Impact assessment of the land use changes on ecosystem services in the metropolitan region of West Tehran

This study was conducted to evaluate the consequences of land use changes on the values of ecosystem services in urban areas of the west of Tehran province. For this purpose, first, the land use/cover types of the region in 1985, 2000 and 2015 were classified using the maximum likelihood method, and their changes over time were examined. Then, different types of existing ecosystem services were identified using the theoretical approach presented by Costanza et al. (1997), and their economic value was calculated. Finally, the relationship between factors affecting land use changes and ecosystem service values was analyzed using multiple regression. The results show that, following the reduction of rangelands and agricultural lands, the value of ecosystem services has decreased by 51.2%. Based on the results of the regression analysis, the nine following factors affecting socio-economic development have the greatest impact on reducing the value of ecosystem services in the region, respectively: the increase in the number of roads, number of employees, population, public vehicles, non-agricultural income, value of industrial assets, number of immigrants, size of agricultural plots, and GDP. Therefore, spatial planning measures, such as spatial rules and policies, should be taken in this region to prohibit the expansion of constructed lands in the area of green and natural lands.