Impact of Source Area Desertification on Dust Storm Emission in the Western Parts of Iran

Davoud Akhzari,Kamran Shayesteh,Behnaz Attaeian,Mohammad Gonbad

doi:10.12944/cwe.9.3.11

Abstract

Iraq is one of the main sources of western part of Iran’s dust storm. Iran’s western part dust storms considered hazardous problem that cause many environment and socio-economic impacts. Sensitive areas to desertification were identified by Environmental Sensitivity Areas (ESAs) in the source area of western part of Iran’s dust storms for 2003 and 2007. RS and GIS data have been used to assess the desertification severity and its relation with the pervasive dust storms occurrences in western parts of Iran. The comparison of ESAs maps over studied years, indicate the severity of desertification has been increased in 2007. Source area desertification may cause western part of Iran’s dust storms. Generally, the occurrences of western part of Iran’s dust storms have become more frequent over studied years.

Highlights

Desertification is one of the most drastic problems in many countries (UNCCD, 2008)
Source area wind erosion leads to dust storm emission (Gillette et al, 1980)
The Environmental Sensitivity Areas (ESAs) model was based on four indicators that represent of the soil quality, the climate, vegetation and of the management practices (Ladisa et al, 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Desertification is one of the most drastic problems in many countries (UNCCD, 2008). This phenomenon resulted by process set in vulnerable environments. Arid and semi-arid natural vegetation resources exploitation causes soil erosion that has led to desertification (Mainguet and Letolle, 1998). For identification of areas vulnerable to desertification the ESAs model could be used (Kosmas et al, 1999). The ESAs model was based on four indicators that represent of the soil quality (texture, rock fragments, drainage, parent material, soil depth), the climate (rainfall, aridity, aspects), vegetation (plant cover, fire risk, erosion protection, resistance to aridity) and of the management practices (intensity of land use in rural zones, pastures and forest areas, managerial policies) (Ladisa et al, 2002)

Methods

Results

Conclusion