ABSTRACT

Assessment of the watershed health and associated ecological security is crucial for the proper land resources management, notably when sufficient money and time have lacked. The present study aimed to prepare health and ecological security for the Pishkuh Watershed in Yazd Province, central Iran. To prepare the health atlas of the Pishkuh Watershed, the conceptual framework of pressure, state, response (PSR) was employed. The pressure index was investigated by analyzing the driving forces of natural and human-induced factors. Then, the existing conditions of the natural environment and the watershed performance were analyzed using the state index. Besides, the response index was also calculated as a criterion for expressing the degree of community response or different watershed outcomes to the driving forces imposed on the watershed system. The study results revealed that some 91 and 9% of the watershed were classified as moderately healthy and relatively unhealthy. The results of the ecological security index further showed that some 41% of the area was categorized as relatively poor status. The results of the current study can be used by local managers and decision-makers to adaptively designate appropriate, economic, and goal-targeted solutions for the resources management in the region.

摘要

流域健康和相关生态安全的评估对于适当的土地资源管理至关重要，尤其是在缺乏足够的资金和时间的情况下。本研究旨在为伊朗中部亚兹德省 Pishkuh 流域的健康和生态安全做好准备。为了准备 Pishkuh 流域的健康地图集，采用了压力、状态、响应 (PSR) 的概念框架。通过分析自然因素和人为因素的驱动力来研究压力指数。然后，利用状态指数对自然环境现状和流域性能进行分析。此外，还计算了响应指数作为表达社区响应程度或不同流域结果对流域系统驱动力的标准。研究结果显示，大约 91% 和 9% 的流域被归类为中等健康和相对不健康。生态安全指数的结果进一步表明，该地区约有 41% 的地区被归类为相对较差的状况。当前研究的结果可以被当地管理者和决策者用来为该地区的资源管理自适应地指定适当的、经济的和目标明确的解决方案。