IRAQI JOURNAL OF DESERT STUDIES

Abstract

The study was aimed to evaluate soil degradation in Horan valley the greatest in western desert of Iraq as evidence of degradation degree using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land degradation index (LDI) for three periods (1984, 1999, 2013). The study showed that moderate degradation in NDVI index occupied the most area within the area of change values 11044.7 km 2 which formed (61%) of the valley area, while the sever and very sever degradation proportions were 28.5% and 10% and occupied area (5126.75 and 1794.47) km2 respectively as a result of time series mentioned above, while the area of sever change in soil degradation increase of (8990.57) km2 ie 50% of the valley area in correspond with 2789.74 and 6185.56 km2 of the valley's area. as increase percent of 15% and 34% for very severe and moderate change with