Investigation of Structural Changes in Anzali Watershed Based on Landscape Ecology Approach

Anzali watershed is one of the most important watersheds of Guilan province which houses Anzali International Wetland. The purpose of this study was to investigate structural changes in Anzali watershed through temporal changes of landscape pattern and use of DPSIR to identify Anzali watershed status and provide appropriate solutions for integrated landscaping protection and management. In this study, Landsat satellite imagery for 1994, 2008 and 2018 was used to investigate land use changes using remote sensing. Then, landscape metrics of NP, CA, PD, PLAND, LPI, CORE-AM were used to quantify and investigate the phenomena occurring in the land. In this regard, the most important changes were forest, agricultural, urban and water cover. Then, within the DPSIR conceptual framework, the most important driving forces, changes and pressures and their associated consequences were determined. Analyzes of metrics showed that at the level of forest and barr land the phenomenon of Attrition, agricultural lands and cities creation phenomenon, rangelands of Enlargment phenomena and at the water class level the phenomenon of Disection occurred. The results of DPSIR qualitative model showed that the main factor of change in Anzali watershed is population growth, settlements and urban areas and agricultural development. Overall, the phenomena occurring in the landscape under study explanatory that urban and agricultural disordered patch disturbances expansion are caused by the creation patterns, and that natural patch such as forest and water are destroyed through the patterns of Attrition and Disection.