Ecological health and security of the Jazmurian Wetland Endorheic Watershed, Iran

Abstract

Wetlands represent a crucial category of aquatic ecosystems that face numerous threats, such as increasing population density, alterations in land-use, climate change, excessive extraction of water resources, and inadequate construction of reservoirs. As a result of these challenges, wetlands cannot perform their essential functions, which include meeting human demands, supporting tourism, mitigating dust storms, and maintaining the biodiversity of flora and fauna. Accordingly, assessing their health and service performance is essential. However, studies on the health and security assessment of the wetland are scant. Therefore, an attempt has been made to evaluate the Jazmurian Wetland Watershed health using the cause-effect pressure (P), state (S), and response (R) conceptual approach. To this end, the problem-oriented variables were obtained through field surveying and data augmentation. Some 12 independent input variables were finalized using principal component analysis (PCA) to assess the watershed health and security at the sub-watershed scale. The study's results elucidated that P = 0.564, S = 0.368, and R = 0.643 were classified in moderate class with negative orientation, relatively desirable with negative inclination, and high with negative tendency, respectively. The overall weighted health and security indices for the Jazmurian Wetland Watershed were 0.504 and 0.446, classifying in moderate conditions with a slight positive tendency. Accordingly, an insight focused on controlling the most influential variables in the P and S indices and pertaining existing conditions on the R index-related factors in priority sub-watersheds is a vital task to take toward ecosystem sustainability. Considering the fragile health and security of the Jazmurian Wetland Watershed, management actions need to be incorporated to prevent further decline and perpetuation of situations in the region.

Keywords: Ecosystem services; Water resource management; Watershed health; Wetland management; Wetland watershed.