Testing Possible Scenario-Based Responses of Vegetation Under Expected Climatic Changes in Khuzestan Province

Projections of future scenarios are scarce in developing countries where human activities are increasing and impacting land uses. We present a research based on the assessment of the baseline trends of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), precipitation, and temperature data for the Khuzestan Province, Iran, from 1984 to 2015 compiled from ground-based and remotely sensed sources. To achieve this goal, the Sen’s slope estimator, the Mann-Kendall test, and Pearson’s correlation test were used. After that, future trends in precipitation and temperature were estimated using the Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM2) model and were then used to estimate the NDVI trend for two future periods: from 2016 to 2046 and from 2046 to 2075. Our results showed that during the baseline period, precipitation decreased at all stations: 33.3% displayed a significant trend and the others were insignificant ones. Over the same period, the temperature increased at 66.7% of stations while NDVI decreased at all stations. The NDVI–precipitation relationship was positive while NDVI–temperature showed an inverse trend. During the first of the possible future periods and under the RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 scenarios, NDVI and precipitation decreased, and temperatures significantly increased. In addition, the same trends were observed during the second future period; most of these were statistically significant. We conclude that much assessments are valuable and integral components of effective ecosystem planning and decisions.

The Conceptual vs Reality of Ecotourism Approaches and Strategies in Pangkor Island, Malaysia

<p>Small islands are seen as iconic destinations for ecotourism due to their rich natural biodiversity and spectacular surroundings. Malaysia has a substantial number of islands, numbering approximately 878 islands. Pangkor Island is a popular destination among domestic and international tourists alike. However, the tourism industry can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, tourism development can improve quality of life and economic prospects of local communities; and on the other hand, it may inflict to destruction on the island’s sensitive ecosystem. Natural environment is the core attraction for Pangkor Island. However, the extensive development undertaken to match the high intensity of tourist arrivals can lead to deleterious effect on the natural environment and diminish the overall quality of the tourists’ experience. This paper attempts to explore the dichotomy between ecotourism concept and tourism development in Pangkor by exploring protection strategies and ecotourism management approaches in relation to Pangkor Island. The findings described in this paper are based on an evaluation of the existing planning strategies concerning tourism development, environmental conservation, observation and interviews with visitors in Pangkor Island. Lack of environmental practice among tour operators has led to significant threat to the island’s ecosystem. Consequently, Pangkor Island require imperative attention in ensuring the sustainability of the ecosystem. Planning and development strategies for managing Pangkor and adjacent smaller islands need to be taken into consideration by acknowledging baseline conditions and present day realities.</p>