A GIS and Remote Sensing Approach for Desertification Sensitivity Assessment of Cultural Landscape in Apulia Region (Italy)

Climate change is posing new challenges to cultural landscapes. Indeed, rapid climate modifications can significantly interfere with the link existing between natural and man work, typical of cultural landscapes. This problem is even more fundamental for areas characterized by accelerated climatic changes, like the Mediterranean one. For those regions the definition of a proper methodology for sensitivity evaluation to land degradation is a key element to promote new conservation/valorization strategies and policies. This work presents a new methodology integrating GIS and Remote Sensing with environmental models to simulate land degradation processes and to provide a comprehensive index (Integrated Desertification Index, IDI) of desertification for the Apulia region in Southern Italy. After an extensive analysis of both the conditions and the evolution of natural features in the study area, through spatial data investigation, a set of appropriate indicators of land degradation have been identified on the basis of their applicability and sensitivity to environmental processes. The following five indicators were considered: overgrazing pressure, drought pressure, water erosion, vegetation condition and soil salinity. To evaluate them both existing Open GIS and statistical data, as well as Remote Sensing images have been combined into a unique indicator to evaluate the most vulnerable areas to land degradation in the Apulia region.