Evaluation of Current Desertification Status with Emphasis on the Water, Vegetation and Soil Criteria using IMDPA model (Case Study: Alamarvdasht, Larestan)

Desertification process as a great problem effects most of the countries in the world especially developing countries. This process has high rate in arid and semi-arid countries as Iran. Alamarvdasht area due to the existence of decimation of water and soil resources, desertification is increasing. IMDPA model was selected to study the most effective criterion and indicator in the Alamarvdasht region. In this case study criteria including: water, vegetation cover and soil were studied and some indicators for each criterion were considered based on local condition. Then final map of desertification intensity of region was prepared by composing the layers and using of their geometrical average. According to the three selected criteria, the map of desertification shows the medium and high levels of desertification. The water criterion with average value of 2.78 and vegetation criterion with value of 2.77 were settled in high class while the soil criterion with value of 2.07 were considered as medium class of desertification.