Utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) in Assessing the Ecological Potential of Malayer County for Urban Development Management and Identifying Development-Friendly Areas

The increase in urbanization and land use for urban development without considering ecological capacities and environmental potentials leads to adverse consequences and environmental destruction. Therefore, this research aims to determine suitable areas for urban development based on the indices of the ecological development model in Iran within the Malāyer county, using a multi-criteria decision-making method based on GIS. Initially, ecological parameters, including physical and biological parameters affecting urban development, were studied and identified. Then, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method was used to determine the weights of the criteria, and fuzzy membership functions were employed for their standardization. Finally, analyses were conducted using the Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) and ANP methods, resulting in the extraction of the ecological development potential map for Malāyer county. The results indicate that, based on the ANP method, ۴۳% of the total area has lands with a potential of grade one, while ۱۹% has unsuitable lands for urban development. Moreover, the findings suggest that completely suitable areas for urban development are mostly located in the northern and central parts of the region.

کلیدواژه ها:

ecological potential assessment ، Urban development management ، ANP Model ، geographic information system (GIS) ، Malāyer county