Abstract
Desertification is one of the most serious environmental problems at global, regional, and local levels. Several factors influence the level of land deterioration, including soil texture, parent material, slope, drainage, precipitation, plant cover, aridity, population density, road density, and livestock density. In this study, a GIS-based analytical hierarchical process (AHP) and remote sensing were integrated into a GIS environment (ArcGIS) for geospatial mapping of land desertification. A pairwise matrix (PCM) was used to determine the weights of influencing factors based on an extensive literature review. In addition, the assigned score to the sub-criteria was applied. Finally, a desertification map was generated using a weighted overly analysis (WOA) tool. The results obtained show that approximately 2% (5794km2) of the lands in the study area are “non-affected” by desertification, 21% (16,290 km2) are “potential,” 69% (52327km2) are “fragile,” and the remaining class is “critical,” representing approximately 8% (5749 km2). In terms of the accuracy evaluation, the “fragile” and “non-affected” classes were precisely estimated in comparison to other classes from the producer’s and user’s perspectives. The methodology and findings of this study can be used to assess desertification and land degradation in similar areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aïdoud A, Le Floc’h E, Le Houérou HN (2006) Les steppes arides du nord de l’Afrique. Sci Et Changements Planétaires/sécheresse 17(1):19–30
Aidoud A, Touffet J (1996) La régression de l’alfa (Stipa tenacissima L.), graminée pérenne, un indicateur de désertification des steppes algériennes. Sci et changements planétaires/Sécheresse 7(3):187–193
Allen RG, Pereira LS, Raes D, Smith M (1998) Crop evapotranspiration-guidelines for computing crop water requirements-FAO Irrigation and drainage paper 56. Fao, Rome Retrieved 9:300
AMS (2000) Glossary of meteorology. https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Aridity. Accessed Nov 2021
ASAL (2010) Carte nationale de sensibilité à la désertification par l’outil spatial. https://asal.dz/?page_id=1219. Accessed Nov 2021
Basso B, De Simone L, Cammarano D, Martin E, Margiotta S, Grace P., . . . Chou T (2012) Evaluating responses to land degradation mitigation measures in Southern Italy. https://doi.org/10.22059/IJER.2012.504
Belnap J (1995) Surface disturbances: their role in accelerating desertification. Environ Monit Assess 37(1):39–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00546879
Belnap J (2002) Impacts of off-road vehicles on nitrogen cycles in biological soil crusts: resistance in different US deserts. J Arid Environ 52(2):155–165. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.2002.0991
Bensaid A, Barki M, Talbi O, Benhanifia K, Mendas A (2007) Multicriterion analysis as a tool for decision-making for the spatial localization of areas under heavy human pressure: a case study of the Naâma department in Algeria. Revue Teledetection 7:359–371
Benslimane M, Hamimed A, El Zerey W, Khaldi A, Mederbal K (2008) Analyse et suivi du phénomène de la désertification en Algérie du nord. [VertigO] La revue électronique en sciences de l’environnement, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.4000/vertigo.6782
Boudjemline F, Semar A (2018) Assessment and mapping of desertification sensitivity with MEDALUS model and GIS–case study: basin of Hodna, Algeria. J Water Land Dev https://doi.org/10.2478/jwld-2018-0002
Bouznad I-E, Guastaldi E, Zirulia A, Brancale M, Barbagli A, Bengusmia D (2020) Trend analysis and spatiotemporal prediction of precipitation, temperature, and evapotranspiration values using the ARIMA models: case of the Algerian Highlands. Arab J Geosci 13(24):1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06330-6
Budak M, Günal H, Çelik İ, Yıldız H, Acir N, Acar M (2018) Environmental sensitivity to desertification in northern mesopotamia; application of modified MEDALUS by using analytical hierarchy process. Arab J Geosci 11(17):1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3813-y
Cohen S, Groner E, Peeters A, Segoli M (2021) The impact of roads on the redistribution of plants and associated arthropods in a hyper-arid ecosystem. J Insect Sci 21(4):4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieab044
Das S (2021) Hydro-geomorphic characteristics of the Indian (Peninsular) catchments: based on morphometric correlation with hydro-sedimentary data. Adv Space Res 67(8):2382–2397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2021.01.043
Das B, Pal SC (2020) Assessment of groundwater recharge and its potential zone identification in groundwater-stressed Goghat-I block of Hugli District, West Bengal, India. Environ Dev Sustain 22(6):5905–5923. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00457-7
Dastorani M (2022) Application of fuzzy-AHP method for desertification assessment in Sabzevar area of Iran. Nat Hazards 112(1):187–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-05177-8
DIS4ME (2023) Desertification indicator system for Mediterranean Europe. https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/public_path/shared_folder/projects/DIS4ME/indicators_list.htm#top. Accessed Jan 2023
Division & Survey (1993) Soil survey manual: United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, USA
Doke AB, Zolekar RB, Patel H, Das S (2021) Geospatial mapping of groundwater potential zones using multi-criteria decision-making AHP approach in a hardrock basaltic terrain in India. Ecol Indic 127:107685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107685
Esri (2021a) Esri road map. https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=3b93337983e9436f8db950e38a8629af. Accessed Mar 2021
Esri (2021b) How weighted overlay works. https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/spatial-analyst-toolbox/how-weighted-overlay-works.htm. Accessed Mar 2021
Fantechi R, Peter D, Balabanis P, Rubio JL (1995) Desertification in a European context: physical and socio-economic aspects. Brussels, Belgium: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. EUR 15415
FAO I ISSS (1998) World reference base for soil resources. World soil resources reports 84. In International society of soil science
Ferrara A, Kosmas C, Salvati L, Padula A, Mancino G, Nolè A (2020) Updating the MEDALUS-ESA framework for worldwide land degradation and desertification assessment. Land Degrad Dev 31(12):1593–1607. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3559
Foster GR (1983) Soil erosion: developments in soil science 10. Soil Science 135(2):131–132
Franzmeier D, Hosteter W, Roeske R, Kladivko E, Jenkinson B (2001) Drainage and wet soil management. University of Purdue, Indiana
Gridsoil (2021) World grid soil, from https://soilgrids.org/. Accessed Nov 2021
Hamlat A, Kadri CB, Guidoum A, Bekkaye H (2021) Flood hazard areas assessment at a regional scale in M’zi wadi basin. Algeria. J Afr Earth Sci 182:104281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2021.104281
Kacem HA, Fal S, Karim M, Alaoui HM, Rhinane H, Maanan M (2021) Application of fuzzy analytical hierarchy process for assessment of desertification sensitive areas in North West of Morocco. Geocarto Int 36(5):563–580. https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2019.1611949
Kadović R, Bohajar YAM, Perović V, Simić SB, Todosijević M, Tošić S, Dovezenski U (2016) Land sensitivity analysis of degradation using MEDALUS model: case study of Deliblato Sands. Archives of Environmental Protection, Serbia. https://doi.org/10.1515/aep-2016-0045
Kirkby M, Cox N (1995) A climatic index for soil erosion potential (CSEP) including seasonal and vegetation factors. CATENA 25(1–4):333–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/0341-8162(95)00016-L
Kosmas C, Danalatos N, Gerontidis S (2000) The effect of land parameters on vegetation performance and degree of erosion under Mediterranean conditions. CATENA 40(1):3–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(99)00061-2
Kosmas C, Ferrara A, Briasouli H, Imeson A (1999) Methodology for mapping environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) to desertification. The medalus project mediterranean desertification and land use. Manual on key indicators of desertification and mapping environmentally sensitive areas to desertification 31–47. Brussels: European Union
Kosmas C, Kairis O, Karavitis C, Ritsema C, Salvati L, Acikalin S, . . . Ziogas A (2014) Evaluation and selection of indicators for land degradation and desertification monitoring: methodological approach. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. Environ Manage, 54(5), 951–970. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0109-6
Lahlaoi H, Rhinane H, Hilali A, Lahssini S, Moukrim S (2017) Desertification assessment using MEDALUS model in watershed Oued El Maleh. Morocco Geosciences 7(3):50. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences7030050
Liu Y, Xue Y (2020) Expansion of the Sahara Desert and shrinking of frozen land of the Arctic. Sci Rep 10(1):4109. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61085-0
Marinică I, Marinică AF (2014) Considerations on desertification phenomenon in Oltenia. In: Forum geografic, vol 13, no 2
Mishra AK, Placzek C, Jones R (2019) Coupled influence of precipitation and vegetation on millennial-scale erosion rates derived from 10Be. PloS one 14(1):e0211325. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211325
Momirović N, Kadović R, Perović V, Marjanović M, Baumgertel A (2019) Spatial assessment of the areas sensitive to degradation in the rural area of the municipality Čukarica. Int Soil Water Conserv Res 7(1):71–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2018.12.004
Morsli A, Hasnaoui O, Arfi F (2016) Evaluation of the above-ground biomass of steppe ecosystems according to their stage of degradation: case of the area of Ain Skhouna (Western Algeria). Open J Ecol 6(05):235. https://doi.org/10.4236/oje.2016.65024
Murmu P, Kumar M, Lal D, Sonker I, Singh SK (2019) Delineation of groundwater potential zones using geospatial techniques and analytical hierarchy process in Dumka district, Jharkhand. India. Groundwater Sustain Dev 9:100239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2019.100239
Nedjraoui D (2003) Les mécanismes de suivi de la désertification en Algérie proposition d’un dispositif national de surveillance écologique à long terme. Doc, OSS
Nedjraoui D (2011) Vulnérabilité des écosystèmes steppiques en Algérie. Université de KasdiMerbah-Ouargla-Alger du 21:41–53
Nedjraoui D, Bédrani S (2008) La désertification dans les steppes algériennes: causes, impacts et actions de lutte. VertigO 8(1):15. https://doi.org/10.4000/vertigo.5375
Negaresh H, Rakhshani Z, Firoozi F, Alinia H (2016) Desertification assessment using the analytic hierarchy process and GIS in southeast Iran. Geogr Ann Ser B 98(1):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12120
NMO (2021) National meteorological office. https://www.meteo.dz/. Accessed Nov 2021
NSO (2021) National statistics office. https://www.ons.dz/spip.php?rubrique220. Accessed Nov 2021
OJ (2010) Official journal (61). Algeria. Retrieved from https://www.joradp.dz/ftp/jo-francais/2010/f2010061.pdf. Accessed Jan 2023
Ozer P (2012) Impact of global climate change and desertification on the environment and society in Southern centre of Vietnam (a case study in Binh Thuan province). Technical Report. The Belgian Federal Science Policy Office: Brussels, Belgium
Platts P, Omeny P, & Marchant R (2015) AFRICLIM 3.0: high-resolution ensemble climate projections for Africa. Afr J Ecol. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1284624
Ravesh MS, Ahmadi H, Zehtabian G, Tahmores M (2010) Application of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in assessment of de-desertification alternatives case study: Khezrabad region, Yazd province. Iran J Range Desert Res 17(1):35–50
Rubio JL, Recatalá L (2006) The relevance and consequences of Mediterranean desertification including security aspects desertification in the Mediterranean region. A security issue (pp 133–165), Springer Netherlands
Saadi H, Kalantari K, Iravani H (2008). Determination of Preferable Extension System for Preventing Desertification: an Application of Analytical and Hierarchical Process (AHP). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1345-7
Saaty TL (1977) A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures. J Math Psychol 15(3):234–281. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-2496(77)90033-5
Saaty T (1980) The analytic hierarchy process: planning, priority setting, resources allocation. Mcgraw-Hill, New York
Saaty TL (2008) Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. Int J Serv Sci 1(1):83–98
Salvati L, Zitti M (2009) Substitutability and weighting of ecological and economic indicators: exploring the importance of various components of a synthetic index. Ecol Econ 68(4):1093–1099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.07.017
Sandeep P, Reddy G, Jegankumar R, Arun Kumar K (2021) Modeling and assessment of land degradation vulnerability in semi-arid ecosystem of Southern India using temporal satellite data, AHP and GIS. Environ Model Assess 26(2):143–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-020-09739-1
Simões D, Cavalcante FS, Lima RCA, Rocha QS, Pereira G, Miyajima RH (2022) Optimal Forest Road Density as Decision-Making Factor in Wood Extraction. Forests 13(10):1703. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101703
Teehankee B (2009) The analytic hierarchy process: capturing quantitative and qualitative criteria for balanced decision-making. Paper presented at the National Conference of the OR Society of the Philliphines (ORSP). Philliphines. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate net/publication/256009323_The_analytic_hierarchy_process_capturing_quantitative_and_qualitative_criteria_for_balanced_decision-making
Thomas AV, Saha S, Danumah JH, Raveendran S, Prasad MK, Ajin RS, Kuriakose SL (2021) Landslide susceptibility zonation of Idukki District using GIS in the Aftermath of 2018 Kerala floods and landslides: a comparison of AHP and frequency ratio methods. Journal of Geovisualization Spat Anal 5(2):21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41651-021-00090-x
Trabucco A, Zomer RJ (2018) Global aridity index and potential evapotranspiration (ET0) climate database v2. CGIAR Consort Spat Inf 10:m9
Türkeş M, Öztaş T, Tercan E, Erpul G, Karagöz A, Dengiz O, . . . Avcıoğlu B (2020) Desertification vulnerability and risk assessment for Turkey via an analytical hierarchy process model. Land Degradation & Development, 31(2), 205–214. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3441
UNCCD (2007) Africa review report on drought and desertification. https://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd16/rim/eca_bg3.pdf
UNE UoNE (2018) Directives sur les méthodes d’estimation de la production et de la productivité de l’élevage. Australia. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/3/ca6400fr/ca6400fr.pdf. Accessed Jan 2023
USGS (2021) https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Accessed Nov 2021
USGS (2023) Landsat normalized difference vegetation index. https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-normalized-difference-vegetation-index. Accessed Jan 2023
Vahidnia MH, Vahidi H, Hassanabad MG, Shafiei M (2022) A spatial decision support system based on a hybrid AHP and TOPSIS method for fire station site selection. J Geovisualization Spat Anal 6(2):30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41651-022-00125-x
Wang X, Hua T, Ma W (2016) Responses of aeolian desertification to a range of climate scenarios in China. Solid Earth 7(3):959–964. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-959-2016
Zdruli P (2011) Desertification in the Mediterranean Region. Mediterranean Yearbook: Economy and Territory. Sustain Dev 250–254
Zolekar RB, Bhagat VS (2015) Multi-criteria land suitability analysis for agriculture in hilly zone: remote sensing and GIS approach. Comput Electron Agric 118:300–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2015.09.016
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics Approval
All ethical responsibilities for authors have been read and adhered to. All authors approve manuscript with no ethical misconduct.
Informed Consent
The research does not involve any human participant or animal. It is strictly GIS and geospatial analysis. There is therefore no consent with respect to participants in any analysis.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Kadri, C.B., Nasrallah, Y. GIS-Based AHP Technique for Assessment of Desertification in Western Highlands of Algeria. J geovis spat anal 7, 18 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41651-023-00147-z
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41651-023-00147-z