UNDESERT List of Indicators of Desertification and DegradationYvonneBachmannGoethe University Frankfurt, EU Project UNDESERTMax von Laue Str. 13Frankfurt60438GermanyYvonneBachmannassociatedParty2013-10-29The UNDESERT List of Indicators of Desertification and Degradation provides a set of indicators to assess desertification and degradation processes. The list contains spatial and plot-based indicators. The eight spatial indicators were compiled from remote sensing data (medium resolution satellite images), thematic maps, digital elevation and climate models. The 27 plot-based indicators represent a refinement of the spatial indicators at site level. Both indicator types are to be used parallel to assess all aspects of desertification and degradation processes. The eight relevant spatial indicators for desertification/degradation were grouped in four thematic classes: Land cover/use change, vegetation indices, human pressure and fire. The 29 relevant plot-based indicators for desertification/degradation were grouped in four thematic classes: Vegetation, human pressure, soil and topography. Furthermore the interested user gets an insight of the data needed, the methodology applied and the indicators related. Finally there is a list of bibliographic reference.degradationdesertificationhuman impactindicatorssoilvegetationwest africano restrictionsBurkina Faso, Benin-5.53313.833115.09926.16671975-01-01YvonneBachmannGoethe University Frankfurt, EU Project UNDESERTMax von Laue Str. 13Frankfurt60438Germanybachmann@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Remote sensing derived spatial and field data derived plot-based desertification and degradation indicators
The spatial indicators were compiled from remote sensing data (medium resolution satellite images), thematic maps, Geographic Information System (GIS) data, digital elevation models and climate grids. They refer to a broader spatial scale. The plot-based indicators represent a refinement of the spatial indicators at site level. They were obtained by traditional data collection methods on the plots in the field. Both indicator types have to be used parallel. The 8 relevant spatial indicators for desertification/degradation were grouped in four thematic classes: Land cover/use change, vegetation indices, human pressure and fire. The 27 relevant plot-based indicators for desertification/degradation were grouped in four thematic classes: Vegetation, human pressure, soil and topography Most of the UNDESERT indicators can be applied at low costs. They cover different spatial and temporal scales. The potential of each indicator to determine the causes of desertification/degradation processes and the consequences on plant distribution and diversity patterns was tested by advanced statistical analyses and novel models.
UNDESERT_Indicators.docxUNDESERT_Indicators.docx445916DOCXhttps://dataportal.senckenberg.de/dataset/cb094982-8b5e-4671-bc6d-1641a683b92b/resource/b64b86bb-d537-4661-81db-2786aa3d6170/download/undesert_indicators.docxOther
timeseries
Most of the indicators, especially the plot-based ones were raised from 2010 on. The oldest remote sensing images used for the extraction of spatial indicators such as the land cover change indicator are from 1975.
other
The data consists of a list of desertification and degradation indicators