The various indicators affecting desertification, are classified as: (a) indicators related to physical environment, (b) indicators related to socioeconomics, and (c) indicators related to land management (Table 3).
For each indicator the (a) a simple definition, (b) the importance on land degradation and desertification including distribution in the study field sites and relations with other indicators, and (c) sources of data availability or methods used to measure are described in the Project Deliverable 2.2.3.
Table 3. Classified list of indicators affecting desertification
|
|
Indicators related to physical environment |
Indicators related to socioeconomics |
Indicators related to land management |
|
1 |
Annual rainfall |
Farm size |
Major land use |
|
2 |
Potential evapotranspiration |
Farm ownership |
Vegetation cover type |
|
3 |
Aridity index |
Land fragmentation |
Plant cover |
|
4 |
Rainfall seasonality |
Population density |
Period of existing land use |
|
5 |
Rainfall erosivity |
Old age index |
Land use intensity |
|
6 |
Water quality |
Population growth rate |
Mechanization index |
|
7 |
Water scarcity |
Tourism intensity |
Tillage operations |
|
8 |
Flooding frequency |
Tourism change |
Tillage direction |
|
9 |
Soil drainage |
Parallel employment |
Tillage depth |
|
10 |
Parent material |
Farm subsidies |
Grazing control |
|
11 |
Slope aspect |
|
Grazing intensity |
|
12 |
Slope gradient |
|
Deforested area |
|
13 |
Soil texture |
|
Fire frequency |
|
14 |
Soil depth |
|
Burned area |
|
15 |
Organic matter |
|
Fire protection |
|
16 |
Exposure of rock outcrops |
|
Sustainable farming |
|
17 |
Fire risk |
|
Soil erosion control measures |
|
18 |
Distance from the seashore |
|
Soil water conservation measures |
|
19 |
|
|
Irrigation percentage of arable land |
|
20 |
|
|
Ground water exploitation |
|
21 |
|
|
Runoff water storage |
|
22 |
|
|
Presence of terraces |
|
23 |
|
|
Land abandonment |
|
24 |
|
|
Policy implementation |
|
25 |
|
|
Impervious surface area |
