ASSESSMENT OF THE TRENDS OF LAND USE AND CLIMATE CHANGES IN CHOGHAKHOR WETLAND LANDSCAPE EMPHASIZING ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Introduction Land use change and climate change are the major concerns in the global environment. Many environmental parameters affect the behavior of the earth’s climate system and its terrestrial components. Effects of land use and land cover changes have direct influences on climate changes. Now, climate change is known widely as a global health problem that has adverse impacts on natural and man-made environments. Assessment of the trend of land use changes is a process that leads to understanding the interaction between humans and the environment. This problem is more important in the sensitive areas and spatially on wetlands. The hydrological and bio-geological functions of many wetlands depend on ground and surface water ecosystems as well as its place in landscape. Therefore, the development and changes in contiguous ecosystems particularly change in water flow can cause damage and even destroy the wetland. This study aims to identify and analyze the environmental changes and pressures on Choghakhor Wetland landscape. This wetland is located between 50° 52 to 50° 56 E and 31° 54 to 31° 56 N in height 2270 meters above mean sea level. Choghakhor Wetland located in Zagros Mountains, with area of 1600 hectares, has freshwater resources. It is located in non-protected area in prohibited hunting zone that 2500 ha proposed for refugee site.