Assessment of Land Degradation Vulnerability Using GIS-Based Multicriteria Decision Analysis in Zakho District, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Abstract

AbstractThe combination of GIS and multicriteria decision analysis approach was applied for assessment of land degradation vulnerability in Zakho District in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. First, a literature review was conducted to select effective parameters related to land degradation vulnerability. Three main groups of parameters, including physical, chemical, and socio-economic, were defined as effective criteria. The selected parameters were land use/land cover, slope, soil erosion rate, soil salinity, soil sodicity, soil organic carbon, soil acidity, and population density. The data were acquired from several sources, and the maps of the parameters were created in ArcGIS 10.3 version. The maps were standardized and adjusted in similar units and then aggregated using a weighted overlay method to show the spatial pattern of land degradation risk in the study area. The result indicated that only 7% be susceptible in the study area, while 50 and 43% were categorized as low and moderate levels, respectively. The land degradation risk is mainly due to natural factors such as slope and soil erosion. The result of this research could be useful for national organizations and agencies for sustainable land use planning and land management. KeywordsLand degradationSoil erosionGISMulticriteria decision analysisZakho