Reducing Vulnerability to Desertification

by Using the Spatial Measures in a

Degraded Area in Thailand
Writer: Saowanee Wijitkosum
Published: February 2020

발표자 : Munkhgerel ( 게렐 )
ID: 22231737
목차
 1. Summary ( 요약 )
 2. Good point (contributions) 좋은 점
 3. Bad point (spelling error, logical missing links, inconsistency, etc.),
문제점
 4. Opinion (Implications & suggestions), 시사점
ARTICLE CONSISTED 4 SECTIONS:

Introduction
Method and Materials
Results and Discussion
Conclusions
 1. Summary ( 요약 )

It is known that reforestation is one of

the main factors to protect the
environment and reduce drought
Even China, Mongolia, Australia had
faced into the desertification which is
not mean that we have to plant a lot of
tree.
This study proved that which is
important to find out which causing
desertification and which influenced
desertification risk. Measures to reduce
the risk for desertification and drought
should consider the main factors that
cause the problem.
 Although located in a tropical area, Thailand has increasingly faced and
still faces drought problems. Even they have so many rainy day, nature
with tree. seasonal changes or a lack of rainfall. However, recently climate
change and land use changes have increasingly contributed to drought and
desertification problems in many areas.

 This study was conducted in Huay Sai, a degraded land in Thailand. The
Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI) model incorporating
Geogracphic Information System (GIS) was applied to investigate and map
the desertification sensitivity area. The study aimed to analyze and assess
measures to reduce the desertification risk.
 1. Summary ( 요약 )
 The study aimed to analyze and assess measures to reduce the desertification risk in
part of land in Thailand. This study emphasized three group factors with nine
subcriteria influencing desertification risk:
 Soil (texture, fertility, drainage, slope gradient, and depth)
 Climatic (precipitation and aridity index)
 Vegetation factors (land use and soil erosion).

Three main measures covering soil and water conservation, soil improvement, and
reforestation were implemented. The area development and restoration plans have been
implemented continuously.
 1. Summary ( 요약 )

The UNCCD consequently defines affected countries in all parts of the world; as much as
41.30% of the total global land area is considered drylands. The four major drivers behind land
degradation are
• Overgrazing (35%),
• Deforestation (30%),
• Agricultural activities (28%),
• Overexploitation for biofuels (7%).
UNCCD also identified other key players that accelerate the land degradation process, including
climate change, erosion by wind and/or water, soil deterioration from physical, chemical, and
biological factors, and long-term vegetation loss .
 1. Summary ( 요약 )
This research aimed to: Using what technique?

ESAI model with the GIS technique

Mitigations for the desertification to investigate the desertification risk.

vulnerability reduction in the Huay
Sai area in Thailand
1. Summary ( 요약 )

The major causes of desertification found in Thailand are:

 (a) climatic factors such as heavy rain that dissolves and trans locates soil
minerals during the monsoon period and seasonal droughts;
 (b) human activities such as land use without soil improvement plan, over-
exploitation of land, and land use on steep-slope lands causing soil erosion
and expansion of saline soils.
Moreover, Thailand has slightly less than 30 percent forest cover.
1. Summary ( 요약 )

First researcher used 4 index that presenting causes desertification:

The indicators were grouped and combined into four quality layers representing the
 soil (SQI),
 climate (CQI),
 vegetation (VQI)
 management (MQI) quality indexes.
The first three factors were used to calculate the vulnerability to desertification, and the
last one was used to assess the risk of desertification when the spatial measures for
combatting the land degradation were implemented.
1. Summary ( 요약 )

Soil (SQL) Climate(CQL) Vegetation(VQL)

• Parent material • Water availability • Land utilization

• Climatic conditions • slope gradient • Soil resource
• Human activities • Erosion
 In this study, the factors affecting the vulnerability to desertification of the Huay Sai area
were divided into four factors and further subdivided into twelve subcriteria covering both
environmental and anthropogenic factors. The first three factors were used to calculate the
vulnerability to desertification, and the last one was used to assess the risk of desertification
when the spatial measures for combatting the land degradation were implemented. The first
soil factor included the five subcriteria of the soil texture, fertility, depth, slope gradient,
and drainage.

 The first soil factor included the five subcriteria of the soil texture, fertility, depth, slope
gradient, and drainage. Generally, the soil texture and depth are strongly affected by the
parent material and climatic conditions. These changes cause adverse impacts on plant
growth and yields.

 The climatic factors, including precipitation and aridity index (AI), have a great impact on
the soil depth through the processes of weathering and erosion. Besides, the climatic factors
are also related to the water availability for planting
1. Summary ( 요약 )
 1. Summary ( 요약 )
Each index was applied using a quantitative
classification scheme with scores ranging from 1 to
2. A score of 1 (the best value) was assigned to areas
with the lowest sensitivity, whereas a score of 2 (the
worst value) was assigned to those areas with the
highest sensitivity .
The score was assigned to the elements of a
particular parameter in relation to their effect on
the sensitivity to soil degradation and desertification
processes
1. Summary ( 요약 )
 The methodology used was based on the MEDALUS model, developed in a large
project established by the European Commission [19]. The MEDALUS identifies
regions that are ESAs using an ESAI to calculate indexes that lead to land
degradation and, eventually, desertification. The model is flexible and allows one to
adjust or change the number of indicators to be used for assessing the quality
indexes. Therefore, users could add and adjust more spatial factors that fit the
local condition. In this study, the local indexes (subcriteria), which combine
anthropogenic and environmental factors, were brought in and calculated using the
ESAI model to obtain the desertification risk assessment of the Huay Sai area. It is
aimed to develop a set of indicators to identify areas that are sensitive to
desertification and subsequently the development of action plans to combat land
degradation. The last indicator also includes land management measures to reduce
the land degradation and desertification rate, known as the management of land
factors [22]. Each factor is represented by an index that is calculated by the
combination of subindexes.
 The research found that most soil in the area is strongly acidic with low
fertility.
 From the soil factor analysis, it is concluded that the soil texture affected the
desertification risk at a severe level(Strong).

 In addition, the soil fertility influenced the desertification risk at a high to

severe level,
 while soil erosion had a low or zero correlation with the desertification risk in
the area.
 1. Summary ( 요약 )
The critical factors affecting the desertification risk were the soil texture and
fertility and the land-use factor. The mitigations for restoration were water resource
conservation and development, soil conservation and amelioration, and forest
conservation and reforestation. The implementation of all three mitigations had a
positive impact on the area in terms of reducing the severe and high risk-of-
desertification areas and distinctly positive impacts on areas with a moderate and low
risk of desertification.

Soil texture is basically the composition of the soil in relation to sand, silt and clay, with
sand being the coarsest fraction and clay being the finest.
1. Summary ( 요약 )

 The mitigations for restoration were water resource conservation and development, soil
conservation and amelioration, and forest conservation and reforestation. The
implementation of all three mitigations had a positive impact on the area in terms of
reducing the severe and high risk-of-desertification areas and distinctly positive impacts
on areas with a moderate and low risk of desertification.
 Recommended that reforestation be conducted according to geographical and
environmental conditions. These involved growing plant varieties in the original forest
area to enhance biodiversity. Local plants species which suitable for the area were
planted. Forests should be grown on hilltops as degraded forests at higher altitudes
affect basins downstream. Trees with seed pods should be planted so that natural
regeneration occurs downhill through to the bottom of the hill. Spermatophytes are
planted on the highest locations because their seaeds would float down and germinate in
the lower areas when these trees grow up would be naturally propagated.
 Solving each environmental problem at its source point could help decrease drought and
desertification in the area.
1. Summary ( 요약 )
 Soil texture is basically the composition of the soil in relation to sand, silt and clay,
with sand being the coarsest fraction and clay being the finest.

 Soil fertility is the ability of a soil to sustain plant growth, by providing essential plant
nutrients and favorable chemical, physical, and biological characteristics as a habitat
for plant growth.
 Nowadays, the development and land management of the area still follows the late
King’s advice closely. The master plan of the HSRDSC has been used as a guideline
for development in the same five strategies of the development plan as mentioned
above, are implemented together as a year-by-year plan. The review of the 35-year
strategic plan of the HSRDSC revealed that two strategies are closely related to
reducing the drought and desertification risk of the area. These strategies are the
study, research, and implementation of the royal initiatives and the conservation
and development of natural resources and the environment. The analysis of the plan
and mitigations, including the relation to factors influencing desertification.