Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD. student in Watershed Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
2
Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran
3
PhD graduate in Watershed Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
4
Master of Remote Sensing, Space Research institute, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Rangelands, as extensive and essential ecosystems, have in recent years been subjected to various pressures, leading to degradation and reduced efficiency. The present study investigates the sustainability status of the rangeland ecosystem in the Malekshahi watershed in Ilam Province using the monitoring and evaluation guideline for natural resources management projects. In this method, three sustainability criteria were applied: soil sustainability, including five indicators of soil conservation, erodibility, soil surface roughness, soil stability, and soil texture; vegetation sustainability, including eight indicators of biodiversity, regeneration and age class, plant vigor and vitality, species composition, canopy cover, litter percentage index, condition of poisonous invasive species, and annual production index; and socio-economic sustainability, including three indicators of livestock–rangeland balance, balance between human population and rangeland, and exploitation suitability index. These indicators were used to evaluate and calculate rangeland sustainability through a scoring method. Furthermore, land use changes during the period 2011–2021 were examined. The scores of soil, vegetation, and socio-economic sustainability criteria were obtained as 13, 29, and 6, respectively, and the land use changes indicated that forest area decreased by about 7% in 2021, while rangeland increased by 2%. According to the results, the final sustainability score of the rangeland ecosystem in the Malekshahi watershed was 48, indicating a moderate overall condition. Based on these findings, the soil, vegetation, and socio‑economic components of sustainability in the Malekshahi watershed appear to be in an unfavorable state, largely due to overgrazing beyond the carrying capacity, excessive dependence of the local population on rangeland resources, and inappropriate land‑use changes. Nevertheless, the applied method offers a valuable scientific framework for evaluating rangeland sustainability and can serve as a practical tool to support informed decision‑making and future management initiatives.
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