IDENTIFICATION STUDIES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AREAS VULNERABLE TO DESERTIFICATION IN THE WESTERN PART OF ROMANIA

Abstract

SUMMARY The meaning of desertification is the diminution of the ecosystem’s biological productivity, resulting the extension of the soil a nd vegetation desert conditions and their intensification on the basis of the global climate changes. Through the study of the factors inducing the pheno menon followed by their superposition on the real conditions in the western part of Romania, there had been identified the areas vulnerable to desertification. The wester n zone is part of the territory with moderate risk of desertification, also having insular areas intensively affected by drought.[2] The amount of rainfall in this part of the country is the smallest in the most western point (Beba Veche-521,0mm), increasing towards East and South (Periam- 530,3mm; Sânnicolau Mare-541,4mm). [4] The multiannual average temperatures are over 10 0 C, being registered the values 10,5 0 C at Sânnicolau Mare and 10,7 0 C at Jimbolia and Banloc. [1] The vulnerability to drought of some soil types on the basis of the climatic warming and of the unfortunate anthropic influence (drainings, defores tation, overgrazing, bad agricultural activities) leaded towards the soils salinization, the lost of their fertility and also their compaction and crusting. With the help of some pedological maps [3] it had been established the distribution of these soil types. Thus, the are nosols are present in the zones Periam-Pesac,