Application of numerical taxonomy in prioritizing social- economic impacts of desertification (Case study: NasrAbad region, Aran and Bidgol city)

Desertification and land degradation have created a defective cycle of environmental problems, and have intensified degradation trend. Economic-social challenges and political crisis are considered parts of the consequences of land degradation, which may increase the vulnerability of the affected societies. To strengthen the resilience of local communities to cope with any natural disaster, it is necessary to identify and prioritize the impact of these phenomena to solve them based on prioritization of these effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and prioritize the social - economic impact with moderate desertification in the Nasrabad region from the perspective of local communities and the participation of the villagers in line with desertification. In this study, numerical taxonomy was used to prioritize socio-economic impacts of desertification. Using the Cochran formula and given the population of the study area (5579 Person), 80 samples were collected. In this study, due to the average wind erosion, the first rank was allocated to the spread of dust and environmental problems from the perspective of local communities. The people of the region, more than anyone else, have experienced and understood the ways of interacting with these fragile ecosystems over time. Therefore, these interaction methods should be considered as the key to solving the challenges of desertification or as the best and perhaps last chance to deal with it comprehensively.