Abstract
Systematic conservation planning is a framework that has been developed over the past decade to prioritize the management of key habitats and conserve biodiversity values. Artificial intelligence has been proposed to operate within this framework by using computer algorithms based on an objective function to identify and prioritize protected area networks. In this context, our objective was to determine the optimal conservation network for biodiversity in the Hamedan Province of Iran. Using a Tabu search algorithm, we determined which area would accommodate the greatest number of biodiversity targets within the smallest area possible. The selected conservation patches were investigated for their connectivity and compactness using landscape composition and configuration metrics. In addition, we applied redundancy analysis (RDA) to determine the relationship between conservation targets and landscape parameters such as land use/cover types, and species richness. The results indicated that the existing protected area network is insufficient to attain conservation goals in Hamedan Province, Iran. The landscape metrics analysis revealed that patches with more contiguity, compaction, and fractal dimension hold a higher conservation value and RDA showed a clear relation between landscape metrics and conservation targets. We thus suggest that our results be used by land managers and land use planners to better align conservation and management strategies in an effort to maximize biodiversity conservation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [P.Kh], upon request.
References
Abdollahi S, Ildoromi A, Shayesteh K (2021) Ranking of protected areas of the Hamedan Province based on conservation criteria. Hum Environ 19:35–47 (In Persian)
Asadolahi Z, Salmanmahini A, Sakieh Y, Mirkarimi SH, Baral H, Azimi M (2018) Dynamic trade-off analysis of multiple ecosystem services under land-use change scenarios: towards putting ecosystem services into planning in Iran. Ecol Complex 36:250–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecocom.2018.09.003
Auffret AG, Plue J, Cousins SAO (2015) The spatial and temporal components of functional connectivity in fragmented landscapes. Ambio 44:51–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-014-0588-6
Battisti C (2003) Habitat fragmentation, fauna and ecological network planning: toward a theoretical conceptual framework. Ital J Zool 70:241–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/11250000309356524
Bennett NJ, Roth R, Klain SC, Chan K, Christie P et al (2017) Conservation social science: understanding and integrating human dimensions to improve conservation. Biol Conserv 205:93–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.10.006
Botequilha AL, Miller J, Ahren J, McGarigal K (2006) Measuring landscape: a planner handbook. Island Press, Washington DC
Boulad N, Al-Shogoor S, Sahwan W, Al-Ouran N, Schütt B (2022) Systematic conservation planning as a tool for the assessment of protected areas network in Jordan. Land 11:56. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11010056
Calamari NC, Vilella FJ, Sica YV, Mercuri PA (2018) Patch and landscape responses of bird abundance to fragmentation in agroecosystems of east-central Argentina. ACE 13:3. https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01222-130203
Chefaoui RM (2014) Landscape metrics as indicators of coastal morphology: a multiscale approach. Ecol Indic 45:139–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.04.004
Chetcuti J, Kunin WE, Bullock JM (2020) Habitat fragmentation increases overall richness, but not of habitat- dependent species. Front Ecol Evol 8(12):607619. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.607619
Ciarleglio M, Barnes JW, Sarkar S (2009) ConsNet: new software for the selection of conservation area networks with spatial and multi-criteria analyses. Ecography 32:205–209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2008.05721.x
Ciarleglio M, Barnes JW, Sarkar S (2010a) ConsNet-A tabu search approach to the spatially coherent conservation area network design problem. Heuristics 16:537–557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10732-008-9098-7
Ciarleglio M, Sarkar S, Barnes JW (2010b) ConsNet User Manual Version 2.00. Biodiversity and Biocultural Conservation Laboratory, Section of Integrative Biology, 1 University Station, C0390, and the University of Texas at Austin. Austin TX 78712, Available: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~consbio/Cons/consnet_home.html.
Cox RL, Underwood EC (2011) The importance of conserving biodiversity outside of protected areas in Mediterranean ecosystems. PLoS One 6:e14508. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0014508
Esfandeh S, Kaboli M, Eslami L (2017) Simulated annealing algorithm as a tool for systematic prioritization of protected area in Alborz province. Iran J Anim Environ 9:105–122 (In Persian). https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.27171388.1396.9.1.14.0
Fagan WF, Cantrell RS, Cosner C (1999) How habitat edges change species interactions. Am Nat 153:165–182. https://doi.org/10.1086/303162
Flowers B, Huang KT, Aldana GO (2020) Analysis of the habitat fragmentation of ecosystems in Belize using landscape metrics. Sustainability 12:3024. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12073024
Game ET, Grantham HS (2008) Marxan user manual: for Marxan version1.8.10. University of Queensland/Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia/Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada www.ecology.uq.edu.au/marxan.htm
Glover F, Taillard E, Taillard E (1993) A user’s guide to tabu search. Ann Oper Res 41:1–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02078647
Godinho C, Rabaça JE (2011) Birds like it Corky: the influence of habitat features and management of ‘montados’ in breeding bird communities. Agrofor Syst 82:183–195
Gustafson EJ (1998) Quantifying landscape spatial pattern: what is the state of the art? Ecosystems 1:143–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s100219900011
Heringer G, Almeida TE, de Oliveira Dittrich VA, Salino A (2020) Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for the conservation of ferns and lycophytes in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. J Nat Conserv 53:125775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2019.125775
IUCN (2022) World Database on Protected Areas, https://www.iucn.org/our-work/protected-areas-and-land-use, online available June 26th.
Jafari A, Yavari A, Bahrami S, Yarali N (2011) Selection of new protected areas emphasizing vegetation types using C-Plan (case study: Kohgiluye& Boir-Ahmad province, Iran). J Environ Stud 36:1–12 (In Persian)
Kaboli M, Aliabadian M, Tohidifar M, Hashemi A, Musavi SB, Roselaar CC (2016) The atlas of birds of Iran (1st ed.). Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research Kharazmi branch Press, Karaj, Iran, p 628 (In Persian)
Karami M, Ghadierian T, Faizolahi K (2016) Atlas of Iranian Mammals, (1st ed.). Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research Kharazmi branch Press, Karaj, Iran, p 292 (In Persian)
Kearney S, Adams V, Fuller R, Possingham H, Watson J (2020) Estimating the benefit of well-managed protected areas for threatened species conservation. Oryx 54:276–284. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605317001739
Kolahi M, Atri M (2014) Plant diversity, life form and phytochoria of Hamedan Alvand Region in Iran. oalib 1:e682
Leslie H, Ruckelshaus M, Ball IR, Andelman S, Possingham PH (2003) Using siting algorithms in the design of marine reserve networks. Ecol Appl 13:185–198 https://www.jstor.org/stable/3100007
Li M, Zhou Y, Xiao P, Tian Y, Huang H, Xiao L (2021) Evolution of habitat quality and its topographic gradient effect in Northwest Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020 based on the InVEST model. Land 10:857. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080857
Lin B, Miller DC (2004) Tabu search algorithm for chemical process optimization. Comput Chem Eng 28:2287–2306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2004.04.007
Mairota P, Cafarelli B, Boccaccio L, Leronni V, Labadessa R, Kosmidou V, Nagendra H (2013) Using landscape structure to develop quantitative baselines for protected area monitoring. Ecol Indic 33:82–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.08.017
Margules CR, Pressey RL (2000) Systematic conservation planning. Nature 405:243–253
Martínez-Ruiz M, Arroyo-Rodríguez V, Franch-Pardo I, Renton K (2020) Patterns and drivers of the scale of effect of landscape structure on diurnal raptors in a fragmented tropical dry forest. Landsc Ecol 35:1309–1322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-020-01016-6
McGarigal K, Cushman SA, Ene E (2012) FRAGSTATS v4: Spatial pattern analysis program for categorical and continuous maps. Computer software program produced by the authors at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Available at http://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/fragstats
Mehri A, Salmanmahiny A, Mikaeili Tabrizi AR, Mirkarimi SH, Sadoddin A (2018) Integration of anthropogenic threats and biodiversity value to identify critical sites for biodiversity conservation. Geocarto Int 34:1202–1217. https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2018.1475510
Mehri A, Salmanmahiny A, Mirkarimi SH, Rezaei HR (2014) Use of optimization algorithms to prioritize protected areas in Mazandaran Province of Iran. J Nat Conserv 22:462–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2014.05.002
Michalski F, Peres CA (2017) Gamebird responses to anthropogenic forest fragmentation and degradation in a southern Amazonian landscape. Peer J 5:e3442. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3442
Momeni Dehaghi I, Salmanmahini A, Alizadeh Shabani A, Karami M (2013) Efficiency of current reserve network in Golestan Province (Iran) for the protection of hoofed ungulates. Biodiversity 14:162–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2013.805659
Moulatlet GM, Ambriz E, Guevara J, Lopez KG, Rodes-Blanco M, Guerra-Arevalo N, Ortega-Andrade HM, Menses P (2021) Multi-taxa ecological responses to habitat loss and fragmentation in western Amazonia as revealed by RAPELD biodiversity surveys. Acta Amazon 51:234–243. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202004532
Mozaffari O, Kamali K, Fahimi H (2016) The atlas of reptiles of Iran. Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research Kharazmi branch Press, Tehran, p 361 (In Persian)
Morelli F, Tryjanowski P (2014) Associations between species can influence the goodness of fit of species distribution models: the case of two passerine birds. Ecol Complex 20:208–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecocom.2014.01.002
Naderi-Mahdei K, Bahrami A (2014) Ecological potential assessment of soil in agricultural lands in Hamedan Province Iran using geographic information system. JAEHR 2:223–233 https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.26763478.2014.2.4.4.7
Nematollahi S, Fakheran S, Jafari A, Pourmanafi S, Kienast F (2022) Applying a systematic conservation planning tool and ecological risk index for spatial prioritization and optimization of protected area networks in Iran. J Nat Conserv 66:126144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126144
Nematollahi S, Fakheran S, Kienast F, Jafari A (2020) Application of InVEST habitat quality module in spatially vulnerability assessment of natural habitats (Case Study: Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran). Environ Monit Assess 192:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08460-6
Norton BA, Evans KL, Warren PH (2016) Urban biodiversity and landscape ecology: patterns, processes, and planning. Curr Landsc Ecol Rep 1:178–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40823-016-0018-5
Pagaldai N, Arizaga J, Jiménez-Franco VM, Zuberogoitia I (2021) Colonization of urban habitats: tawny owl abundance is conditioned by urbanization structure. Animals 11:2954. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102954
Pearce JL, Kirk DA, Lane CP, Mahr MH, Walmsley J, Casey D, Muir JE, Hannon S, Hansen A, Jones K (2008) Prioritizing avian conservation areas for the Yellowstone to Yukon Region of North America. Biol Conserv 141:908–924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.033
Penjor U, Kaszta Ż, Macdonald DW, Cushman SA (2021) Prioritizing areas for conservation outside the existing protected area network in Bhutan: the use of multi-species, multi-scale habitat suitability models. Landsc Ecol 36:1281–1309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01225-7
Pflüger FJ, Balkenhol N (2014) A plea for simultaneously considering matrix quality and local environmental conditions when analyzing landscape impacts on effective dispersal. Mol Ecol 23:2146–2156. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12712
Possingham HP, Ball IR, Andelman S (2000) Mathematical methods for identifying representative reserve networks. In: Ferson S, Burgman M (eds) Quantitative methods for conservation biology. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp 291–305
Pressey RL (1999) Applications of irreplaceability analysis to planning management problems. Parks 9:42–51
Reis ARN, Biondi D, Viezzer J, Oliveira JD, Kovalsyki B (2021) Using landscape metrics and species potential distribution modeling in cities to develop the Selection of Areas for Species Conservation Index (SASCI). Trees 35:1341–1350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-021-02121-y
Rodrigues A, Akçakaya H, Andelman S, Bakarr M, Boitani L, Brooks T et al (2004) Global gap analysis: priority regions for expanding the global protected-area network. Bioscience 54:1092–1100. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2004)054[1092:GGAPRF]2.0.CO;2
Sadegh Oghli R, Jahani A, Alizade Shabani A, Goshtasb H (2019) Evaluation of landscape structure for development and integration of the protected areas. TCP 11:57–78 (In Persian)
Saura S, Bertzky B, Bastin L, Battistella L, Mandrici A, Dubois G (2018) Protected area connectivity: shortfalls in global targets and country-level priorities. Biol Conserv 219:53–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.12.020
Schindler S, Von Wehrden H, Poirazidis K, Wrbka T, Kati V (2013) Multiscale performance of landscape metrics as indicators of species richness of plants, insects and vertebrates. Ecol Indic 31:41–48
Shadkam E, Safari S, Saberi Abdollahzadeh S (2021) Finally, which meta-heuristic algorithm is the best one? IJDSRM 10:32–50. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJDSRM.2021.117555
Shams esfandabad B, Kaboli M (2018) Development of the conservation area network using systematic conservation planning approach in Iran. J Anim Environ 10:147–162 (In Persian)
Sharp R, Chaplin-Kramer R, Wood S, Guerry A, Tallis H, Taylor R (2014) InVEST user’s guide: integrated valuation of environmental services and tradeoffs. The Natural Capital Project, Stanford, CA, p 321
Shayesteh K, Mohammadyary F (2018) Evaluation and prediction of changes in vegetation using landscape metrics and Markov model (case study: Hamadan). Geogr Dev 16:85–104 (In Persian)
Smith RJ, Cartwright SJ, Fairbairn AC, Lewis DC, Gibbon GE et al (2022) Developing a nature recovery network using systematic conservation planning. Conserv Sci Pract 4:e578. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.578
Soltani-zoghi A, Serajaddin A, Fatahi Ardakani A (2020) Assessment and prioritization of protected areas management strategies in Hamadan Province. J Environ Sci 45:625–643. https://doi.org/10.22059/JES.2020.288646.1007919
Song W, Kim E (2016) Landscape factors affecting the distribution of the great tit in fragmented urban forests of Seoul, South Korea. Landsc Ecol Eng 12:73–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-015-0280-4
Spiesman BJ, Stapper AP, Inouye BD (2018) Patch size, isolation, and matrix effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in a landscape microcosm. Ecosphere 9:e02173. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2173
Topal S, Ongen A (2006) Integrate protected areas into broader land, seascapes and sectors from a social responsibility of the 292 environment perspective. Soc Responsib J 2:291–299. https://doi.org/10.1108/17471117200600006
Walz U (2011) Landscape structure, landscape metrics, and biodiversity. LRLR 5:1–35. https://doi.org/10.12942/lrlr-2011-3
Wintle BA, Kujala H, Whitehead A, Cameron A, Veloz S, Kukkala A, Moilanen A, Gordon A, Lentini PE, Cadenhead NCR, Bekessy SA (2019) Global synthesis of conservation studies reveals the importance of small habitat patches for biodiversity. PNAS 116:909–914. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1813051115
Yousef Siahkalroodi S, Saeedi H, Sadat Behfar M, Fallahi R, Izadian M (2013) Atlas of amphibians of Iran. publication of Department of Environment of Iran, Tehran, Iran, p 110 (In Persian)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Sedighe Abdollahi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Sedighe Abdollahi and Parinaz Khalilzadeh. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary information
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Abdollahi, S., Khalilzadeh, P., Zeilabi, E. et al. Spatial assessment of biodiversity and conservation priorities in Hamedan Province, Iran, using a landscape ecology approach. J Environ Stud Sci 14, 358–371 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-024-00890-9
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-024-00890-9