نوع مقاله : علمی - پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 استادیار گروه محیط زیست، دانشگاه لرستان، دانشکده منابع طبیعی، خرم آباد، ایران
2 استاد گروه محیط زیست، دانشگاه تهران، دانشکده منابع طبیعی، کرج، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Background and Purpose: Coastal regions around the world are currently subjected to numerous pressures local economic forces, biophysical drivers, and socio-ecological system dynamics leading to significant hazards and the degradation of these natural ecosystems. Given that shorelines are continually exposed to the consequences of environmental hazards and a range of human activities, identifying and assessing these hazards is of paramount importance. Accordingly, vulnerability assessment conducted through the identification of the pressures and threats imposed on these natural ecosystems constitutes one of the most important tools for informing decision-making and providing effective management strategies to reduce adverse impacts and to achieve the objective of protecting coastal areas. In this context, the coastal zones of Iran represent one of the most important biological reservoirs and sources of ecosystem services; thus, the identification of environmental hazards and the sustainable, optimal use and protection of these resources are essential.
Methodology: This study focuses on the environmental conditions of coastal areas and all stressors and environmental hazards that disrupt ecological balance and threaten the existence and persistence of these zones. The research comprises three stages. In the first stage, a systematic description, analysis, and identification of regional environmental hazards were conducted based on the DPSIR framework. In the second stage, the identified environmental hazards were scored across five categories very high, high, medium, low, and very low (on a numeric scale of 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1, respectively). In the third stage, the hazards were ranked and prioritized using the TOPSIS method. Finally, to address the identified environmental threats, corrective actions aimed at reducing the pressures and threatening factors in these areas were proposed.
Findings and Discussion: This result indicates that 60 factors contribute to environmental hazards in the coastal areas of southern Iran, of which 50 are of anthropogenic origin and 10 are of environmental origin. The findings show that the highest incidence of environmental hazards occurs on coasts where the factors are anthropogenic in origin. According to the weighting and prioritization results for environmental hazards in the region, the highest weight is assigned to climatic and hydrological drought (water stress) (0.187), while the lowest weight is assigned to changes in the pathways of deltas and rivers (0.065). Moreover, the predominant hazards, ranked highest, are, in order: climatic and hydrological drought (water stress); effects arising from the development of human activities adjacent to coastal areas; pollution from desalination plants effluents; pollution from shipyards and industrial facilities adjacent to the shore; tourism beyond capacity; illegal fishing (trawling); and changes in precipitation regimes.
Conclusion: This result indicates that the expansion and persistence of anthropogenic activities, along with the continuity and intensity of environmental hazards, can increase the vulnerability and lead to irreversible consequences in the southern coastal regions of the country. Accordingly, controlling these hazards requires strategic planning and managerial interventions in these areas. The findings of this study can aid decision-makers and planners by presenting a comprehensive range of environmental hazards and the degree of vulnerability of the country’s coasts, thereby supporting the development of a managerial program and the adoption of strategic actions in these regions.
کلیدواژهها [English]
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