Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Rangeland Ecosystem Services Across the Shazand Watershed, Iran

Abstract

Human interventions and global environmental changes are increasing and threaten ecosystem services (ES) worldwide. Managing ES is a challenging task; it is essential to understand the temporal and spatial distribution of ES and the benefits derived by a human. However, ES variability in time and space has yet to be studied. Therefore, the current study investigates spatiotemporal variations of different ES indicators, individually and in combination, in the Shazand Watershed across three time periods: 1998, 2008, and 2016. Five indicators were selected to assess different dimensions of ES, including plant production, water provision, soil stability, maintenance of habitats and genetic diversity for plant and animal nurseries and reproduction, and recreation potential. We then used multiresolution segmentation to create a spatial composite indicator measuring the integration of the study indicators. SCI was used to describe spatiotemporal variations of ES through time at the subwatershed level. The results indicated that individual ES indicators display spatial variations across space and time. Moreover, comparing the spatial composite indicator across periods showed that all 24 subwatersheds could not supply more ES. However, the areas located in the central and the western part of the watershed appeared to have better ES conditions. According to the results, revising the current management plans and allocating environmental funding would benefit these areas. The results are applicable for future spatial planning of sustainable ecological conservation strategies for the Shazand Watershed and similar regions.