The Effects of Urban and Industrial Development (Technogenic Desertification) in the desertification (Case Study: Eastern Region of Esfahan Province)

Rapid urban development in recent decades, has affected various aspects of social, economic, cultural, political and human environment. Negative environmental effects of urban growth have increased to such extent that is the largest threat in front of the ecosystem. One of the consequences of these negative environmental effects is ecological and biological capacitance reduction, also referred to as desertification. Currently, the desertification, with human intervention, is more technogenic desertification and is beyond salinity, wind erosion, and other parameters that were previously considered. The main aim of the present study is to survey the effect of urban and industrial development (technogenic desertification) in the desertification of the East region of the Esfahan province. In this study we tried to determine and prepare plan of potential situation of land desertification, caused by urban and industrial development, which is one of the most important human-caused criteria in the assessment of areas affected by desertification within the Isfahan Province eastern region. For this purpose, in addition to information on land use map and work unit map of study area, the visual interpretation of satellite images are also used to identification and spatial adaptation of desertification assessment indices with land realities. Arc GIS and ILWIS software are applied to use digital files and presented maps. Review and comparison of criteria scores of technogenic desertification in the study area indicated that low-intensity desertification is expanded at about 284,451 hectares of the area (82.3%), moderate-intensity desertification is expanded to approximately 59187 hectares of the area (17.2%), and severe desertification of land is expanded to about 1883 hectares of the area (0.5%). Land with very severe desertification in the area is not observed.