Multi-criteria analysis in Artemia farming site selection for sustainable desert ecosystems planning and management (case study: Siahkouh Playa, Iran)

Arid environments and desert ecosystems which contain several potential resources such as unconventional water sources are remarkable areas for developing projects. To prevent undesirable consequences caused by desert conditions, it is necessary to determine which areas are suitable. The current study identified suitable areas for the development of Artemia farming in the Siahkouh Playa, Yazd, Iran using the multi-criteria decision-making method based on the TOPSIS technique. The decision-making group was determined, and then, the most important criteria in determining a suitable area in the study region were identified. The second questionnaire was designed to determine the rate of each criterion in choosing the best alternative. The results showed that three main factors are effective in determining a suitable area for Artemia farming units in a desert ecosystem, which, according to their importance were environment, technology, and socioeconomics. Results also indicated that the best choice among the three alternatives is to consider the geomorphological faces as the assessing and monitoring unit of other criteria in arid regions and desert ecosystems. In the current research area, clay pan geomorphological features were found to be suitable for Artemia farming.