Iran-Water Resources Research

Iran-Water Resources Research

The Local Microclimate Response to Wetland Desiccation Based on Climate Extreme Indices (Case Study: Miankaleh Wetland)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Water Engineering Department, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
2 Professor, Water Engineering Department, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
10.22034/iwrr.2026.547592.2952
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of the desiccation of the Miankaleh Wetland on local climatic conditions. Analysis of satellite imagery and meteorological data from the Galogah Station over the period 2000 to 2024 indicates a 46% reduction in the wetland's area. An evaluation of 15 temperature extreme indices, including DTR, TXx, TNx, TX90p, SU, and TX10p, during the same period reveals a significant increasing trend in indices such as the warmest days, warmest nights, summer days, and the frequency of warm days. A two-year lag was identified between the year of a significant leap in wetland desiccation (2014) and the year of abrupt change in the aforementioned temperature indices (2016). This short temporal delay between the reduction in wetland area and the climatic response underscores the sensitivity of the regional ecosystem. Results from the Student's t-test at the 5% significance level demonstrate that the rate of change for the TXx and TX10p indices at the Galogah Station was 1.59 and 1.73 times greater, respectively, compared to the Sari Station during the year of the abrupt shift in these indices (2016). This comparison, along with an examination of urban development, suggests that the severe climatic changes in Galogah are primarily attributable to the wetland's desiccation, rather than global climate change or urbanization effects. The study concludes that the drying of the Miankaleh Wetland has played a direct and decisive role in intensifying local warming trends and disrupting the region's ecological balance.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 June 2026

  • Receive Date 16 September 2025
  • Revise Date 22 February 2026
  • Accept Date 06 June 2026