Scholarlink

<p>Land degradation in arid regions is often assessed through sensitivity mapping, which highlights potential risk but fails to quantify the actual severity of soil constraints. Building on previous desertification sensitivity research in Balat, El-Dakhla Oasis, Egypt, this study introduces a diagnostic framework that integrates soil profile analysis with spectral validation to produce a Composite Degradation Index (DI). Thirty georeferenced soil profiles were examined for salinity (ECe), calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), gypsum, gravel content, and texture, each classified into severity levels using FAO and USDA thresholds. These indicators were aggregated into a DI (0–100), delineating four degradation classes: Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. GIS interpolation revealed heterogeneous degradation patterns, with severe multi-factor hotspots concentrated in reclaimed lands. Validation with Sentinel‑2-derived NDVI and albedo confirmed strong correspondence between vegetation decline, surface reflectance, and high DI values (R² = 0.664). Results indicate that 10% of the study area is under very high degradation, 30% high, 50% moderate, and only 10% low. Unlike conventional sensitivity mapping, this status-based diagnosis provides management-oriented outputs, identifying remediation bundles tailored to specific constraints (e.g., drainage for saline soils, micronutrient supplementation for calcareous soils, stabilization for gypsiferous soils, organic amendments for gravelly textures). By bridging soil diagnostics with desertification frameworks, the study advances a reproducible methodology for monitoring degradation severity and supports targeted conservation planning in arid agroecosystems.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

From sensitivity to diagnosis: a composite soil degradation index for conservation planning in arid lands

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

查看全文
  • Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman,
  • Ali R. A. Moursy,
  • Moatez A. El-Sayed,
  • Alaa H. Abdel-Azeem

摘要

Land degradation in arid regions is often assessed through sensitivity mapping, which highlights potential risk but fails to quantify the actual severity of soil constraints. Building on previous desertification sensitivity research in Balat, El-Dakhla Oasis, Egypt, this study introduces a diagnostic framework that integrates soil profile analysis with spectral validation to produce a Composite Degradation Index (DI). Thirty georeferenced soil profiles were examined for salinity (ECe), calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), gypsum, gravel content, and texture, each classified into severity levels using FAO and USDA thresholds. These indicators were aggregated into a DI (0–100), delineating four degradation classes: Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. GIS interpolation revealed heterogeneous degradation patterns, with severe multi-factor hotspots concentrated in reclaimed lands. Validation with Sentinel‑2-derived NDVI and albedo confirmed strong correspondence between vegetation decline, surface reflectance, and high DI values (R² = 0.664). Results indicate that 10% of the study area is under very high degradation, 30% high, 50% moderate, and only 10% low. Unlike conventional sensitivity mapping, this status-based diagnosis provides management-oriented outputs, identifying remediation bundles tailored to specific constraints (e.g., drainage for saline soils, micronutrient supplementation for calcareous soils, stabilization for gypsiferous soils, organic amendments for gravelly textures). By bridging soil diagnostics with desertification frameworks, the study advances a reproducible methodology for monitoring degradation severity and supports targeted conservation planning in arid agroecosystems.