MEDALUS
III: TARGET AREAS PROJECT
Co-ordinator: C.
Kosmas, Agricultural University of Athens
Major
project objectives
The Target Areas Project was designed to
apply the existing knowledge, obtained in all three phases of
MEDALUS to areas along the northern Mediterranean which are
already desertified or threatened by desertification at a
regional scale.
This project was divided into four modules,
each one concerned with a particular target area and each one
working on the same major objectives.
- The identification and mapping of
environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) to
desertification.
- Definition of ESAs to desertification
based on sets of measured attributes such as climate
variability, ecosystems, land use changes, land
abandonment, and landscape characteristics.
- Investigation of specific processes
involved in land degradation and desertification.
- Development and improvement of counter
measurements and strategies for sustainable management of
land resources and protection against desertification.
Module 4: Regional scale
studies in the Alentejo
- The identification of ESAs in the
Alentejo from remotely sensed images with the development
and application of indicators derived from
soil-vegetation-water relationships. In this region the
specific actions to mitigate desertification concern
climatic change and water resources management.
Further
details of Module 4.
Module 5: Regional scale
studies in the Guadalentín-Segura
- The identification of ESAs from
physical, biological and socio-economic factors, and
their detection from remotely sensed images. The analysis
of landscape sensitivity to desertification using GIS
modelling of indicators. The hierarchy of land
degradation dynamics in the Guadalentin basin. Specific
actions to mitigate desertification include the
development of planning tools for the Segura and
Guadalentin basins and water resources planning and
management.
Further
details of Module 5.
Module 6: Regional scale
studies in the Agri
- Land degradation and desertification
indicators in the Agri. The identification and assessment
of environmentally sensitive areas by remote sensing. The
development of a decision support system for the Agri
basin. Socio-economic and political aspects of Agri basin
desertification.
Further
details of Module 6.
Module 7: Regional scale
studies on Lesvos
- Definition of environmentally
sensitive areas based on different sets of attributes and
criteria relevant to desertification from work conducted
on Lesvos and the other target areas. Impacts of habitat
fragmentation on land degradation and biodiversity.
Indicators for environmental disturbance and land
degradation. Soil erosion patterns on different
geomorphological units. Soil-vegetation interactions. The
comparative analysis of all the target areas.
Further
details of Module 7.
All MEDALUS reports
from this and other modules are listed in the document and data
archive. Reports relating to this module will be found in the
MEDALUS III: Target Area Project volumes. Some of the more recent
reports can be downloaded from this site.
Older reports are obtainable from the MEDALUS Project Office,
free of charge.
Click here to
go to the document and data archive
Click here to email the MEDALUS Office
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here to return to the work
plan index