CIS-Based Multi Criteria Analysis to Evaluate Land Degradation in Southern Italy

摘要

This paper introduces a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) decision technique, called Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to evaluate topographic factors which are playing important rule to initiate and develop land degradation as a kind of environmental hazard in southern Italy. The controlling factor on land degradation would be a crucial factor for the conservation planning and sustainable development. Therefore, it is shown that AHP and GIS using remote data can improve making decision on selecting the most effective control factor and consequently, to prevent the risk of land degradation. ASTER data has been applied to construct topographic factors like, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), slope, aspect, flow accumulation, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) image for the purpose of research. As an index for land degradation, the density of gully networks have been calculated using Gary Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM) method to prepare texture image and enhance the network of gullies. The conclusion from five sample areas presents that some of the topographic indexes are reasonably the major factors. However, land cover is an effectual factor to reduce land degradation development which it was anticipated. The result of the AHP approach would be improved using more environmental factors such as rainfall, soil type, and geology formation.