Impacts of Hyrcanian forest ecosystem loss: the case of Northern Iran

Land use change (LUC) of forest ecosystems and their deforestation are global crises that have had many consequences in Asia at the twentieth century. The purpose of this research is to identify, weigh, and prioritize the forest LUC consequences in northern Iran. Therefore, the study applied the Delphi method to identify the consequences of forest LUC. In addition, the weight of consequences was calculated with Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA). Moreover, the priority of consequences of the Hyrcanian forest ecosystem land use change (HFELUC) was determined with Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS), and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. Research data were collected by completing a questionnaire by 30 specialists of forest science. Finally, 18 important consequences of the HFELUC in northern Iran were identified based on the specialist’s opinions. The results showed that the consequences of decreasing plant and animal biodiversity, reducing water quality and quantity, and changes in biological, physical, and chemical soil properties were the most important consequences of HFELUC. According to the forest LUC consequences, it is suggested that the effective factors in the forest LUC and the preservation of Hyrcanian forests should be considered and identified by the experts and officials of Iran.