Abstract

Evaluations of the threatening factors to wetlands are necessary to sustain these ecosystems and improving them. The main goal was to identify and prioritize the factors threatening the Choghakhor wetland watershed. This research has been consisted of a cohort of 315 participants in an exploratory mixed method. Data analysis was performed by One-Sample T-Test and non-parametric Friedman Test. Factors threatening were evaluated and prioritized in four areas including: natural disasters, and biological, cultural and socio-economic threats. Living in the area, threats to this wetland are in an undesirable and unacceptable state. Likewise, the greatest impact is associated with the cultural threats and the biological threats obtaining the lowest priorities. In the field of cultural threats, a lack of coordination between government agencies in matters relating to the wetland with a mean score of 2.35. In the field of socio-economic threats, inter-basin water transfer from the Mount Sabzkouh to Choghakhor wetland with a mean score of 11.69; in terms of natural disasters, climate change and the melting of mountain glaciers with a mean score of 6.04; and, in the field of biological disasters, unauthorized grazing (over the production capacity of rangelands) have been recognized as the first priorities with a mean score of 2.29. As the final statements, it appears that cultural, followed by socio-economic threats are the most significant factors contributing to the destruction of this ecosystem. In the perspective of the participants, cultural and educational-based management could be the ideal solution for the current condition of the wetland.