Desertification Risk Assessment and Providing Management Strategies using the DPSIR-M Model in Khorasan Razavi province

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Morteza Akbari ¹
• Mahboobeh Sarbazi ²
• Ali Sibevei ³
• somayeh Fadaei ⁴

¹ Associate Professor in Desertification, Desert and Arid Zones Management Department, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Mashhad, Iran

² PhD in Desertification, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

³ Assistant Professor in Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Torbat Heydarieh, Iran

⁴ PhD Candidate in Industrial Management, Department of Management,Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/geoeh.2023.83917.1404

Abstract

Desertification is the greatest environmental challenge that serious threats to food security and biodiversity. This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the risk of desertification and providing management plans using the DPSIR-M conceptual model in Khorasan Razavi province and in 4 steps. These steps include; - Collecting data and preparing basic maps, - Choosing a model to prepare a desertification intensity map, - Assessing the risk of desertification and finally, providing management plans based on the conceptual approach of DPSIR-M. The results showed that more than 30% of the study area are located in the relatively critical to severe desertification class. In terms of fragility, about 59% of the areas of Khorasan Razavi province are in relatively fragile to very fragile environmental conditions, and about 7% have the potential of fragility. The results of the desertification risk map showed that more than 98% of the regions are in the high and very high desertification risk class, and only 2% of the areas are in the moderate to very low classes. This issue can be a serious warning of the land degradation for the officials and executives of Khorasan Razavi province. Therefore, based on the intensity and risk maps of desertification and using the DPSIR-M model, six policies and 46 strategies and action plans were proposed for optimal land management. The proposed programs are in the form of preventive, corrective and rehabilitation programs. Therefore, it is suggested that the results obtained from this research be used by managers and experts of executive departments.

Keywords

• Desertification
• DPSIR-M model
• Land degradation
• Soil erosion
• Land management
• Desertification risk

Main Subjects

• Desertification and Advancement of the desert

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©2025 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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