Determination of the Status of Desertification in the Capital of Mauritania and Development of A Strategy for Combating It

doi:10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2018.03.011

Journal of Resources and Ecology ›› 2018, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (3): 306-316.DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2018.03.011

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Determination of the Status of Desertification in the Capital of Mauritania and Development of A Strategy for Combating It

ZHOU Na^{1, 2}, WANG Yongdong^{1, 2, *}, LEI Jiaqiang^{1, 2}, AHMEDOU Ould Soule³, XU Xinwen^{1, 2}, Alioune Fall⁴, LEHLOU Sidi Mohamed⁵

1. Xinjiang Institution of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Science, Urumqi 830011, China;
2. Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China;
3. École Normale Supérieure, Nouakchott BP.880, Mauritania;
4. Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Nouakchott BP.170, Mauritania;
5. Agence Nationale De La Grande Muralille Verte, Nouakchott BP.170, Mauritania

Received:2018-01-02 Revised:2018-03-20 Online:2018-05-30 Published:2018-05-30
Contact: WANG Yongdong, E-mail: wangyd@ms.xjb.ac.cn
Supported by:
Chinese Academy of Sciences (2017-XBQNXZ-B-018); Science and Technology Partnership Program, Ministry of Science and Technology of China (KY201702010); China-Africa Joint Research Centre Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SAJC201610).

Abstract

Abstract: Mauritania, located in the Western Sahara, is one of the least developed countries in the Sahara Desert. Its capital, Nouakchott, which is home to 23% of its population, suffers from soil erosion from the Sahara and saltwater intrusion from the Atlantic Ocean. The local environment is under pressure from the combined effects of climate and socio-economic factors, with desertification being recognized as the greatest threat to life. In this context, high-resolution remote sensing images of Nouakchott obtained during the winters of 1985, 1988, 2000, 2006, and 2010 are selected for interpretation and classification. Analysis of the types of desertification and land use reveals the temporal and spatial characteristics of five distinct time periods from 1985 to 2010. This study analyzes the current status of desertification in Nouakchott and suggests five preventive measures.

Key words: combating desertification, desertified land, progress of desertification, West Africa

ZHOU Na, WANG Yongdong, LEI Jiaqiang, AHMEDOU Ould Soule, XU Xinwen, Alioune Fall, LEHLOU Sidi Mohamed. Determination of the Status of Desertification in the Capital of Mauritania and Development of A Strategy for Combating It[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2018, 9(3): 306-316.

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Determination of the Status of Desertification in the Capital of Mauritania and Development of A Strategy for Combating It

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