Assessment of Agricultural Development in the Catchment of Alashtar Plain Using Geographical Information System (GIS)

In environmental studies, the main way to achieve a science-based development relying on a scientific understanding of environment is a precise attention to potentials, evaluation of the environmental potentials and finally, logical and total use of lands. In this regard, agricultural development is closely related to the environmental resources. This study aimed at assessing the environmental potentials and ecological sources of agricultural development in the catchment of Alashtar plain by using Geographical Information System (GIS). For this purpose, first, the ecological resources were identified within some informstion which were subsequently analyzed, pluralized and synthesized and finally, appropriated as information layers. Moreover, by extracting the ecological units and measuring them through the ecological criteria, the concerned potentials were estimated. Finally, the priorities with the allowed uses were determined. The study results showed that presently, 32.86 percent of the Aleshtar catchment lacked the agricultural and ranging potentials; however, 25.06 percent namely one-third of the catchment had the 'potential of two to four' for agriculture and 41.24 percent had the 'potential of one to three' for ranging. In other words, the Aleshtar catchment has an appropriate condition for ongoing activities of agriculture, dry framing, gardening and livestock.