IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v14y2024i2d10.1007_s13412-024-00890-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial assessment of biodiversity and conservation priorities in Hamedan Province, Iran, using a landscape ecology approach

Author

Listed:
  • Sedighe Abdollahi

    (Malayer University)

  • Parinaz Khalilzadeh

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Elahe Zeilabi

    (Isfahan University of Technology)

  • David Lesbarrères

    (Environment and Climate Change Canada)

Abstract

Systematic conservation planning is a framework that has been developed over the past decade to prioritize the management of key habitats and conserve biodiversity values. Artificial intelligence has been proposed to operate within this framework by using computer algorithms based on an objective function to identify and prioritize protected area networks. In this context, our objective was to determine the optimal conservation network for biodiversity in the Hamedan Province of Iran. Using a Tabu search algorithm, we determined which area would accommodate the greatest number of biodiversity targets within the smallest area possible. The selected conservation patches were investigated for their connectivity and compactness using landscape composition and configuration metrics. In addition, we applied redundancy analysis (RDA) to determine the relationship between conservation targets and landscape parameters such as land use/cover types, and species richness. The results indicated that the existing protected area network is insufficient to attain conservation goals in Hamedan Province, Iran. The landscape metrics analysis revealed that patches with more contiguity, compaction, and fractal dimension hold a higher conservation value and RDA showed a clear relation between landscape metrics and conservation targets. We thus suggest that our results be used by land managers and land use planners to better align conservation and management strategies in an effort to maximize biodiversity conservation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sedighe Abdollahi & Parinaz Khalilzadeh & Elahe Zeilabi & David Lesbarrères, 2024. "Spatial assessment of biodiversity and conservation priorities in Hamedan Province, Iran, using a landscape ecology approach," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(2), pages 358-371, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:14:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-024-00890-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-024-00890-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-024-00890-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-024-00890-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bryon Flowers & Kuo-Tsang Huang & Gerardo O. Aldana, 2020. "Analysis of the Habitat Fragmentation of Ecosystems in Belize Using Landscape Metrics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, April.
    2. C. R. Margules & R. L. Pressey, 2000. "Systematic conservation planning," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6783), pages 243-253, May.
    3. Mengyao Li & Yong Zhou & Pengnan Xiao & Yang Tian & He Huang & Liang Xiao, 2021. "Evolution of Habitat Quality and Its Topographic Gradient Effect in Northwest Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020 Based on the InVEST Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-25, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kangas, Johanna & Ollikainen, Markku, 2022. "A PES scheme promoting forest biodiversity and carbon sequestration," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    2. Tamara S. Wilson & Benjamin M. Sleeter & Rachel R. Sleeter & Christopher E. Soulard, 2014. "Land-Use Threats and Protected Areas: A Scenario-Based, Landscape Level Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-28, April.
    3. Auriel M. V. Fournier & R. Randy Wilson & Jeffrey S. Gleason & Evan M. Adams & Janell M. Brush & Robert J. Cooper & Stephen J. DeMaso & Melanie J. L. Driscoll & Peter C. Frederick & Patrick G. R. Jodi, 2023. "Structured Decision Making to Prioritize Regional Bird Monitoring Needs," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 53(3), pages 207-217, May.
    4. Wang, Haoluan, 2017. "Land Conservation for Open Space: The Impact of Neighbors and the Natural Environment," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258125, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Eppink, Florian V. & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2007. "Ecological theories and indicators in economic models of biodiversity loss and conservation: A critical review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2-3), pages 284-293, March.
    6. Shirley Saenz & Tomas Walschburger & Juan Carlos González & Jorge León & Bruce McKenney & Joseph Kiesecker, 2013. "A Framework for Implementing and Valuing Biodiversity Offsets in Colombia: A Landscape Scale Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(12), pages 1-27, November.
    7. Iritie, Jean-Jacques, 2015. "Economic Growth, Biodiversity and Conservation Policies in Africa: an Overview," MPRA Paper 62005, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Zhouqiao Ren & Wanxin Zhan & Qiaobing Yue & Jianhua He, 2020. "Prioritizing Agricultural Patches for Reforestation to Improve Connectivity of Habitat Conservation Areas: A Guide to Grain-to-Green Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, November.
    9. repec:plo:pone00:0044075 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Sari, Dwi Amalia & Margules, Chris & Lim, Han She & Widyatmaka, Febrio & Sayer, Jeffrey & Dale, Allan & Macgregor, Colin, 2021. "Evaluating policy coherence: A case study of peatland forests on the Kampar Peninsula landscape, Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    11. Michael A. Wulder & Jeffrey A. Cardille & Joanne C. White & Bronwyn Rayfield, 2018. "Context and Opportunities for Expanding Protected Areas in Canada," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-21, November.
    12. Robert F. Baldwin & Nakisha T. Fouch, 2018. "Understanding the Biodiversity Contributions of Small Protected Areas Presents Many Challenges," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-12, October.
    13. John A. Gallo & Amanda T. Lombard & Richard M. Cowling, 2022. "Conservation Planning for Action: End-User Engagement in the Development and Dual-Centric Weighting of a Spatial Decision Support System," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    14. H. K. Millington & J. E. Lovell & C. A. K. Lovell, 2013. "Using Fieldwork, GIS and DEA to Guide Management of Urban Stream Health," CEPA Working Papers Series WP072013, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    15. Qingchi Han & Jinzhuo Wu & Wenshu Lin, 2025. "Long-Term Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Force Analysis of Landscape Stability in the Forest–Grassland Ecotone of the Greater Khingan Mountains, Inner Mongolia, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-22, February.
    16. Li, Shicheng & Zhang, Heng & Zhou, Xuewu & Yu, Haibin & Li, Wangjun, 2020. "Enhancing protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    17. Patricio Sarmiento-Mateos & Cecilia Arnaiz-Schmitz & Cristina Herrero-Jáuregui & Francisco D. Pineda & María F. Schmitz, 2019. "Designing Protected Areas for Social–Ecological Sustainability: Effectiveness of Management Guidelines for Preserving Cultural Landscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, May.
    18. repec:plo:pone00:0164869 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Cho, Seong-Hoon & Kim, Taeyoung & Larson, Eric R. & Armsworth, Paul R., 2017. "Economies of scale in forestland acquisition costs for nature conservation," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 73-82.
    20. Bi Goli Jean Jacques Iritie, 2015. "Economic Growth and Biodiversity: An Overview Conservation Policies in Africa," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(2), pages 196-196, February.
    21. Di Pirro, E. & Sallustio, L. & Capotorti, G. & Marchetti, M. & Lasserre, B., 2021. "A scenario-based approach to tackle trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and land use pressure in Central Italy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 448(C).
    22. Brad H McRae & Sonia A Hall & Paul Beier & David M Theobald, 2012. "Where to Restore Ecological Connectivity? Detecting Barriers and Quantifying Restoration Benefits," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(12), pages 1-12, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:14:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-024-00890-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.