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Department of Environmental Planning, Management, and Education, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. , malekb@ut.ac.ir
Abstract: (28 Views)
1- Introduction
Soil is a vital component of natural capital, providing essential ecosystem services such as flood regulation, habitat provision, carbon sequestration, and agricultural production. As awareness of these services grows, soil retention has become a priority in environmental management. Key factors influencing soil retention and sediment control include changes in land use and land cover. This study aims to monitor land use and land cover changes in the Lavasanat watershed from 2000 to 2023 and assess their impact on soil-related ecosystem services. The Lavasanat watershed is crucial for managing water and soil resources due to its location upstream of the Latian Dam and its proximity to protected areas and national parks.
2- Materials and Methods
Landsat satellite imagery from 2000 and 2023 was used to assess changes in land use and land cover, as well as their impacts on ecosystem services. Land-use classification maps were created using eCognition Developer 9.01 and incorporated into the InVEST-SDR model. The inputs for this analysis included the rainfall factor (R), soil erodibility (K), vegetation cover (C), protective measures (P), a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), a biophysical table, and the land-use maps. Additionally, the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model was applied to examine the spatial relationships between land-use changes and ecosystem service indices, specifically focusing on Avoiding Erosion and Avoiding Export.
3- Results
The study revealed that green cover—including rangelands, coniferous forests, orchards, and agricultural lands—declined by approximately 152 square kilometers (15.4 percent), leading to a conversion of these areas into built-up land. This transformation resulted in a 56.14 percent increase in potential soil loss, a 10.32 percent reduction in the Avoid Erosion index, and a 23.31 percent rise in the Avoid Export index. The Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model demonstrated a strong spatial correlation between land use and ecosystem services related to Avoid Erosion and Avoid Export in both 2000 and 2023. In 2000, the Adjusted R² values were 0.98 for Avoid Erosion and 0.99 for Avoid Export, with lower residual sums of squares and standard deviations compared to 2023. Rangelands exhibited the highest Avoid Erosion and the lowest Avoid Export, while built-up areas showed the highest Avoid Export. In 2023, the Adjusted R² increased to 0.99 for Avoid Erosion but decreased to 0.96 for Avoid Export, accompanied by higher residual sums of squares and standard deviations. Orchards recorded the lowest Avoid Export, whereas coniferous forests had the highest. The decrease in the Akaike Information Criterion corrected (AICc) in 2023 indicated an enhanced model fit under more homogeneous spatial conditions. However, this improvement did not reflect ecological progress, as the reduction in natural cover and the expansion of built-up areas negatively impacted ecosystem performance in soil retention and erosion prevention. A comparison between 2000 and 2023 demonstrated a diminished capacity of the ecosystem to conserve soil, evidenced by a significant decline in Avoid Erosion and an increase in Avoid Export, driven by urban expansion and reduced vegetation cover. This underscores the urgent need for improved land-use management to mitigate soil degradation and preserve ecosystem functions.
4- Discussion & Conclusions
The findings highlight the importance of protecting vegetation cover and improving land-use management in sensitive areas. Changes in the Lavasanat watershed have led to decreased vegetation cover and an increase in built-up areas, negatively impacting ecosystem services such as soil retention and sediment control. As a result, soil erosion and excess sediment accumulation have worsened, reducing the ecosystem's resilience. Enhancing land-use management in areas with high erosion potential is crucial. Additionally, integrating the InVEST model with advanced hydrological models like SWAT and RUSLE is recommended for more accurate simulations of soil erosion and ecosystem services. Future research should explore the effects of climate and socio-economic scenarios on soil erosion and land-use changes to better understand environmental change patterns and inform effective management strategies. These approaches can help improve planning for the preservation of soil and water resources, mitigating the harmful effects of climate change and human activities on ecosystems.
Keywords: Soil retention ecosystem services, Land use/land cover (LULC) changes, InVEST-SDR model, Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), Lavasanat Watershed.
Received: 2025/06/11
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