Assessment of Desertification and Land Degradation Trends in Central Iran’s Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: Case Study of the Gavkhouni wetland and Tashk–Bakhtegan–Maharloo (TBM) Watersheds

Shokoohi Zadegan, Saharnaz; Khosravi, Hassan; Zehtabian, Gholamreza; Mesbahzadeh, Tayebeh; Heydari Alamdarloo, Esmaeil

doi:10.22034/emj.2025.732495

Assessment of Desertification and Land Degradation Trends in Central Iran’s Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: Case Study of the Gavkhouni wetland and Tashk–Bakhtegan–Maharloo (TBM) Watersheds

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Saharnaz Shokoohi Zadegan ¹

Hassan khosravi ²

Gholamreza Zehtabian ²

Tayebeh Mesbahzadeh ³

Esmaeil Heydari Alamdarloo ⁴

¹ Ph. D Student, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² Professor, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Postdoctoral, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/emj.2025.732495

Abstract

Desertification and land degradation are fundamental environmental challenges in Iran's arid and semi-arid regions, severely affectingecological stability, water resources, and food security. This research was conducted with the aim oflong-term monitoring of desertification trendsand valuating ecological changes in two sensitivebasins the Gavkhouni wetland and the Tashk–Bakhtegan–Maharloo (TBM) watersheds during the period 2001–2022. To achieve this, MODIS Terra satellite data were utilized to derive the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Net Primary Productivity and subsequently, a composite Land Degradation and Development Index was calculated using a Euclidean distance–based modemodel. Temporal trend analysis of the LDDI at the pixel level was conducted using the non-parametric Mann–Kendall test. The results showed that more than 68% of the Gavkhouni Basin exhibited a significant negative trend in the LDDI, with index values below 0.4, indicating intense land degradation in the central parts of the basin including areas of Isfahan County as well as in the eastern and southern sections, particularly around Varzaneh, Hassanabad, Segzi, and eastern Naein., Areas that have experienced severe declines in NDVI and NPP due to the reduced flow of the Zayandeh-Rud River and the desiccation of the Gavkhouni wetland .In the Tashk–Bakhtegan–Maharloo (TBM) basin, the overall trend of the index was oscillatory yet relatively stable, such that approximately 42% of the basin covering the northern and western parts of the Zagros highlands, including Abadeh and Sepidan exhibited LDDI values between 0.6 and 0.8, reflecting comparatively more favorable ecological conditions.However, the lowland and central areas particularly around the Bakhtegan and Maharloo lakes exhibited the most intense of desertification. The spatial and temporal results of the LDDI indicated that this index can serve as an accurate tool for identifying critical areas of land degradation and for revealing ecological trends with high spatial resolution. These study can provide a scientific basis for water resources management, vegetation restoration, and environmental planning in Iran's arid and semi-arid landscapes.

Keywords

Desertification

Gavkhouni

Land Degradation

Tashk&‌‌‌ndash

Bakhtegan&‌‌‌ndash

Maharloo

Subjects

Management and Control of Desert

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