Assessment Of Degraded Rangeland Extent In The Ouled Djellel Region By The Application Of The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (Savi) Derived From Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

The primary aim of this research is to assess the degree of degradation experienced by natural rangelands within the Ouled Djellal region.

The pastures situated on the inclines and southern aspects of the Saharan Atlas in southern Algeria function as grazing territories for numerous livestock. These pastures comprise assemblages of shrubs that demonstrate resilience to arid and semi-arid climatic conditions.

At the commencement of this century, the region witnessed a significant reduction in its shrub vegetation cover, which is essential not only as a crucial food source for livestock but also as a fundamental component in sustaining the ecological equilibrium of these landscapes. This degradation has precipitated various challenges within the pastoral economic framework of the region.

The density of shrub vegetation cover, which is marked by considerable variability, is evaluated utilizing the Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), a metric noted for its remarkable precision and accuracy in identifying sparse and less densely populated shrub areas. SAVI is recognized as a beneficial alternative to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) owing to its enhanced efficacy in discerning vegetation attributes, particularly those pertinent to arid and semi-arid ecosystems. This index provides improved spatial resolution and sensitivity, facilitating more precise evaluations of vegetation density across diverse ecological contexts.