Zoning desertification hazard by applying Principal Component Analysis, in Khezrabad Region, Yazd

Desertification assessment tries to set the most important components of desertification in each region, and finally provides the desertification potential map by evaluating indexes in each working unit. Given the importance of these maps, despite the development of techniques and quantitative methods in recent years, having the methods with less error, more reliability and with higher quick and ease are still important. Since the desertification process results by interaction of multiple variables over time, a method for zoning should be used that can maintain accuracy, speed and ease of access to the result. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of ''principle component analysis model''. In order to reduce the aspects of the studied problem and the ease in achieving results, this method can consider the principle components of the problem and then removing the other components. Also by using the software it can increase the accuracy, speed and ease of zoning process. Analytics in the study area showed in terms of the desertification potential, 9.35 % of study area in Class VI or very high, 25.6 % in class IV or high and 41.85 % in class II or relatively moderate which are allocated the largest in the study area. Also the quantitative value of desertification potential in whole study area from all of the components was obtained as 3.29 (relatively High).