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1. Definition
| Name |
Environmental Sensitivity
Index (ESI)
[See also full details
in: DIS4ME Expert system for
evaluating the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) for a
local area.]
|
| Brief definition |
The ESI combines
four Quality Indices described separately: Soil Quality, Climate
Quality, Vegetation Quality and Management Quality |
| Unit of measure |
Composite index |
| Spatial scale |
Local, and
mapped at up to river basin scale. |
| Temporal
scale |
Dependent
on changes within any information layer. |
2. Position
within the logical framework DPSIR
3. Target and
political pertinence
| Objective |
To
assess risk of desertification in a local area using an index,
the Environmental Sensitivity Index, by combining readily available
data on soil quality, vegetation quality, climate quality and
management quality. The tool to assess ESI is flexible enough
to function using available or estimated data, despite missing
information. |
| Importance
with respect to desertification |
The Environmental
Sensitivity Index methodology is used to integrate physical
and socio-economic information about desertification within
a standard system [See also full details in: DISforME Expert
system for evaluating the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI)
for a local area]. |
| International
Conventions and agreements |
The system
of mapping Environmentally Sensitive Areas developed in MEDALUS
III, (Ferrara et al., 1999; Kosmas et. al., 1999) has already
been adopted for use by international projects e.g. DISMED http://dismed.eionet.eu.int/,
DesertNet http://www.unibas.it/desertnet/
|
| Secondary
objectives of the indicator |
The
ESI tool can also be calculated and used to investigate scenarios
such as potential changes in land use. |
4. Methodological
description and basic definitions
| Definitions
and basic concepts |
The
Environmental Sensitivity Index of an area is the as result
of interactions between elementary factors (information layers)
each differently linked to direct and indirect degradation or
desertification phenomenavÑvp (Basso et al., 2000). It
is builded on ESA estimate, and it represents the amount of
critical factors, in terms of %. |
| Benchmarks
Indication of the values/ranges of value |
Levels of sensitivity
[See also full details in: DISforME Expert system for evaluating
the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) for a local area]:
Very low (Not affected
areas - N): 0 < 15.14 (% of critical factors)
Areas in which critical
factors are very low or not present, with a good balance between
environmental and socio-economical factors.
Low (Potential
areas - P): 15.14 < 20.04 (% of critical factors)
Areas threatened by desertification
under significant climate change, if a particular combination
of land use is implemented or where offsite impacts will produce
severe problems. This would also include abandoned land which
is not properly managed.
Medium (Fragile
areas - F): 20.04 < 33.39 (% of critical factors)
Areas in which any change
in the delicate balance between natural and human activity
is likely to bring about desertification.
- 20.04 < 23.60 (F1)
- 23.60 < 28.94 (F2)
- 28.94 < 33.39 (F3)
High (Critical
areas - C): >= 33.39 (% of critical factors)
Areas already highly degraded
through past misuse, presenting a threat to the environment
of the surrounding areas or with evident desertification processes.
- 33.39 < 36.95 (C1)
- 36.95 <= 47.19
(C2)
- > 47.19 (C3)
|
| Methods of
measurement |
see: Expert
system for evaluating the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI)
for a local area: methodology
|
| Limits of the
indicator |
The ESI Index
has been developed in the Agri basin of southern Italy for use
in Mediterranean Europe but may need adaptation for use elsewhere. |
| Linkages with
other indicators |
Soil
quality index, Climate
quality index, Vegetation
quality index, Management
quality index. |
5. Evaluation
of data needs and availability
| Data required
to calculate the indicator |
The data required
for calculating soil quality, vegetation quality, climate quality
and management quality are, as far as possible: directly related
to degradation and desertification, readily available, or simple
to measure, or economic to collect and monitor. |
| Data
sources |
Available
documentation, field survey, National, Regional and Municipal
records |
| Availability
of data from national and international sources |
Variable,
but direct local information is best. |
6. Institutions
that have participated in developing the indicator
| Main
institutions responsible |
University of Basilicata,
Italy
Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
|
| Other
contributing organizations |
Partners
from EU-funded projects MEDALUS III and DESERTLINKS. |
7. Additional
information
| Bibliography
|
Basso F., Bove E., Dumontet
S., Ferrara A., Pisante M., Quaranta, G., Taberner
M., 2000. Evaluating Environmental Sensitivity at the basin
scale through the use of Geographic Information Systems and
Remote Sensed data: an example covering the Agri basin (southern
Italy). Catena 40 : 19-35.
Ferrara A., Bellotti
A., Faretta S., Mancino G., Taberner M., 1999. Identification
and assessment of Environmentally Sensitive Areas by Remote
Sensing. MEDALUS III 2.6.2. - OU Final Report. King's College,
London. Volume 2: 397-429
Kosmas C., Ferrara
A., Briassoulis H., Imeson A. 1999. Methodology for mapping
Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) to Desertification.
In 'The Medalus project Mediterranean desertification and
land use. Manual on key indicators of desertification and
mapping environmentally sensitive areas to desertification.
Edited by: C. Kosmas, M.Kirkby, N.Geeson. European Union 18882.
pp:31-47 ISBN 92-828-6349-2.
|
| Other
references |
Basso F., Bellotti A.,
Faretta S., Ferrara A., Mancino G., Pisante M., Quaranta G.,
Taberner M., 1999. Application of the proposed methodology
for defining ESAs: The Agri Basin In 'The Medalus project
Mediterranean desertification and land use. Manual on key
indicators of desertification and mapping environmentally
sensitive areas to desertification. Edited by: C. Kosmas,
M.Kirkby, N.Geeson. European Union 18882. pp:74-79 ISBN 92-828-6349-2.
Ferrara A., Pisante M.,
Harrison A.R., Taberner M., 1995. The use of spatial relationship
analysis to study the Agri-basin with remotely sensed images.
MEDALUS II Final Report. King's College, London. 67-83.
Kosmas C., Ferrara A.,
Bellotti A, Detsis V., Faretta S., Gerontidis St., Mancino
G., Marathainou M. and Pisante M. 1998. A Comparative Analysis
of the Physical Environment of two Mediterranean Areas Threatened
by Desertification. Istituto Mediterranico, Universitade Nova
De Lisboa. Mediterraneo n 12/13: 127-145
Kosmas C., Poesen J.,
Briasouli H., 1999. Key indicators of desertification at the
ESAa scale. In 'Manual on Key Indicators of desertification
and Mapping Environmentally Sensitive Areas to Desertification'.
MEDALUS III Project. King's College, London.
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| Contacts
Name and address |
Agostino Ferrara,
University of Basilicata, Italy
ferrara@unibas.it
|
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