Selecting a Framework for Analyzing the Integrated Socio-Ecological System of Farmers Exploiting the Groundwater Resources of an Aquifer: Applying COPRAS Decision Model

sustainable exploitation of natural resources depends on recognizing the interdependencies, internal social and ecological systems and their capacity to provide the required services. Therefore, there is a need to rethink and change the approach to systemic management of the social-ecological system, which emphasizes the role of various stakeholders in planning and implementing natural resource conservation goals and programs, so that preserving human interests, in addition, sustainable natural resource conservation also be provided. Different frameworks for analyzing social-ecological systems (SES) have been employed in empirical studies. This study was aimed to select the most related frameworks for analyzing social-ecological systems (SES) to investigate and analyze the human dimension in consistency with groundwater as a common-pool resource system in aquifer. The study population consisted of experts and faculty members with experience and expertise in the field of social-ecological systems (SES) which selected 11 cases by purposive sampling technique. Research tool was a questionnaire consisting of two parts: pairwise comparisons of decision criteria and determining the relative importance of Frameworks for analyzing social-ecological systems (SES) based on each of the studied criteria. COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment of alternatives) technique was used to analyze the data. The results of this study indicate that, among the decision criteria, capability to detect unsustainable making factor of the system with a relative weighting 0.217 has highest-priority than the other criteria studied. Furthermore, the Social-Ecological System framework (SESF) is the most related framework for analyzing the human dimension in adapting to the hydrological system of aquifer.