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Images used in the Crete study site description.

Simulated landscape
Slope classes distribution of the island of Crete

Slope distribution
The two study areas in Crete.

Study sites on Crete
Overlay of the two km-files of the study area using Google Earth <br>

Google Earth image of study sites
Changes in agricultural land uses in Crete in the last decades (Agricultural Statistical Service)

Change in land use
Map showing the main vegetation types of the Messara valley, Crete

Vegetation types, Messara valley
Typical landscapes and land uses of the Messara valley, Crete, covered mainly with olive groves and pastures in the upper hilly areas

Pasture, Messara valley
Typical landscapes and land uses of the Messara valley, Crete, covered mainly with olive groves and pastures in the upper hilly areas

Olive groves, Messara valley
Geographical distribution of natural pastures in Crete according to CORINE 2000 <br>

Distribution of natural pasture
Average soil erosion rates measured in various soil, and topographic conditions along the Mediterranean Europe and in representative land uses (Kosmas et al., 1997) <br>

Average soil erosion rates under different land us
Changes in the grazing animal population in Crete during the last four decades (Agric. Statistical Service)<br>

Change in animal grazing population
Basic components of PESERA model for assessing soil erosion rates (Kirkby, 1999)

Components of PESERA model
Indicatora related to desertification risk in salt-affected areas (Kosmas et al., 2003)

Indicators for salt-affected areas
Soil map showing the boundaries and the symbols of the various mapping units <br>

Soil map mapping units
Potential desertification risk map of Greece (compiled by the Greek National Committee for Combating Desertification)

Potentian desertification risk map of Greece
Soil erosion rates (t ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>) estimated by the application of the PESERA model for the Chania pilot area (year 2000)

Soil erosion rates for Chania estimated by PESERA
Degree of soil erosion for Chania region as estimated in the soil survey

Soil erosion for Chania, estimated from soil surve
Degree of soil erosion estimated during the soil survey of the Messara valley <br>

Soil erosion for Messara, estimated from soil surv
Soil salinization risk map of Chania region (western Crete)

Soil salinization risk map of Chania
Soil salinization risk map of the Messara valley

Soil salinization risk map of Messara valley
Rainfall distribution in the Chania region for the period 1960-2000 (source: National Meteorological Service, Souda station)

Rainfall in Chania, 1960-2000
Average monthly rainfall distribution in the area of Chania (source: National Meteorological Service)

Average monthly rainfall, Chania
Map of aridity index defined by the Bagnouls-Gaussen index for the study area of Chania

Aridity index map, Chania
Map of soil water storage capacity distribution classes of the study area of Chania

Soil water storage capacity, Chania
Annual rainfall distribution in the Messara valley (source: Greek National Meteorological Service) <br>

Average monthly rainfall, Messara valley
Map of soil water storage capacity distribution classes of the study area of Messara valley

Soil water storage capacity, Messara valley
Map of environmentally sensitive areas to desertification of the study area of Chania (N=non-threatened, P=potential, F1, F2, F3=fragile, and C1, C2, C3=critical areas to desertification)

Map of ESAs, Chania
Map of environmentally sensitive areas to desertification under the existing land use and management practices in Messara valley (N=non-threatened, P=potential, F1, F2, F3=fragile, and C1, C2, C3=critical areas to desertification)

Map of ESAs, Messara valley
Population age distribution for the island of Crete

Population age distribution, Crete
Highly degraded and desertified grazing land<br>

Degraded grazing land
Olive groves in a fragile to desertification area.<br>

Olive groves in a fragile area
Watersheds of Eastern Crete (Dept. of Development, 1989)

Watersheds of Eastern Crete
Farmers in Y_III.JPG.jpg

Acknowledgement

fp6 logo 3 50 x 43 
The DESIRE project was 
co-funded by the 
European Commission, 
Global Change and 
Ecosystem.
 
DESIRE brought together the expertise of
26 international research institutes
and non-governmental organisations. 
This website does not necessarily 
represent the opinion of the 
European Commission. The European 
Commission is not responsible for 
any use that might be made of the 
information contained herein.

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