Mapping and Quantifying Comprehensive Land Degradation Status Using Spatial Multicriteria Evaluation Technique in the Headwaters Area of Upper Blue Nile River

Alelgn Ewunetu, Belay Simane, Ermias Teferi and Benjamin F. Zaitchik
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Alelgn Ewunetu: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Woldia University, 400 Woldia, Ethiopia
Belay Simane: Center for Environment and Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ermias Teferi: Center for Environment and Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, 1176 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Benjamin F. Zaitchik: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-27

Abstract: Mapping and quantifying land degradation status is important for identifying vulnerable areas and to design sustainable landscape management. This study maps and quantifies land degradation status in the north Gojjam sub-basin of the Upper Blue Nile River (Abbay) using GIS and remote sensing integrated with multicriteria analysis (MCA). This is accomplished using a combination of biological, physical, and chemical land degradation indicators to generate a comprehensive land degradation assessment. All indicators were standardized and weighted using analytical hierarchy and pairwise comparison techniques. About 45.3% of the sub-basin was found to experience high to very high soil loss risk, with an average soil loss of 46 t ha −1 yr −1 . More than half of the sub-basin was found to experience moderate to high level of biological degradation (low vegetation status and low soil organic matter level). In total, 80.2% of the area is characterized as having a moderate level of physical land degradation. Similarly, the status of chemical degradation for about 55.8% and 39% of the sub-basin was grouped as low and moderate, respectively. The combined spatial MCA of biological, chemical, and physical land degradation indicators showed that about 1.14%, 32%, 35.4%, and 30.5% of the sub-basin exhibited very low, low, moderate, and high degradation level, respectively. This study has concluded that soil erosion and high level of biological degradation are the most important indicators of land degradation in the north Gojjam sub-basin. Hence, the study suggests the need for integrated land management practices to reduce land degradation, enhance the soil organic matter content, and increase the vegetation cover in the sub-basin.

Keywords: comprehensive land degradation; soil loss; GIS; MCA; Upper Blue Nile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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