Develop a methodology for evaluation of the environmental sensitivity areas to desertification in the Maysan Province, Iraq

Abstract

Systematic studies have been conducted in the present work to develop a methodology for evaluation of the environmental sensitivity areas to desertification. The area selected for the study is the Maysan Governorate which is located in the southern eastern part of Iraq. The methodology involves use of an integrated approach comprised of data generated from remote sensing assisted by population data, climatic factors, field survey and available previous studies. All data were classified and integrated in GIS environments to develop a model using a mathematical overlapping weights. This model is theoretically based on the relationship between a number of indicators directly related to the effect of desertification, namely Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized difference Water index (NDWI), Salinity Index (SI), Eolin Mapping Index (EMI), population data and climate factors. Weights have been giving by expert’s scientists for each indicator and within the class-specific index and classes with the help of ArcGIS and the Raster Calculator toolbox. Thus, a possible map of sensitivity areas to desertification in Maysan provenance desertification was obtained. Based on the analysis of this map the entire area divided into five possible sensitive grades, which are highly sensitive, high, moderate, low and very low. It is noted that the area affected or highly sensitive to desertification is located in the north and west of the study area due to the presence of sand dunes and salinity, while desertification decreases towards the city center because of the increase in rainfall and abundant vegetation.