International Soil and Water Conservation Research 9 (2021) 217e228

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

International Soil and Water Conservation Research

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/iswcr

Original Research Article Factor influencing land degradation sensitivity and desertification in a drought prone watershed in

Saowanee Wijitkosum

Environmental Research Institute University, Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand article info abstract

Article history: This study aimed to assess land degradation sensitivity of an area contributing to desertification risk in Received 11 June 2020 Lam Ta Kong Watershed using Environmental Sensitivity Area Index (ESAI). Five risk factors comprised Received in revised form climatic, soil, geographical, land utilization and vegetation, and water resources factors together with 2 October 2020 fifteen sub-factors were used to analyze the sensitivity to land degradation. The spatial analysis was Accepted 21 October 2020 calculated using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques. The key Available online 27 October 2020 factors influencing land degradation risks in the watershed area were analyzed using the triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) method. The results showed that approximately 33% of Lam Ta Kong watershed was Keywords: fi Land degradation affected by a high deserti cation risk excluded the water bodies and around 24.64% of the area suffered Desertification from a moderate risk. This research pointed out that key factors causing land degradation and deserti- Critical factor fication in the watershed area were related to the soil factors, followed by climatic, geographical factors, Medalus water resources, and land utilization and vegetation, respectively. The results of this study can be used as Triangular fuzzy numbers a database for planning and implementing area-based mitigations and measures as well as for land use planning in the watershed area. © 2020 International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation, China Water & Power Press. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction studies indicated that various parts of the world are at risk and vulnerable to degradation, drought, and desertification (Momirovic Land degradation and desertification are the most critical et al., 2019; Boudjemline & Semar, 2018; Taghipour-Javi et al., 2016; environmental issues in many parts of the world. The problems are Lal, 2012; Bouabid et al., 2010; Contador et al., 2009). Therefore, challenging at local, regional, and global scales (Kosmas et al., combating drought, land degradation and desertification has been 2014). Land degradation, drought, and desertification are closely an international duty since 1992 (UNCCD, 2005), and the impor- related phenomena and the problems are quite complicated tance of this issue continues. The United Nations stated Target 15.3 (Wijitkosum, 2020; Lal, 2012; UNSO, 1999). Persistent degradation as part of a sustainable development goal to end desertification and of dryland ecosystems caused by both climatic factors and human restore degraded lands by 2030. To achieve this goal, it is necessary activities, including inappropriate land use and land management, to analyze current problems, future environmental trends, and led to desertification (Lahlaoi et al., 2017; Wijitkosum, 2014; Xie vulnerability. Desertification, land degradation and drought are the et al., 2015). The impacts caused by climatic factors occur slowly, global issues that pose severe challenges to the sustainable devel- but those triggered by human activities accelerate rapidly and are opment of all countries. Vulnerability assessment is a process more severe (Wijitkosum, 2016; Elsayed, 201