year 12, Issue 3 (Autumn 2022)
E.E.R. 2022, 12(3): 1-17 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
maghsoudi M, pireh M. Identifying Vulnerable Areas to Desertification using the DVI Index (Case study: Kerman province). E.E.R. 2022; 12 (3) :1-17
URL: http://magazine.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-680-en.html
URL: http://magazine.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-680-en.html
Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Iran , maghsoud@ut.ac.ir
Abstract: (1256 Views)
1- Introduction
Desertification is a type of land degradation that often occurs in semi-humid, semi- arid, arid or hyper-arid areas. It becomes drier and loses its original structure, water, plants, and wildlife as a result of a variety of factors such as climate change, soil over-exploitation, and human activities.Common to all definitions of desertification is the severe destruction of the environment and the reduction of biological production of ecosystems due to desertification. Desertification of arid and semi-arid ecosystems is one of the most critical issues studied in ecosystems, which have severe economic and ecological impacts on a wide range of geographical areas with the potential risk of desertification. Desertification has many consequences that directly and indirectly affect human life, the most important of which are mass migration, poverty, water and food shortages, and conflicts over land and water resources. According to studies by the International Fund for Agriculture, desertification threatens 40 percent of the planet and directly affects 12 million hectares of land annually. Different regions have different potentials for desertification development depending on their hydro-climatic conditions. Iran's hydro-climatic situation has caused many parts of it, especially the eastern regions of the country, to be prone to desertification. Considering the direct effects of desertification on human life and its important environmental effects, in this study, vulnerable areas against desertification in Kerman province have been studied.
2- Methodology
In this study, in order to investigate the vulnerability of the study area, the DVI vulnerability index has been used. The information used in the research includes climatic information, a digital model of 30 m altitude, information about the type of soil in the area, and also some demographic information. The most important tool used in research has been ArcGIS. This research has been done in several stages. In the first step, the required information is collected. In the second step, in order to identify vulnerable areas, initially, the intra-layer weight of each parameter is determined and, subsequently, based on that, vulnerable areas are identified. In the third stage, using the DVI relationship and in ArcGIS software, a map of vulnerable areas against desertification has been prepared and then the status of desertification potential in Kerman cities has been evaluated.
3- Results
In this study, in order to identify the vulnerable areas of desertification, factors including climatic indicators, topographic indicators, soil characteristics and also demographic indicators have been used. Climatic indicators are one of the effective factors in determining the vulnerability of desert areas, so that areas with less rainfall, high temperature and drought index and more evaporation have a high potential for vulnerability. Soil status and slope are also effective factors in aggravating the vulnerability of areas. Land slope is one of the effective factors in permeability, erosion and runoff. Typically, steep areas have greater potential for vulnerability. Sand fields and salt marshes are also prone to desertification. Demographic indicators are also effective factors in desertification. Demographic indicators used in this study include population density, population growth and illiteracy. Typically, areas with high population density, high illiteracy rates, and high growth rates have greater potential for vulnerability and are prone to desertification.
4- Discussion & Conclusions
In this study, using DVI vulnerability index, the extent of desertification has been investigated in Kerman province. The results of the research indicate that a large part of the area of Kerman province is covered by areas with high and very high vulnerability, so that 61722 square kilometers (equivalent to 34.7%) of the area of the province is a class with high vulnerability potential and 32381 square kilometers (equivalent to 18.2%) of the province's area is covered by floors with very high vulnerability potential. The study of spatial distribution of vulnerable areas indicates that the southern regions of Kerman province have the highest potential for vulnerability due to climatic and demographic conditions. In this study, the level of vulnerability in different cities has been evaluated. Based on the results, the cities of Manojan, Qaleh Ganj and Anbarabad have the highest potential of vulnerability with 97, 96 and 91% of the areas, respectively. The results of the study also indicate that Kerman province has a high potential for vulnerability and the southern regions of the province are at risk of erosion, so it is necessary to plan for conducting measures to prevent desertification, especially in the southern regions of the province.
Desertification is a type of land degradation that often occurs in semi-humid, semi- arid, arid or hyper-arid areas. It becomes drier and loses its original structure, water, plants, and wildlife as a result of a variety of factors such as climate change, soil over-exploitation, and human activities.Common to all definitions of desertification is the severe destruction of the environment and the reduction of biological production of ecosystems due to desertification. Desertification of arid and semi-arid ecosystems is one of the most critical issues studied in ecosystems, which have severe economic and ecological impacts on a wide range of geographical areas with the potential risk of desertification. Desertification has many consequences that directly and indirectly affect human life, the most important of which are mass migration, poverty, water and food shortages, and conflicts over land and water resources. According to studies by the International Fund for Agriculture, desertification threatens 40 percent of the planet and directly affects 12 million hectares of land annually. Different regions have different potentials for desertification development depending on their hydro-climatic conditions. Iran's hydro-climatic situation has caused many parts of it, especially the eastern regions of the country, to be prone to desertification. Considering the direct effects of desertification on human life and its important environmental effects, in this study, vulnerable areas against desertification in Kerman province have been studied.
2- Methodology
In this study, in order to investigate the vulnerability of the study area, the DVI vulnerability index has been used. The information used in the research includes climatic information, a digital model of 30 m altitude, information about the type of soil in the area, and also some demographic information. The most important tool used in research has been ArcGIS. This research has been done in several stages. In the first step, the required information is collected. In the second step, in order to identify vulnerable areas, initially, the intra-layer weight of each parameter is determined and, subsequently, based on that, vulnerable areas are identified. In the third stage, using the DVI relationship and in ArcGIS software, a map of vulnerable areas against desertification has been prepared and then the status of desertification potential in Kerman cities has been evaluated.
3- Results
In this study, in order to identify the vulnerable areas of desertification, factors including climatic indicators, topographic indicators, soil characteristics and also demographic indicators have been used. Climatic indicators are one of the effective factors in determining the vulnerability of desert areas, so that areas with less rainfall, high temperature and drought index and more evaporation have a high potential for vulnerability. Soil status and slope are also effective factors in aggravating the vulnerability of areas. Land slope is one of the effective factors in permeability, erosion and runoff. Typically, steep areas have greater potential for vulnerability. Sand fields and salt marshes are also prone to desertification. Demographic indicators are also effective factors in desertification. Demographic indicators used in this study include population density, population growth and illiteracy. Typically, areas with high population density, high illiteracy rates, and high growth rates have greater potential for vulnerability and are prone to desertification.
4- Discussion & Conclusions
In this study, using DVI vulnerability index, the extent of desertification has been investigated in Kerman province. The results of the research indicate that a large part of the area of Kerman province is covered by areas with high and very high vulnerability, so that 61722 square kilometers (equivalent to 34.7%) of the area of the province is a class with high vulnerability potential and 32381 square kilometers (equivalent to 18.2%) of the province's area is covered by floors with very high vulnerability potential. The study of spatial distribution of vulnerable areas indicates that the southern regions of Kerman province have the highest potential for vulnerability due to climatic and demographic conditions. In this study, the level of vulnerability in different cities has been evaluated. Based on the results, the cities of Manojan, Qaleh Ganj and Anbarabad have the highest potential of vulnerability with 97, 96 and 91% of the areas, respectively. The results of the study also indicate that Kerman province has a high potential for vulnerability and the southern regions of the province are at risk of erosion, so it is necessary to plan for conducting measures to prevent desertification, especially in the southern regions of the province.
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2021/09/11 | Published: 2022/09/21
Received: 2021/09/11 | Published: 2022/09/21
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
