Integrated Applications of Geo-Information in Environmental Monitoring

This book focuses on fundamental and applied research on geo-information technology, notably optical and radar remote sensing and algorithm improvements, and their applications in environmental monitoring. This Special Issue presents ten high-quality research papers covering up-to-date research in land cover change and desertification analyses, geo-disaster risk and damage evaluation, mining area restoration assessments, the improvement and development of algorithms, and coastal environmental monitoring and object targeting. The purpose of this Special Issue is to promote exchanges, communications and share the research outcomes of scientists worldwide and to bridge the gap between scientific research and its applications for advancing and improving society

Land degradation in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Student Number : 9511039F - MSc Dissertation - School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences - Faculty of ScienceAn estimated 91 % of South Africa’s total land area is considered dryland and susceptible to desertification. In response, South Africa has prepared a National Action Programme to combat land degradation, and this requires assessment and monitoring to be conducted in a systematic, cost effective, objective, timely and geographically-accurate way. Despite a perception-based assessment of land degradation conducted in 1999, and a land-cover mapping exercise conducted for 2000/2001, there are few national scientifically rigorous degradation monitoring activities being undertaken, due largely to a lack of objective, quantitative methods for use in large-scale assessments. This study therefore tests a satellitederived index of degradation for the Limpopo Province in South Africa, which is perceived to be one of the most degraded provinces in the country. The long-term average maximum normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), calculated from a time series (1985-2004) of NOAA AVHRR satellite images, as a proxy for vegetation productivity, was related to water balance datasets of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and growth days index (GDI), using both linear and non-linear functions. Although the linear regressions were highly significant (p<0.005), a non-linear four parameter Gompertz curve was shown to fit the data more accurately. The curve explained only a little of the variance in the data in the relationship between NDVI and GDI, and so GDI was excluded from further analysis. All pixels that fell below a range of threshold standard deviations less than the fitted curve were deemed to represent degraded areas, where productivity was less than the predicted value. The results were compared qualitatively to existing spatial datasets. A large proportion of the degraded areas that were mapped using the approach outlined above occurred on areas of untransformed savanna and dryland cultivation. However the optical properties of dark igneous derived soils with high proportions of smectitic minerals and therefore low reflectance, were shown to lower NDVI values substantially. Overall, there was an acceptable agreement between the mapped degradation and the validation datasets. While further refinement of the methodology is necessary, including a rigorous field-based resource condition assessment for validation purposes, and research into the biophysical effects on the NDVI values, the methodology shows promise for regional assessment in South Africa

Local and regional desertification indicators in a global perspective: Seminar proceedings

This volume contains the proceedings of the International Seminar on Local and Regional Desertification Indicators in a Global Perspective held in Beijing, China, in May 2005. Aim of the seminar was to provide a precious opportunity to exchange information and experiences about the identification and use of desertification B&amp;I among representatives of UNCCD Annexes, while contributing to strengthen linkages among them and exploring possible synergies. The seminar was organised in the framework of the AIDCCD project (Active Exchange of Experiences on Indicators and Development of Perspective in the Context of UNCCD), aiming at developing and co-ordinating exchange of experience across the world among institutions involved in the implementation of the UNCCD regional Annexes

Land Degradation Assessment with Earth Observation

This Special Issue (SI) on “Land Degradation Assessment with Earth Observation” comprises 17 original research papers with a focus on land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry-subhumid areas (i.e., desertification) in addition to temperate rangelands, grasslands, woodlands and the humid tropics. The studies cover different spatial, spectral and temporal scales and employ a wealth of different optical and radar sensors. Some studies incorporate time-series analysis techniques that assess the general trend of vegetation or the timing and duration of the reduction in biological productivity caused by land degradation. As anticipated from the latest trend in Earth Observation (EO) literature, some studies utilize the cloud-computing infrastructure of Google Earth Engine to cope with the unprecedented volume of data involved in current methodological approaches. This SI clearly demonstrates the ever-increasing relevance of EO technologies when it comes to assessing and monitoring land degradation. With the recently published IPCC Reports informing us of the severe impacts and risks to terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide, the EO scientific community has a clear obligation to increase its efforts to address any remaining gaps—some of which have been identified in this SI—and produce highly accurate and relevant land-degradation assessment and monitoring tools

The Economics of Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought; Toward an Integrated Global Assessment

Land degradation has not been comprehensively addressed at the global level or in developing countries. A suitable economic framework that could guide investments and institutional action is lacking. This study aims to overcome this deficiency and to provide a framework for a global assessment based on a consideration of the costs of action versus inaction regarding desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Most of the studies on the costs of land degradation (mainly limited to soil erosion) give cost estimates of less than 1 percent up to about 10 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) for various countries worldwide. But the indirect costs of DLDD on the economy (national income), as well as their socioeconomic consequences (particularly poverty impacts), must be accounted for, too. Despite the numerous challenges, a global assessment of the costs of action and inaction against DLDD is possible, urgent, and necessary. This study provides a framework for such a global assessment and provides insights from some related country studies.Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The economics of desertification, land degradation, and drought: Toward an integrated global assessment

cost of inaction, desertification, drought, Economics, Land degradation, prevention of land degradation,

Spatial analysis of environmentally sensitive areas to soil degradation using MEDALUS model and GIS in Amazonas (Peru): an alternative for ecological restoration

Land degradation is a permanent global threat that requires an interdisciplinary approach to addressing solutions in a given territory. This study, therefore, analyses environmentally sensitive areas to land degradation using the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) method through a multi-criteria approach in the district of Florida (Peru). For the method, we considered the main quality indicators such as: Climate Quality Index (CQI), Soil Quality Index (SQI), Vegetation Quality Index (VQI), and Management Quality Index (MQI). There were also identified groups of parameters for each of the quality indicators analyzed. The results showed that 2.96% of the study area is classified as critical; 48.85% of the surface is classified as fragile; 15.48% of the areas are potentially endangered, and 30.46% are not threatened by degradation processes. Furthermore, SQI, VQI, and MQI induced degradation processes in the area. Based on the results, five restoration proposals were made in the study area: (i) organic manure production, (ii) cultivated and improved pastures and livestock improvement, (iii) native forest restoration, (iv) construction of reservoirs in the top hills and (v) uses of new technologies. The findings and proposals can be a basic support and further improved by decision-makers when implemented in situ to mitigate degradation for a sustainable use of the territory

Integrated desertification assessment in Southern Mongolia

The Bulgan soum in southern Mongolia is a part of the Gobi Three Beauty National Park. The territory is composed of arid and semi-arid desert, encompassing 720 000 ha. A desertification threat, which was virtually unknown for many years, has become a serious environmental problem in the last 20 years. Climatic variations, low variable rainfall, and dust storms overlaid by unsustainable human land-use practices, primarily poorly managed livestock grazing, are contributing to accelerated desertification. The primary objective of this study is to assess desertification based on soil, vegetation, climate and socio-economic indicators including modified soil adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), topsoil grain size index (GSI), shrinkage of groundwater sources, and extent of sand movement. Those were directly derived from Landsat MSS, TM, and ETM remote sensing images for the growing season months for the years of 1973, 1990, 1991, 2002 and 2005. The results show that the MSAVI is highly correlated to aboveground plant biomass and indicates a general decrease in vegetation biomass, while GSI manifests topsoil coarsening over the last 25 years. In terms of climatic indicators, the historical climate records for the Bulgan soum show warming of approximately 0.7°C over the period 1970 to 2002. Drought occurs once every 2-3 years according to the SPI and Pedi indices (with 50% probability). The frequency of dust storms in the 1987-2002 period was about twice that during the period 1970-1986. There was however, no dust haze after 1994. Plant biomass was largely controlled by low variable rainfall, by dust storms, and temperature. Climate change scenarios, based on results from time series forecasting, indicate future warming by 0.05°C per year (with 37% probability) and by 0.4 dust storm frequencies per year (with 31% probability). It results in a decline of plant biomass of 2 kg ha-1 yr-1 (with 26% probability) that will likely to exacerbate desertification. In terms of the socio-economy of the herders, Chi-square tests show degradation classes to be associated with wealth groups, and the greater the livestock numbers, the greater the degradation. Large family size (triggers large stock numbers), older age, former herding households and decreased livestock moves were the causes of desertification. A time trend forecasting analysis projects an increase in livestock numbers (7000 standard stock units per year), particularly goats. In general, land degradation in the study area increased from 1990 to 2005, and 94% of the area is considered to be degraded to varying degrees. The slightly degraded class covered 12%, the moderate class 44% and the severely degraded class 38% of the Bulgan soum in 2005. Sand encroachments occurred in 35% of the landscape, which have increased by 19% since 1973. 1.7% of total groundwater bodies in 1973 completely disappeared in 2005. Furthermore, the area affected by desertification has increased; the rate of desertification has also accelerated from 1% in the 1990s to 2% in 2005.Integrierte Untersuchungen zur Desertifikation in der südlichen Mongolei Das Gebiet "Bulgan soum" im Süden der Mongolei ist Teil des "Gobi Three Beauty National Park". Es besteht aus ariden und semi-ariden Wüstenbereichen mit einer Fläche von 720 000 ha. In den letzten 20 Jahren ist die Bedrohung durch Desertifikation, früher so gut wie unbekannt, zu einem ernsthaften Umweltproblem geworden. Klimaschwankungen, geringe und stark variierende Niederschläge sowie Staubstürme zusammen mit einer nicht nachhaltigen Landnutzung, hauptsächlich Überweidung, tragen zu der beschleunigten Desertifikation bei. Das Hauptziel dieser Studie ist die Bewertung der Desertifikation auf der Grundlage von Boden-, Vegetations-, Klima- und sozioökonomischen Indikatoren einschließlich des "modified soil adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), Korngrößenindex des Oberbodens (topsoil grain size index (GSI), Abnahme der Grundwasserressourcen und Ausmaß der Sandbewegung. Diese wurden aus Landsat MSS, TM und ETM Satellitenaufnahmen für die Vegetationsperioden der Jahre 1973, 1990, 1991, 2002 und 2005 entnommen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass MSAVI mit der überirdischen Pflanzenbiomasse stark korreliert und auf eine allgemeine Abnahme der Biomasse hinweist, während der GSI eine Zunahme der gröberen Sandfraktionen während der letzten 25 Jahre deutlich macht. Hinsichtlich klimatischer Indikatoren zeigen die historischen Klimaaufzeichnungen für den Bulgan soum eine Erwärmung von ca. 0.7°C zwischen 1970 und 2002. Die SPI- und Pedi-Indizes weisen auf eine Dürre alle 2 bis 3 Jahre hin (mit 50% Wahrscheinlichkeit). Staubstürme traten 1987 bis 2002 fast doppelt so häufig auf wie im Zeitraum 1970 bis 1986. Nach 1994 gab es jedoch keine Staubdunstereignisse. Pflanzenbiomasse wurde hauptsächlich durch niedrige und variierende Niederschläge, Staubstürme und Temperaturen beeinflusst. Klimawandelszenarien auf der Grundlage von Zeitreihenanalysen prognostizieren eine zukünftige Erwärmung um 0.05°C pro Jahr (mit 37% Wahrscheinlichkeit), sowie eine Zunahme der Staubstürme um 0.4 Sturm pro Jahr (mit 31% Wahrscheinlichkeit), werden zu einer Abnahme der Biomasse um 2 kg ha-1 Jahr-1 (mit 26% Wahrscheinlichkeit) führen und damit voraussichtlich die Desertifikation beschleunigen. Bezogen auf die sozioökonomische Situation der Hirten zeigen die Chi-square test, dass die Degradationsklassen mit Wohlstand korrelieren und, dass je größer die Herden, desto größer die Degradation. Große Familien (= große Herden), höheres Alter, ehemalige Nomaden-Haushalte und geringere Anzahl von Herdenbewegungen führten zu Desertifikation. Zeitreihenanalysen sagen eine Zunahme der Viehzahlen (7000 "standard stock units" pro Jahr), insbesondere von Ziegen, voraus. Die Landdegradation im Untersuchungsraum nahm von 1990 bis 2005 zu, wobei 94% des Gebietes unterschiedlich stark degradiert ist. In 2005 nahmen gering degradierte Bereiche 12%, mäßig degradierte 44% und stark degradierte 38% des Bulgan soum ein. Starkes Vordringen von Sand konnte verzeichnet werden, der 35% der Landschaft bedeckt und um 19% seit 1973 zugenommen hatte. Eine Abnahme des Grundwassers um 1.7% der Grundwassermenge von 1973 wurde verzeichnet. Außerdem hat das durch Desertifikation betroffene Gebiet an Größe zugenommen und auch die Desertifikationsrate hat sich von 1% in den 1990er Jahren auf 2% in 2005 erhöht