Using of Remote Sensing and GIS to Estimate Environmental Sensitivity to Desertification in East Nile Delta Using MEDALUS Model

Document Type : Original research articles

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Lecturer of Physical Geography in the Geography Department, Faculty of Arts, Beni Suef University

Abstract

This study uses the MEDALUS model, which was developed by the European Union, to estimate the degree of desertification within the European Mediterranean countries, which is based on classifying the environmental sensitivity to desertification (ESD) to five degrees, based on a set of different criteria, including those related to soil, as well as the vegetation cover and climatic conditions. The study area was chosen very carefully, as it is located in the eastern margin of the Nile River Delta in the overlapping area between the Nile silt and delta sediments and between the sands of the eastern desert and its various formations. the area includes different land use between ancient agricultural lands, agricultural reclamation and vacant lands that can be used in future agricultural and urban expansions. By implementation this model, it was clearly found that about 76.4% of the area has an average soil quality index and 23.6% has a low soil quality index, as well as about 23.9% of the area has a good vegetation cover index and 29.1% is average quality, while 47% of its area has a low vegetation cover quality index. The study also showed that 65.1% of the area has an average climate quality index while 34.9% of its area has a low climate quality index. The study concluded that 2.4% of the area has very high environmental sensitivity index to desertification, 61.2% is environmentally sensitive, while 22.8% of its area is medium sensitive and 13.6% is low (ESD).

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Beni-Suef University International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
Volume 5, Issue 2
December 2023
Pages 121-148

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