant species under the harsh conditions of stressful environments on the limestone outcrops.

One of the main factors in understanding environmental changes on different spatio-temporal scales is examining the prediction of land use changes. This research aimed to investigate the current and predict future landuseland use changes in the Baranduzchai watershed in West Azerbaijan. The Sentinel-2 images were received for 2016, 2020, and 2022, and pre-processing methods were applied to the images, and all processed images were exported to the eCognition software. Based on the object-oriented algorithms, the nearest neighborhood classification was applied, and by operating the CA-Markov method, the land use changes were simulated for 2028. Finally, the accuracy of the final map was validated. The results indicated that it is possible to produce land use maps with a high accuracy (Kappa coefficient 93%) using the nearest neighborhood approach, and the Markov model produced the map of land use changes with an acceptable accuracy (81%). Until 2028, agricultural lands will increase by 30.08%, residential areas by 1.48%, and salt lake areas by 0.02%. Soil class will decrease by 16.24% and pastures by 15.21%. The results of this research can help to evaluate past actions and find solutions to formulate strategies for land management in the Barandozchai watershed.

Despite the increase in heat waves and the sensitivity of forest ecosystems in desert areas, little information is available about the habitats of the Euphrates poplar in the southern parts of Iran. Characteristics of mother trees and geographical, climatic and soil characteristics of ten Euphrates poplar habitats in Bushehr province were recorded. In November, four trees from each habitat were selected and 14 cuttings were prepared from each mother tree. Seven months after planting, germination, sapling height, and branching were recorded and heat shock was applied at 70°C. Forty days later, traits of revival, sapling height, and resilience were measured. The results showed that, except for revival and resilience, there is a significant difference between the studied provenances. Branching decreased with increasing diameter of mother trees, germination increased with increasing height above sea level, and revival increased with increasing drought risk index. The resilience and height of seedlings showed a direct relationship with annual rainfall and latitude and an inverse relationship with evapotranspiration and latitude. The results of principal component analysis revealed that provenances that originated from relatively hot areas, with heavy soil, and high iron and low manganese contents had a lower germination and a higher revival rate. In addition, the resilience of provenances with high soil phosphorus and potassium contents was higher.

The natural environment provides ecosystem goods and services, and humans benefit from these goods and ecosystem services by being and living around them. The existence of these ecosystem services guarantees a good and healthy life for humans. Understanding of these benefits by people is very important. Therefore, in this research, an attempt has been made to evaluate the relationship between demographic factors and the understanding of ecosystem services by local people in the southern parts of Mashhad city. In this research, the Kruskal-Wallis statistical test was used to investigate the significant difference between gender, age, education, income, and occupation groups and the understanding of ecosystem services. The results obtained from this statistical test showed that age has the greatest effect on eight ecosystem services, and gender has the least effect on the understanding of ecosystem services. The results of this research can help urban authorities pursue participatory urban planning and management processes that incorporate people’s interests and concerns..