Abstract
The Issen basin is a dry area affected by climate variability and desertification. It is located in high spot of Moroccan flora biodiversity that includes argan tree ecosystem as a part of the Western High Atlas (WHA). The objective of this work is to assess rainfall variability and erosivity as determining factors of soil erosion and vegetation cover degradation. The results reveal an arid to superior semi-arid climate where annual rainfall range from 200 mm in the centre of the Argana corridor, to 500 mm in the snow-covered northern foothills. The analysis of the 37 years of rainfall data indicate a coefficient of variation Cvis about67%. The erosivity index presents a high variability range from 34 to more than 81 MJ.mm/ha.h.yr in the wettest areas, indicating considerable soil erosion. In addition, the basin suffering from severe periods of drought due to the occurrence of the continuous decrease of the accumulated precipitation. Eventually, the rainfall variability and erosivity can affect ecosystem function and services (ecosystem degradation, water availability, etc).
Highlights
The Moroccan country characterized by three different climatic systems; the humid Mediterranean and humid Atlantic climates in the north and the arid Saharan climate in the south [1]
The rainfall ranges from 100 to 350 mm/year in the Timzgadiouine and Argana basin because they are well protected by the high plateaus of the Ida-ou-Bouzia and Ida-ouTanana which brock up the oceanic effects.due to its high altitude, the ancient Western High Atlas (WHA) massif receives an average precipitation more than 400 mm/year
The study investigated the indicators of drought and climatic aggressiveness in the Issen basin in order to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation and evaluate the rainfall erosivity
Summary
The Moroccan country characterized by three different climatic systems; the humid Mediterranean and humid Atlantic climates in the north and the arid Saharan climate in the south [1]. It was affected by a longest dry period which characterized by rainfall decrease and temperatures increase [2]. 53% of the total country was affected [3]. The rainfall decrease affects the vegetation cover growth, especially, in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains [4]. The analysis of the rainfall data is crucial for assessing current environmental constraints and for optimal management of the limited water resources [5].In general, the climate change amplify existing risks and generate new ones for natural and human systems [6]
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