DOI: 10.36347/sjet.2019.v07i11.003

Pages: 291-298

Remote Sensing techniques have been used in the present study to estimate desertification rate and dynamics change in the Maysan Province, Iraq. A combined database have been build up from the available data and data generated from Digital satellite of Landsat TM, ETM + and OLI. These data include thematic maps (Layers) for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized difference, Water index (NDWI), Salinity Index (SI), Eolin Mapping Index (EMI) that can have a direct influence on desertification. Layers have been classified and integrated to detect the dynamic changes of land covers and desertification rate in the study area. The result shows that the rate change in NDVI, NDWI, EMI, and SI is positive for 1989 and 2015 and negative during 2002. Further the visual interpretation of the change rate observed in satellite image for the periods of 1989 to 2002 and 2002 to 2015, and information obtained during field surveys shows that the sandy area and salty land has increased during 1989, decrease during 2015, and highly increase in 2002, while both the NDVI and NDWI, are relatively high in 1989 and low in 2002 and 2015. It is noted also that the areas that have high sensitivity rate to desertification can be located in the northern and western parts of the study area due to shortage in water resources, increase in soil saltation, expanding of sand dune and loss in the vegetation cover.