Apply System Dynamics Approach to Discover the Relationships Affecting the Optimal Governance in Rangeland Ecosystems

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

2 Research Institute for Planning, Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The discovery and analysis of types of relationships and interactions of different parts (ecological, socio-economic and administrative), as well as integrated evaluation of related issues are considered as one of the main challenges to planning and integrated management of rangeland ecosystems. To answer this need, system thinking is used to understand the driving forces and their relationship with existing subsystems in rangelands. Modeling is a collaborative approach in the analysis of system behavior and is essential for the sustainable management. To achieve this objective, the factors affecting the balance between livestock and rangeland were assessed. In the pre-assessment of factors affecting the basin sustainability, the drivers, pressures, states and impacts were identified using Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, and the conceptual sustainability model was drawn in rangeland ecosystems. In general, the model consists of three criteria, six subsystems, 35 indices and 132 variables. At methodological level, the present article seeks to describe the system dynamics tool and its implementation procedures for the planning and management of rangeland ecosystems. It finally seeks to provide techniques to clarify the hypothesis testing process by giving an example of rangelands in arid and testing different strategies and policies. The results of implementing that the designed model can provide a clear overview of the results of decisions made by managers and policymakers as well as changes in environmental stimuli.

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