Spatial assessment of desertification severity using climate, soil, vegetation, and water criteria and presenting a management plan (Case study: Isfahan Province)

Mousavi, Seyyed Ali

doi:10.22059/ije.2025.404049.1889

Spatial assessment of desertification severity using climate, soil, vegetation, and water criteria and presenting a management plan (Case study: Isfahan Province)

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Seyyed Ali Mousavi

Assistant Professor, Drylands Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, University of Kashan

10.22059/ije.2025.404049.1889

Abstract

Research Topic: Land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions due to human activities and climate change leads to desertification.
Objective: In this study, the IMDPA model was used to spatially assess the intensity of desertification in Isfahan Province with four main criteria: vegetation, soil, climate, and water.
Method: The criteria were scored based on field observations and regional conditions. The index map of each criterion was combined with the geometric mean method, and then a desertification severity map of each criterion and a final map of the province were prepared using ArcGIS software. Also, a management plan to reduce desertification was developed using the SWOT model.
Results: The results indicate that climate, vegetation, soil, and water criteria are the most important factors of desertification, respectively. The climate criterion with a geometric value of 3.08 was in the severe class, and vegetation (2.72), soil (1.98), and water (1.07) were in the moderate class. Drought indices, annual precipitation, and vegetation renewal were the most important, and groundwater table decline, vegetation exploitation, and percentage of rocks and gravel were the least important factors.
Conclusions: The final map showed that 5.52 percent of the area is in the low desertification class and the rest is in the medium desertification class. SWOT analysis showed a defensive pattern for Isfahan province. Among the internal strengths, appropriate indigenous knowledge shows the greatest impact and water transfer to neighboring provinces shows the least impact. In terms of external opportunities, the government's attention to desertification and the restoration of the Zayandeh Rood River have the greatest positive impact, and the number of sunny hours for solar panels have the least positive impact. Internal weaknesses include dry climate and water shortages, which have the greatest negative impact, and overgrazing of livestock, which has the least negative impact. Also, in terms of external threats, proximity to the desert and dust production show the greatest negative impact, and inefficient governance management shows the least negative impact.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Water Resources Management in Natural Ecosystems

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