Social Business Journal

Social Business Journal

Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services in the Context of Ecological Sustainability (Study Area: Vargar Basin Pastures)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
somaieh dehdari 1
Zohreh Khorsandi Kouhanestani 2
Fariba Noedoost 3
1 Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Khuzestan, Iran.
2 Department of Nature Engineering, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran.
3 Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan , Khuzestan, Iran.
10.22059/jsbu.2025.391739.1014
Abstract
As the country's largest natural resource component, rangelands are crucial in providing a stable foundation for economic development. These areas not only sustain the livelihoods of their users but also form the basis for maintaining and developing associated industries. Proper attention to rangelands through various management methods ensures ecosystem survival, achieves sustainable development and production, creates employment and business opportunities, and ultimately improves the livelihood and well-being of beneficiaries. The current study investigated the effects of operational exclosure, seed spreading, and soil specifications in the Vargar rangeland, 10 km southwest of Abdanan County, Ilam Province. In this study, three corrective treatments were chosen, and next to them, some sites were selected as control sites, which were two-by-two neighbors. The soil was systematically semi-pre-slippery throughout three transects of 100 m at depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm in soil, and corrective action was carried out. Soil samples were transferred to the laboratory and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels were measured. Studying the changes in soil specifications using a t-dependent test demonstrated that the factors significantly differed from those in the control area. In addition, the analysis of variance among the three corrective operations at both investigated depths showed a significant difference. After confirming the significance of the pasture improvement operation, the volume of materials added to the soil was evaluated, and the amount of profit from preserving nutrients in the 15 years of project implementation was estimated at 239,360.5 million Rials and 15,957.37 million Rials annually.
Keywords
Economic Valuation
Exclosure
Pasture Restoration
Seed Spreading
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