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Assessment of Vulnerability and Resilience to Land Degradation

Soleimani, Yeganeh | 2024

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 57003 (09)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Civil Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Moghim, Sanaz
  7. Abstract:
  8. In recent decades, especially with the increase of greenhouse gases and global warming, land degradation has become one of the important global environmental issues. Land degradation has significant impacts on soil performance, vegetation cover, crops, and even the dispersion of dust particles. Land degradation is a complex phenomenon that is affected by multiple factors. Thus, it is necessary to identify these factors and then assess the degree of vulnerability and resilience to it globally. Proper indicators can clarify the integration and effective linkage between related parameters. This study aims to develop a Land Degradation Vulnerability Index (LDVI) using parameters such as population density, temperature anomalies, precipitation, vegetation cover, wind speed, surface soil moisture, slope and aspect, salinity, calcium carbonate, exchangeable sodium percentage, bulk density, and soil texture. In addition to the vulnerability index, the Land Degradation Resilience Index (LDRI) is defined using parameters such as cation exchange capacity, soil organic carbon, soil clay fraction, gross domestic production, and soil moisture in the root zone. These indicators are classified into three classes including low, moderate, and high in 2001 to 2020 to assess the vulnerability and resilience of different regions. Each high and moderate vulnerability class accounts for more than 30% and the low and moderate resilience class accounts for more than 45% and 35% of the study area, respectively. In the second decade there is no significant changes in vulnerability compared to the first decade while there has been an improvement in terms of resilience. The validation results of LDVI with the De martonne Aridity Index are 87.2% and 86.5% for the first and second decades, respectively, and the validation results of LDRI with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trend slope are equal to 82.5% and 81.5 % for the first and second decade. Thus, results confirm that the indicators performed well. In general, precipitation and climatic conditions have a remarkable impact on land degradation vulnerability, and drier areas are more prone to higher levels of vulnerability. Proper economic conditions and related studies are crucial for countries to build resilience against land degradation. Parts of Australia, Northeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, North and parts of South Africa, Western South America, and northern regions of North America are exposed to the worst conditions, characterized by high vulnerability and low resilience. The best conditions (low vulnerability and high resilience) are observed in Southeast Asia, Eastern North America, and small areas in Europe, Africa, and South America. Global results of vulnerability and resilience to land degradation in this study are useful for researchers and decision makers to prevent further land degradation and improve soil quality
  9. Keywords:
  10. Vulnerability ; Resilience Index ; Precipitation ; Onshore ; Land Degradation ; Economic Condition

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