Assessment of livability trends and ecological zoning in arid and semi-arid regions: Evidence from Chabahar, Konarak, and Zarabad, Iran

Abstract

Ecological livability is a key concept in environmental and ecology studies, playing a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and promoting sustainability. Given its importance, numerous studies in Chinese cities have assessed and ranked ecological livability based on various ecological indicators. However, the ecological potential of other regions has received comparatively less attention. A major research gap in existing studies is the lack of zoning frameworks for livable settlements based on ecological indicators. This study addresses this gap by investigating whether the spatial distribution of human settlements in the Chabahar, Konarak, and Zarabad counties of southeastern Iran aligns with the area’s ecological capacities and potentials. To this end, the study first examines livability trends over the period 2010 – 2022. It then identifies optimal zones for livable settlement development using 27 ecological indicators. For this purpose, regions in southern and southeastern Iran were selected, and the evaluation was conducted using multi-source data and geographic information system tools. The results indicate that ecological indicators in the region are in a sensitive and fragile state, and livability trends exhibit a sinusoidal pattern over time. In addition, the zoning analysis indicates that many current settlements are not located in ecologically suitable areas according to livability standards. The findings provide a basis for informed decision-making in human settlement development. They also enable planners to better understand the existing conditions and to formulate strategies that enhance resilience and improve livability in urban communities in the face of natural and anthropogenic challenges.

Keywords

Ecological livability / Sustainability / Livability trend / Spatial analysis / Spatial zoning / Iran

Acknowledgments

None.

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Mehdi Azari, Seyed Mostafa Hedayatnezhad Kashi Investigation: Mehdi Azari, Seyed Mostafa Hedayatnezhad Kashi Methodology: Mehdi Azari, Seyed Mostafa Hedayatnezhad Kashi Writing – original draft: Sedigheh Lotfi, Samira Mohamadi Writing – review & editing: Sedigheh Lotfi, Samira Mohamadi

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

[1] Åberg, E. U., & Tapsell, S. (2013). Revisiting the river skerne: The long-term social benefits of river rehabilitation. Landscape and Urban Planning, 113: 94-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.01.009

[2] Alderton, A., Davern, M., Nitvimol, K., Butterworth, I., Higgs, C., Ryan, E., et al. (2019). What is the meaning of urban liveability for a city in a low-to-middle-income country? Contextualising liveability for Bangkok, Thailand. Globalization and health , 15(1): 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0484-8

[3] Anderson, R. K., Pasciuti, D. S., & Sellers, C. M. (2024). Livability vs. affordability; disability and housing in the United States. Social Sciences, 13(6): 291. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060291

[4] Baig, F., Rana, I. A., & Talpur, M. A. H. (2019). Determining factors influencing residents’ satisfaction regarding urban livability in Pakistan. International Journal of Community Well-Being, 2(2): 91-110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-019-00026-w

[5] Baumgärtner, S., & Quaas, M. F. (2009). Ecological-economic viability as a criterion of strong sustainability under uncertainty. Ecological Economics, 68(7): 2008-2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.01.016

[6] Berardi, A., Mistry, J., Tschirhart, C., Bignante, E., Davis, O., Haynes, L., et al. (2015). Applying the system viability framework for cross-scalar governance of nested social-ecological systems in the Guiana Shield, South America. Ecology and Society, 20(3): 42. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07865-200342

[7] Brode, P., Fiala, D., Błazejczyk, K., Holmer, I., Jendritzky, G., Kampmann, B., et al. (2012). Deriving the operational procedure for the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). International Journal of Biometeorology, 56: 481-494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-011-0454-1

[8] Chen, M., Wang, T., Liu, Y., Zhang, S., & Zhang, Y. (2024). Research on remote sensing ecological livability index based on Google Earth Engine: A case study from Urumqi-Changji-Shihezi urban cluster. PeerJ, 12: e17872. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17872

[9] Chigbu, U. E., editor. (2021). Land Governance and Gender: The Tenure-gender Nexus in Land Management and Land Policy . Oxfordshire: CABI. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781789247664.0000

[10] Cleland, C. L., Ferguson, S., Kee, F., Kelly, P., Williams, A. J., Nightingale, G., et al. (2021). Adaptation and testing of a microscale audit tool to assess liveability using google street view: MAPS-liveability. Journal of Transport and Health, 22: 101226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2021.101226

[11] Cui, H., Fang, H., Tian, Y., Zheng, W., Li, W., & Tian, W. (2022). Evaluation of livability of Wuhan under ecological construction and analysis of its spatial pattern. Sustainability, 14(18): 11283. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811283

[12] Fan, M., Zhang, Z., & Wang, C. (2019). Optimization of annual generator maintenance scheduling. In: Mathematical Models and Algorithms for Power System Optimization. pp. 49-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813231-9.00003-0

[13] Fan, Z., Wang, Y., & Feng, Y. (2021). Ecological livability assessment of urban agglomerations in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao greater bay area. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24): 13349. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413349

[14] Farzanegan, M. R., Mohammadikhabbazan, M., & Sadeghi, H. (2015). Effect of Oil Sanctions on the Macroeconomic and Household Welfare in Iran: New Evidence from a CGE model, MAGKS Joint Discussion Paper Series in Economics, No. 07 , Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Marburg.

[15] Flämig, H., Lunkeit, S., Rosenberger, K., & Wolff, J. (2020). Enlarging the scale of BEVs through environmental zoning to reduce GHG emissions: A case study for the city of Hamburg. Research in Transportation Business and Management, 36: 100418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2019.100418

[16] Fu, B., Yu, D., & Zhang, Y. (2019). The livable urban landscape: GIS and remote sensing extracted land use assessment for urban livability in Changchun Proper, China. Land Use Policy, 87: 104048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104048

[17] Fu, C., & Zhang, H. (2023). Evaluation of Urban ecological livability from a synergistic perspective: A case study of Beijing City, China. Sustainability, 15(13): 10476. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310476

[18] Gomiero, T. (2016). Soil degradation, land scarcity and food security: Reviewing a complex challenge. Sustainability, 8(3): 281. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030281

[19] Gong, F., & Chen, X. (2020), August. Study on the evaluation of ecological livable city in Anhui based on intuitionistic fuzzy theory. In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 555(1): 012089. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/555/1/012089

[20] Hashemkhani Zolfani, S., Hedayatnezhad Kashi, S. M., & Baharvandi, S. (2022). The assessment of ecological livability for agricultural, pasture, forestry, residential, and tourism activities; study area: North of Iran. Sustainability, 14(19): 12638. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912638

[21] Hedayatnezhad Kashi, S. M., Farrokhzadeh, S., Baharvandi, S., & Zolfani, S. H. (2024). Effects of extreme weather events and climate change on cities’ livability. Cities, 151: 105114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105114

[22] Jun, S., Li, M., & Jung, J. (2022). Air pollution (PM2.5) negatively affects urban livability in South Korea and China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(20): 13049. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013049

[23] Karimi, A., & Turkamani, H. S. (2021). US-imposed economic sanctions on Iran in the COVID-19 crisis from the human rights perspective. International Journal of Health Services, 51(4): 570-572. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207314211024912

[24] Li, X., Yang, H., Jia, J., Shen, Y., & Liu, J. (2021). Index system of sustainable rural development based on the concept of ecological livability. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 86: 106478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2020.106478

[25] Liang, L., Deng, X., Wang, P., Wang, Z., & Wang, L. (2020). Assessment of the impact of climate change on cities livability in China. Science of the Total Environment, 726: 138339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138339

[26] Lloyd, K., Fullagar, S., & Reid, S. (2016). Where is the “social” in constructions of “liveability”? Exploring community, social interaction and social cohesion in changing urban environments. Urban Policy and Research, 34(4): 343-355. https://doi.org/10.1080/08111146.2015.1118374

[27] Lorusso, M.L., Borasio, F., Da Rold, M., & Martinuzzi, A. (2021). Towards consensus on good practices for the use of new technologies for intervention and support in developmental dyslexia: A Delphi study conducted among Italian specialized professionals. Children, 8(12): 1126. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8121126

[28] Lowe, M., Whitzman, C., Badland, H., Davern, M., Aye, L., Hes, D., et al. (2015). Planning healthy, liveable and sustainable cities: How can indicators inform policy?. Urban Policy and Research, 33(2): 131-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/08111146.2014.1002606

[29] Lu, D., Yu, G., Zhao, P., & Wen, Z. (2012). Eco-livable assessment of central plains urban group. Ecological Economics, 1: 351-354. https://doi.org/10.1080/08111146.2015.1118374

[30] Luo, J., Zhai, S., Song, G., He, X., Song, H., Chen, J., et al. (2022). Assessing inequity in green space exposure toward a “15-minute city” in Zhengzhou, China: Using deep learning and urban big data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10): 5798. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105798

[31] McGreevy, M., Harris, P., Delany-Crowe, T., Fisher, M., Sainsbury, P., & Baum, F. (2019). Can health and health equity be advanced by urban planning strategies designed to advance global competitiveness? Lessons from two Australian case studies. Social Science and Medicine, 242: 112594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112594

[32] McMillan, S. S., King, M., & Tully, M. P. (2016). How to use the nominal group and Delphi techniques. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 38(3): 655-662. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0257-x

[33] Mouratidis, K. (2021). Urban planning and quality of life: A review of pathways linking the built environment to subjective well-being. Cities, 115: 103229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103229

[34] Olthuis, J. K. (2021). City Apps: Improving Wetslum Livability with Floating Services. [Dissertation (TU Delft), Delft University of Technology]. https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:0063268f-1714-429a-93b9-c3a56631413f

[35] Pan, Y., Wang, Y., Wang, Y., Xie, Y., Dong, J., & Liu, M. (2023). Spatiotemporal dynamics of the suitability for ecological livability of green spaces in the central yunnan urban agglomeration. Sustainability, 15(22): 15964. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215964

[36] Pazaveh, A. (2023). Investigating drought and wetness in Chabahar city using the SPI index. Geography and Human Relations, 5(4): 110-127. https://doi.org/10.22034/gahr.2022.346601.1725

[37] Poom, A., Ahas, R., & Orru, K. (2014). The impact of residential location and settlement hierarchy on ecological footprint. Environment and Planning A, 46(10): 2369-2384. https://doi.org/10.1068/a140059p

[38] Qian, Z. (2010). Without zoning: Urban development and land use controls in Houston. Cities, 27(1): 31-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2009.11.006

[39] Ruszczyk, H. A., Halligey, A., Rahman, M. F., & Ahmed, I. (2023). Liveability and vitality: An exploration of small cities in Bangladesh. Cities, 133: 104150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.104150

[40] Shi, C., Guo, N., Zeng, L., & Wu, F. (2022). How climate change is going to affect urban livability in China. Climate Services, 26: 100284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100284

[41] Sistan and Baluchestan Meteorological Organization. (2020). Annual Climate Data for Sistan and Baluchestan. Zahedan, Iran: Sistan and Baluchestan Meteorological Organization .

[42] Vollmer, D., Prescott, M. F., Padawangi, R., Girot, C., & Grêt-Regamey, A. (2015). Understanding the value of urban riparian corridors: Considerations in planning for cultural services along an Indonesian river. Landscape and Urban Planning, 138: 144-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.02.011

[43] Wang, L., Zhou, Y., Wang, F., Ding, L., Love, P. E., & Li, S. (2021). The influence of the built environment on people’s mental health: An empirical classification of causal factors. Sustainable Cities and Society, 74: 103185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.103185

[44] Wang, Q., Wang, Q., & Wang, X. (2024). Can “sponge city” pilots enhance ecological livability: Evidence from China. PLoS One, 19(6): e0297251. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297251

[45] Wang, Y., Miao, Z., Lu, Y., & Zhu, Y. (2023). The impact of economic development on urban livability: Evidence from 40 large and medium-sized cities of China. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 33(9): 1767-1790. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-023-2152-4

[46] Xiao, Y., Chai, J., Wang, R., & Huang, H. (2022). Assessment and key factors of urban liveability in underdeveloped regions: A case study of the Loess Plateau, China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 79: 103674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.103674

[47] Yazdandoost, F., Moradian, S., Izadi, A., & Bavani, A. M. (2020). A framework for developing a spatial high-resolution daily precipitation dataset over a data-sparse region. Heliyon, 6(9): e05091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05091.

[48] Yi, X., Jue, W., & Huan, H. (2021). Does economic development bring more livability? Evidence from Jiangsu Province, China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 293: 126187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126187

[49] Yu, J., Li, X., Guan, X., & Shen, H. (2024). A remote sensing assessment index for urban ecological livability and its application. Geo-Spatial Information Science, 27(2): 289-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2022.2072775

[50] Zhao, J., Yan, J., Ran, Q., Yang, X., Su, X., & Shen, J. (2022). Does the opening of high-speed railways improve urban livability? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 82: 101275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2022.101275

[51] Zolfani, S. H., Kashi, S. M. H., & Antuchevičienė, J. (2023). Evaluation of urban livability based on spatial distribution and functional radius of land uses. International Journal of Strategic Property Management, 27(6): 362-378. https://doi.org/10.3846/ijspm.2023.20580