Abstract
Soil salinity is one of the serious environmental problems ravaging the soils of arid and semi-arid region, thereby affecting crop productivity, livestock, increase level of poverty and land degradation. Hyperspectral remote sensing is one of the important techniques to monitor, analyze and estimate the extent and severity of soil salt at regional to local scale. In this study we develop a model for the detection of salt-affected soils in arid and semi-arid regions and in our case it’s Ghannouch, Gabes. We used fourteen spectral indices and six spectral bands extracted from the Hyperion data. Linear Spectral Unmixing technique (LSU) was used in this study to improve the correlation between electrical conductivity and spectral indices and then improve the prediction of soil salinity as well as the reliability of the model. To build the model a multiple linear regression analysis was applied using the best correlated indices. The standard error of the estimate is about 1.57 mS/cm. The results of this study show that hyperion data is accurate and suitable for differentiating between categories of salt affected soils. The generated model can be used for management strategies in the future.
Highlights
Soil degradation as a result of increased accumulation of salt content in the soil is one of the major environmental problems in arid and semi-arid region of the world ([1] [2])
In this study we develop a model for the detection of salt-affected soils in arid and semi-arid regions and in our case it’s Ghannouch, Gabes
Linear Spectral Unmixing technique (LSU) was used in this study to improve the correlation between electrical conductivity and spectral indices and improve the prediction of soil salinity as well as the reliability of the model
Summary
Soil degradation as a result of increased accumulation of salt content in the soil is one of the major environmental problems in arid and semi-arid region of the world ([1] [2]). Apart from human-induced salinization caused by improper irrigation practices and poor drainage system ([6] [7] [8]), climatic factor such as low precipitation exacerbate soil salinity ([9]-[15]). Estimates of salinity differ from one author to another, the areas affected are generally estimated at one billion hectares, which represents 7% of the total surface area of the continents [16], 77 million hectares are saline soils induced by human activity, 58% in irrigated areas [17]. An example of a country from arid to semi-arid climate, is exposed by soil salinization; about 10% of Tunisia’s areas are already affected by salinization in varying degrees ([18] [19])
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