Desertification and land degradation: origins, processes and solutions

Table of Contents

1. Authors and acknowledgements
2. Introduction
   1. Aims
   2. Definitions and key concepts
   3. Synthesis of previous and ongoing projects
   4. Key issues and outline
3. Evolution of desertification in the Mediterranean
   1. Climatic fluctuation
   2. Human influence
4. Primary drivers of desertification
   1. Biophysical and socio-economic causes
   2. Pathways of desertification
   3. Driving forces in the Mediterranean
   4. Synthesis of causes for DESIRE hotspots
   5. Conclusions
5. Processes and consequences of desertification in the Mediterranean
   1. Socio-economic and political factors
   2. Biophysical processes
   3. Conclusions
6. Indicators: monitoring desertification
   1. History of monitoring
   2. Indicators
   3. Monitoring and mapping techniques
   4. Concluding remarks
7. Modelling desertification
   1. Definition of modelling
   2. Model types
   3. Biophysical modelling
   4. Socio-economic and participatory modelling
   5. Gaps and progression in modelling
8. Solutions
   1. Biophysical solutions
   2. Political and socio-economic solutions
9. References

Modelling desertification

In most projects concerning desertification, modelling is included in at least one of the research stages. In this chapter, various aspects of modelling desertification will be discussed, including the function of models in desertification research, the process of modelling, a brief review of the type of models employed and the expected developments for the next decade. It is the objective of this chapter to describe models relevant to desertification research. Since many models exist that are in some way related to desertification, it is impossible to review or even list all of them here. Therefore, they are categorized in terms of theme, going from broad, globally applicable type of models (e.g. GCMs) through regional land surface models to detailed, regional or local hydrological or erosion models. A subdivision is made between biophysical and socio-economic modelling. In most categories, some well-known models are briefly described. Otherwise, the reader is referred to the given references provided for detailed information.