Assessing the environmental destruction in forest ecosystems using landscape metrics and spatial analysis

Abstract

Forest degradation is a serious environmental issue that has significant implications for ecological stability, biodiversity, and human well-being. Identifying the extent and severity of forest degradation is crucial for effective management and conservation of forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to assess the ecological vulnerability of the forest in the Dadabad region using spatial analysis and landscape metrics. The land cover map of the area was divided into 13 sub-basins to quantify landscape metrics, and the severity of human activities, degradation level, and ecological vulnerability were calculated for each sub-basin. Each sub-basin was evaluated as a single landscape to determine the extent of degradation, and landscape zoning was performed based on the degradation coefficients. The study found that sub-basins 2 and 4 had the highest levels of degradation, while sub-basins 3, 7, 8, 11, and 12 were the least degraded. Over half of the Dadabad region, 37.8% for protection and 32.25% for rehabilitation, was recommended for conservation planning. The research highlights the importance of using spatial analysis of landscape metrics to assist managers and planners in protecting and conserving natural areas.