Evaluation and selection of indicators for land degradation and desertification monitoring : types of degradation, causes, and implications for management

Indicator-based approaches are often used to monitor land degradation and desertification from the global to the very local scale. However, there is still little agreement on which indicators may best reflect both status and trends of these phenomena. In this study, various processes of land degrada...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental management (New York) 2014, Vol.54 (5), p.971-982
Main Authors: Kosmas, C., Kairis, Or, Karavitis, Ch, Ritsema, C., Salvati, L., Acikalin, S., Alcalá, M., Alfama, P., Atlhopheng, J., Barrera, J., Belgacem, A., Solé-Benet, A., Brito, J., Chaker, M., Chanda, R., Coelho, C., Darkoh, M., Diamantis, I., Ermolaeva, O., Fassouli, V., Fei, W., Feng, J., Fernandez, F., Ferreira, A., Gokceoglu, C., Gonzalez, D., Gungor, H., Hessel, R., Juying, J., Khatteli, H., Khitrov, N., Kounalaki, A., Laouina, A., Lollino, P., Lopes, M., Magole, L., Medina, L., Mendoza, M., Morais, P., Mulale, K., Ocakoglu, F., Ouessar, M., Ovalle, C., Perez, C., Perkins, J., Pliakas, F., Polemio, M., Pozo, A., Prat, Christian, Qinke, Y., Ramos, A., Ramos, J., Riquelme, J., Romanenkov, V., Rui, L., Santaloia, F., Sebego, R., Sghaier, M., Silva, N., Sizemskaya, M., Soares, J., Sonmez, H., Taamallah, H., Tezcan, L., Torri, D., Ungaro, F., Valente, S., Vente, J. De, Zagal, E., Zeiliguer, A., Zhonging, W., Ziogas, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural sciences
Environment and Society
Environmental Sciences
Environmental studies
Global Changes
Humanities and Social Sciences
Life Sciences
Soil study
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Indicator-based approaches are often used to monitor land degradation and desertification from the global to the very local scale. However, there is still little agreement on which indicators may best reflect both status and trends of these phenomena. In this study, various processes of land degradation and desertification have been analyzed in 17 study sites around the world using a wide set of biophysical and socioeconomic indicators. The database described earlier in this issue by Kosmas and others (Environ Manage, 2013) for defining desertification risk was further analyzed to define the most important indicators related to the following degradation processes: water erosion in various land uses, tillage erosion, soil salinization, water stress, forest fires, and overgrazing. A
ISSN:0364-152X
DOI:10.1007/s00267-013-0109-6