Evaluation of Remotely Sensed Precipitation Estimates from the NASA POWER Project for Drought Detection Over Jordan

Droughts can cause devastating impacts on water and land resources and therefore monitoring these events forms an integral part of planning. The most common approach for detecting drought events and assessing their intensity is use of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), which requires abundant precipitation records at good spatial distribution. This may restrict SPI usage in many regions around the world, particularly in areas with limited numbers of ground meteorological stations. Therefore, the use of remotely sensed derived data of precipitation can contribute to drought monitoring. In this study, remotely sensed precipitation estimates from the POWER/Agroclimatology archive of NASA and their derived SPI for different time intervals were evaluated against gauged observations of precipitation from 13 different stations in arid and semiarid locations in Jordan. Results showed significant correlations between remotely sensed and ground data with relatively high R values (0.67–0.91), particularly where seasonal precipitation exceeded 50 mm/year. For evaluation of remotely sensed data in SPI calculation, several objective functions were used; the results showed that SPI based on satellite estimates (SAT-SPI) showed good performance in detecting extreme droughts and indicating wet/dry conditions. However, SAT-SPI showed high tendency to overestimate drought intensity. Based on these findings, remotely sensed precipitation from the POWER/Agroclimatology archive showed good potential for use in detecting extreme meteorological drought with the provision of careful interpretation of the data. These types of studies are essential for evaluating the applicability of new drought monitoring information and tools to support decision-making at relevant scales

A State-of-the-Art Vegetation Map for Jordan: A New Tool for Conservation in a Biodiverse Country

In many countries, including Jordan, the updating of vegetation maps is required to aid in formulating development and management plans for agriculture, forest, and rangeland sectors. Remote sensing data contributes widely to vegetation mapping at different scales by providing multispectral information that can separate and identify different vegetation groups at reasonable accuracy and low cost. Here, we implemented state-of-the-art approaches to develop a vegetation map for Jordan, as an example of how such maps can be produced in regions of high vegetation complexity. Specifically, we used a reciprocal illumination technique that combines extensive ground data (640 vegetation inventory plots) and Sentinel-2 satellite images to produce a categorical vegetation map (scale 1:50,000). Supervised classification was used to translate the spectral characteristics into vegetation types, which were first delimited by the clustering analyses of species composition data from the plots. From the satellite image interpretation, two maps were created: an unsupervised land cover/land use map and a supervised map of present-day vegetation types, both consisting of 18 categories. These new maps should inform ecosystem management and conservation planning decisions in Jordan over the coming years

The influence of oil and energy consumption factors on fuel imports in former Soviet Union fuel economies

Due to the extensive energy usage derived from oil and fossil fuels, excessive fuel import levels have recently become an international concern. This issue deserves the attention of researchers and regulators. Consequently, this study examines the influence of electricity production from oil sources (EPOR), fossil fuel energy consumption (FFEC), energy use, industrialization, and population growth on oil and fuel imports in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) fuel economies. From 2011 to 2020, the article uses data from a secondary source such as World Development Indicators (WDI). Methods of Moments-Quantile-Regression (MMQR) were used to evaluate the relationship between the constructs in this research. EPOR, FFEC, energy consumption, industrialization, and population growth were found to have a positive relationship with oil and fuel imports in FSU fuel economies. The article guides designing laws to reduce oil and fuel imports by limiting oil and fuel-derived energy use.Haidar Ali Al Dulaimi (University of Babylon, College of Administration and Economics), Asam Mohamed Aljebory (University of Babylon College of Adminstration and Econimics), Mustafa Jawad Kadhim AL-Bakri (AL-Mustaqbal University College), Mustafa Kamil Shakeer (AL-Mustaqbal University College)Includes bibliographical references

Application of remote sensing and GIS for modeling and assessment of land use/cover change in Amman/Jordan

Modeling and assessment of land use/cover and its impacts play a crucial role in land use planning and formulation of sustainable land use policies. In this study, remote sensing data were used within geographic information system (GIS) to map and predict land use/cover changes near Amman, where half of Jordan's population is living. Images of Landsat TM, ETM+ and OLI were processed and visually interpreted to derive land use/cover for the years 1983, 1989, 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2013. The output maps were analyzed using GIS and cross-tabulated to quantify land use/cover changes for the different periods. The main changes that altered the character of land use/cover in the area were the expansion of urban areas and the recession of forests, agricultural areas (after 1998) and rangelands. The Markov Chain was used to predict future land use/cover, based on the historical changes during 1983-2013. Results showed that prediction of land use/cover would depend on the time interval of the multi-temporal satellite imagery from which the probability of change was derived. The error of prediction was in the range of 2% - 5%, with more accurate prediction for urbanization and less accurate prediction for agricultural areas. The trends of land use/cover change showed that urban areas would expand at the expense of agricultural land and would form 33% of the study area (50km x 60km) by year 2043. The impact of these land use/cover changes would be the increased water demand and wastewater generation in the future

Geospatial Techniques for Improved Water Management in Jordan

This research shows a case from Jordan where geospatial techniques were utilized for irrigation water auditing. The work was based on assessing records of groundwater abstraction in relation to irrigated areas and estimated crop water consumption in three water basins: Yarmouk, Amman-Zarqa and Azraq. Mapping of irrigated areas and crop water requirements was carried out using remote sensing data of Landsat 8 and daily weather records. The methodology was based on visual interpretation and the unsupervised classification for remote sensing data, supported by ground surveys. Net (NCWR) and gross (GCWR) crop water requirements were calculated by merging crop evapotranspiration (ETc), calculated from daily weather records, with maps of irrigated crops. Gross water requirements were compared with groundwater abstractions recorded at a farm level to assess the levels of abstraction in relation to groundwater safe yield. Results showed that irrigated area and GCWR were higher than officially recorded cropped area and abstracted groundwater. The over abstraction of groundwater was estimated to range from 144% to 360% of the safe yield in the three basins. Overlaying the maps of irrigation and groundwater wells enabled the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI) to detect and uncover violations and illegal practices of irrigation, in the form of unlicensed wells, incorrect metering of pumped water and water conveyance for long distances. Results from the work were utilized at s high level of decision-making and changes to the water law were made, with remote sensing data being accredited for monitoring water resources in Jordan

Impact of Land Use/Cover Changes on the Flow of the Zarqa River in Jordan

This paper investigated the impact of land use/cover changes on the flow of the Zarqa River in Jordan over a period of twenty-eight years. The land use/cover maps were derived using a set of medium spatial images with full scenes for the years 1989, 2002, 2011 and 2017. These images correspond to the river flow data for the same hydrological rainy seasons. The component of the river flow consists of the base-flow, flood and contribution of effluent from treatment plants. Base-flow was separated from hydrographs and effluent contribution was obtained. Runoff coefficient was determined as the ratio of flood volume to rainfall volume. The land use/cover maps were classified as urban fabrics, bare rocks, open rangelands and bare soils, agricultural areas, agro-forestry, and water bodies. During the study period, urban areas increased from 4.87% to 16.14%, and agricultural areas increased from 21.69% to 31.66%. The areas of rangelands and bare soil decreased from 34.91% to 22.57% and bare rocks from 35.98% to 27.57%, respectively. The increase in urban and agricultural areas resulted in runoff coefficient improvement from 1.89% in 1989/1990 to 2.72% for 2016/2017. The results could be useful for planners and decision makers for future flow management in the Zarqa River Basin. The approach and results of this study confirm the findings of similar studies for land and water management

Impact of Biofertilization Treatments on The Growth of Different Cultivars of Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

During the winter season of 2022-2023, a field experiment was carried out in the Al-Mahawil region of Babylon province to determine the effect of biological Fertilization on the development of several flax kinds. The experiment incorporated two variables: first, three distinct varieties of flax (Giza 8, Indian, Polony), and second, four levels of biological Fertilization. (azotobacter bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, azotobacter + mycorrhizal fungi, without addition). The outcomes were as follows: The field was organized in accordance with a wholly randomized block design with three replications. The treatment containing Azotobacter and mycorrhizal organisms exhibited notable improvements in the following parameters: plant height (in centimeters), number of primary branches (plant branch-1), number of capsules (plant capsule-1), and number of seeds in the capsule (seed capsule-1). The maximum values were obtained for the weight of 1000 seeds (g), the percentage of oil in the seeds (%), and the number of plant containers (66.30, 88.32 cm, 4.91 branches, 8.74 Ή³, 10.78 g, 44.51%). The Giza 8 cultivar exhibited a marked advantage over the remaining varieties across all the characteristics that were examined. The cultivar known as Giza 8 was shown to have a considerable advantage over the other kinds in all of the characteristics that were investigated. The interaction treatment (Azotobacter bacteria + mycorrhizal fungi + Giza 8 cultivar) performed significantly better in terms of plant height (cm), number of main branches (plant branch-1), number of capsules (plant capsule-1), and number of seeds in the capsule (Seed capsule-1). The best results were achieved by calculating the weight of 1000 seeds (g) and the percentage of oil in the seeds (%). The values obtained were as follows: 91.00 cm, 5.19 branches, 68.44 plant capsules -1, 8.92 plant seeds -1, 11.29 g, and 44.85%

Impact of Biofertilization Treatments on The Growth of Different Cultivars of Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

During the winter season of 2022-2023, a field experiment was carried out in the Al-Mahawil region of Babylon province to determine the effect of biological Fertilization on the development of several flax kinds. The experiment incorporated two variables: first, three distinct varieties of flax (Giza 8, Indian, Polony), and second, four levels of biological Fertilization. (azotobacter bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, azotobacter + mycorrhizal fungi, without addition). The outcomes were as follows: The field was organized in accordance with a wholly randomized block design with three replications. The treatment containing Azotobacter and mycorrhizal organisms exhibited notable improvements in the following parameters: plant height (in centimeters), number of primary branches (plant branch-1), number of capsules (plant capsule-1), and number of seeds in the capsule (seed capsule-1). The maximum values were obtained for the weight of 1000 seeds (g), the percentage of oil in the seeds (%), and the number of plant containers (66.30, 88.32 cm, 4.91 branches, 8.74 Ή³, 10.78 g, 44.51%). The Giza 8 cultivar exhibited a marked advantage over the remaining varieties across all the characteristics that were examined. The cultivar known as Giza 8 was shown to have a considerable advantage over the other kinds in all of the characteristics that were investigated. The interaction treatment (Azotobacter bacteria + mycorrhizal fungi + Giza 8 cultivar) performed significantly better in terms of plant height (cm), number of main branches (plant branch-1), number of capsules (plant capsule-1), and number of seeds in the capsule (Seed capsule-1). The best results were achieved by calculating the weight of 1000 seeds (g) and the percentage of oil in the seeds (%). The values obtained were as follows: 91.00 cm, 5.19 branches, 68.44 plant capsules -1, 8.92 plant seeds -1, 11.29 g, and 44.85%