<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>7</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Abu-Sharar</style></author></authors><secondary-authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Kepner, William G</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rubio, Jose L</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mouat, David A</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pedrazzini, Fausto</style></author></secondary-authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE CHALLENGES OF LAND AND WATER RESOURCES DEGRADATION IN JORDAN : DIAGNOSIS AND SOLUTIONS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Desertification in the Mediterranean Region a Security Issue</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Agriculture</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">degradation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">desertification</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Jordan</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">management (voyant)</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">resources</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">water</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Springer Netherlands</style></publisher><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">201-226</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Desertification is the loss of complexity of biological and/or economic productivity of crop-, range- or wood-lands. Reasons of such a loss is mainly due to climatic change and unsustainable human activities. The arid and semi-arid lands of Jordan are sensitive to human interference that resulted in a severe depletion of its natural resources and in different forms of land degradation due to multiple interaction of socio-economic factors. Further, degradation will continue if human activities are not carefully controlled and managed. Almost 90% of the land area of Jordan receives less than 200 mm of rainfall annually. This is reflected in poor structural stability of soils and the subsequent vulnerability to excessive erosion following shallow rainstorm events. Such a fragile ecosystem has also been manifested by non sustainable land use patterns and poor vegetative cover of the range land and the remaining forest batchs. Therefore, most of the economic activities take place on the remaining 10% of the land area and the competition between different user groups for these lands is, therefore, intense. Factors such as livestock and grazing practices, inappropriate agricultural and irrigation techniques, the marginalizing of lands, poor socio-economic conditions and a high population growth rate as well as weak institutional arrangements need to be considered in a comprehensive and integrated framework. Rangelands are deteriorating at an accelerated rate due to widespread overgrazing, uncontrolled herd movements, firewood collection, unsuitable cultivation practices, and persisted periodic droughts, all of which worsen ecological conditions. Cultivation of marginal lands, and unsound practices such as ploughing down slopes, and use of heavy farm machinery have accelerated rate of soil erosion and lowered land productivity. Urbanisation is also steadily encroaching onto good quality agricultural land in the higher rainfall areas of the Jordanian highlands, reducing the traditional production areas of food crops such as wheat and barley. Jordan suffers from a scarcity of water resources, which is compounded by poor management of existing supplies. Pumping of aquifers for irrigation and municipal uses has been exceeding their renewable safe yield. No serious attempts have been committed to improve natural recharge into these aquifers, encourage water harvesting practices or adopt water conservation measures, especially in irrigation. The current demand for municipal, industrial and agricultural water in Jordan exceeds sustainable water supply and the problem is further aggravated in dry winters like the case in the 1998/99 season. Irrigation has made crop production possible in many areas but the long-term effects of fertilizers and pesticides on water quality, as well as on soil salinity, have been given only limited attention. Furthermore, poor wastewater treatment, and industrial pollution have compounded the problem. Current and future deterioration of water quality will have marked effects on land degradation. Socio-economic factors contribute negatively to desertification and to efforts to combat its effects, poverty constitutes a vicious circle linking deterioration of natural resources to deterioration of livelihoods. Also, the population increase is adding an additional pressure to land and water resources, as people need to encroach further on fragile soils, sparse vegetation and limited water resources. The institutional capabilities of the Government as well as the existing legislation and policies need to address the serious degradation of its agricultural, range and forest lands, and aim to improve land capabilities and increase production for communities will require support. Financial and technical support will be required to introduce new agricultural products, agricultural techniques, water harvesting techniques that will result in increased land productivity, yet with less pressure on fertility and water resources. Also, communities will be encouraged to engage in diversified economic activities that will alleviate pressure on natural resources. This may be accomplished through the adoption of participatory approaches that raise awareness of local communities to threats of desertification and to strengthen local institutions, which are essential for reversing desertification and environmental degradation, especially considering Jordan’s transition economy.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>7</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Muñoz, A</style></author></authors><secondary-authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Kepner, W G</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rubio, Jose L</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mouat, David A</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pedrazzini, F</style></author></secondary-authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">USING A GIS FOR SUSTAINABLE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF AN IRRIGATION AREA IN THE SPANISH - PORTUGUESE BORDER THREATENED BY DESERTIFICATION</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Desertification in the Mediterranean Region a Security Issue</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Caia Irrigation Perimeter</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">desertification</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">management (voyant)</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">organic matter</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">soil properties</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2006</style></year></dates><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">451-473</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Inappropriate management of agricultural irrigated land, using excessive amounts of production factors – pesticides and fertilizers in particular – can lead to rapid and irreversible soil degradation and the corresponding decrease in production capacity. The method presented here, applicable to the entire Mediterranean region, was designed to support the sustainable management of a 12540 ha irrigated area located in the Spanish- Portuguese border, with special emphasis on the prevention of desertification. This specific tool, incorporates a data collection from 1428 georeferenced points and respective topsoil samples, describing soil type, depth, slope, drainage, pH, organic matter content, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium content, and available phosphorus and potassium. Parameterized maps were prepared for all these soil properties using Geographic Information System (GIS) software to store, manage, analyze, and display the georeferenced information. Predictive maps for organic amendments need were elaborated for use in the sustainable and integrated land management of the area. The higher risk zones were identified on the basis of their soil depth, slope, drainage, organic matter, electrical conductivity, and sodium saturation percentage.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>