Effect of Landscape Pattern Changes and Water Quality Relationship in International Anzali Wetland

In studies of surface and underground water resources management, contamination and their spread are very important issues in areas affected by the source of contamination. One of the environmental impacts of land-used change is its direct impact on surface water quality; therefore, it is investigated that how would landscape characteristics and land-use patterns could affect water quality and ecosystem management. In this regard, the effects of six land use including forest and gardens, agriculture and pasture, urban and village, water, sea, vegetation and surface water withdrawal were identified to examine how landscape influence water quality parameters in Anzali wetland (one of the most important wetlands in Iran). Landscape metric of this study were included number of Patches, Edge Density, Percentage of landscape, Total Edge, Patch Density, Class Area and Largest Patch Index and water quality parameters including COD, NO3, COD, P, BOD5. The processing of satellite images was done in the IDRISI and the calculation of related measures using Fragstates software. In this study was at the period of 28 years (1983-2011). The results indicated that water quality was significantly correlated with both proportions and configuration of agriculture and pasture areas. Total edge of Agriculture and pasture area had negative effects on water quality, especially on NO3 and BOD5. In general, the results of the changes in the measured parameters indicated destruction and degradation of the landscape of International Anzali Wetland.