Spatial distribution of ecosystem services in mangrove forests of the Country
Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Natural Resources Faculty, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Natural Resources Faculty, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
The spatial distribution of ecosystem services not only helps identify the location of the provision of these services but also evaluates the heterogeneity of their distribution. This study investigates the spatial distribution of ecosystem services in Iran’s mangrove forests. Based on a review of literature and prior studies, a list of criteria for assessing ecosystem services was developed and categorized into four groups: provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services. Subsequently, ecosystem service mapping was conducted in InVEST 3.3.2 and a Geographic Information System (GIS). Standardization and weighting of the spatial layers (ANP model) and the zoning of ecosystem services in these natural mangrove habitats were conducted. Results indicate that the distribution of ecosystem service abundance across 19 studied sites comprises 521 services across different categories, with the following proportions: provisioning 18.42%, regulating 17.46%, supporting 32.43%, and cultural 31.66%. The spatial delineation of ecosystem services shows that the largest extents of provisioning, regulating, and supporting services are around mangrove forests, near the coastline and the sea. In the assessment of cultural services, the greatest natural attractions are around the Khameir and Qeshm sites; the largest historical sites lie along the coasts of coastal villages in the region and mangroves at Dayer and Bordkhon, and Nayband Bay, the greatest cultural heritage is around Sirik, Jask, and Shahr-Now and Khalasi, with scattered occurrences elsewhere. Prioritization of ecosystem service distribution across the study area indicates that 1,224,980 hectares of Iran’s mangrove forests provide ecosystem services. Of the study zones, the greatest provision is for supporting services (in the high category), occupying 214,065 ha (50.53%). The results suggest that the high abundance of supporting services at the study sites underscores the importance of biodiversity conservation and habitat protection. Additionally, Iran’s mangrove forests, due to their high tourism potential, exhibit strong provision of recreational and nature-based tourism as a major ecosystem service area. With proper planning, these services can be exploited to the maximum while also enhancing the conservation status of the region.
Keywords
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