Impact of climate on vegetation cover in the northern Badia region using remote sensing

Abstract

The results of the climatic analysis for the Northern Badiya region during the period 1994 – 2024( indicate noticeable changes in the main climate elements (temperature, wind, rainfall), which were directly reflected in the variation and degradation of the vegetation cover. The climate data showed a gradual rise in the average temperature, with the general annual average reaching 25.9°C), with a clear increase in recent years due to climate change. This led to increased evaporation rates, decreased relative humidity, and consequently increased drought.

Rainfall also varied spatially and temporally. The highest average was recorded in the northern and  northwestern parts of the region, ranging from (180- 200mm, while the southeastern areas(   recorded the lowest average in the study area, ranging between (110  – 120 )mm. This variation in precipitation significantly affected the distribution and density of the vegetation cover in the study area. Plants grew in relatively humid areas during seasons that witnessed sufficient rainfall for their growth, while this density declined in dry areas due to low precipitation.

The study also showed that the prevailing winds in the study area are the northwestern and southeastern winds, which contribute to moving sand dunes and dust, leading to soil erosion and reducing its ability to support vegetation cover.

Furthermore, the analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the years 1994, (2010- 2024  revealed a continuous decline in areas with high vegetation density and an increase in( areas with low or non-existent density, especially in the central and southern parts of the study area, due to heat stress and lack of precipitation. In contrast, the northern areas witnessed a relative improvement, thanks to the rainfall in that region.

These results confirm that the successive climatic changes over the past three decades have led to a noticeable environmental degradation, manifested in the retreat of vegetation cover and the expansion of desertified areas. This necessitates the development of effective strategies for water management, increasing afforestation, and monitoring vegetation cover indicators to ensure environmental sustainability and achieve ecological balance in the Northern Badiya region..