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Monitoring the health of Fakhran watershed in South Khorasan using the conceptual pressure-state-response model
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Hojjat Sahragard    , Hadi Memarian * , Javad Chezgi , Seyed Mohamad Tajbakhsh , Reza Chamani |
| Associate Professor, Rangeland and Watershed Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran, Hadi_memarian@birjand.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (200 Views) |
| Today, the spread of various human and natural factors and the intensification of their negative effects have caused the watersheds performance to face significant challenges, preventing the proper fulfillment of stakeholders’ needs. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the health of the Fakhran watershed in South Khorasan and identify the factors affecting it. Accordingly, using the conceptual approach of pressure-state-response (PSR), 38 initial variables were identified. Then, using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient, variables with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.8 were identified and removed due to multicollinearity. At the final 11, 9, and 12 criteria, respectively, were determined for pressure, state, and response indices to assess the health status in different sub-watersheds. The results showed the pressure index ranged from 0.43 to 0.83, the state index from 0.33 to 0.65, and the response index from 0.33 to 0.57 across the sub-watersheds. The health index ranged between 0.36 and 0.61. In other words, the pressure, state, response, and health indices were placed in the relatively healthy, moderate, moderate, and moderate categories with average values of 0.67, 0.50, 0.47, and 0.54, respectively. In terms of effectiveness, household migration (1.5%) and the ratio of residential areas to watershed area (5%) had the greatest contribution to reducing health, while the ratio of irrigated-garden lands to dry land (4.0%) and the number of water sources (9.0%) had the least impact on health. As the results indicate that principled decision-making regarding population control, residential area distribution, and agriculture by local communities and provincial managers can improve the health of the Fakhran watershed and enhance the health of its sub-watersheds. |
Article number: 4 |
| Keywords: Ecosystems, Monitoring, Destruction, Remote Sensing, Sustainable Management |
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Full-Text [PDF 2687 kb]
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
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