Abstract
Desertification is the loss of complexity of biological and/or economic productivity of crop-, range- or wood-lands. Reasons of such a loss is mainly due to climatic change and unsustainable human activities. The arid and semi-arid lands of Jordan are sensitive to human interference that resulted in a severe depletion of its natural resources and in different forms of land degradation due to multiple interaction of socio-economic factors. Further, degradation will continue if human activities are not carefully controlled and managed. Almost 90% of the land area of Jordan receives less than 200 mm of rainfall annually. This is reflected in poor structural stability of soils and the subsequent vulnerability to excessive erosion following shallow rainstorm events. Such a fragile ecosystem has also been manifested by non sustainable land use patterns and poor vegetative cover of the range land and the remaining forest batchs. Therefore, most of the economic activities take place on the remaining 10% of the land area and the competition between different user groups for these lands is, therefore, intense.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
REFERENCES
Abu-Sharar, T. M. Effects of sewage sludge treatments on aggregate slaking, clay dispersion and hydraulic conductivity of a semiarid soil sample. Geoderma, 1993; 59: 327–343.
Abu-Sharar, T. M., and O. Rimawi. Water chemistry of the Dhuleil Aquifer (Jordan) as influenced by long-term pumpage. J. Hydrol, 1993; 149: 49–66.
Abu-Sharar, T. M., and A. S. Salameh. Reductions in hydraulic conductivity and infiltration rate in relation to aggregate stability and irrigation water turbidity. Agric. Water Management, 1995; 29: 53–62.
Abu-Sharar, T. M. Modification of hydraulic properties of a semiarid soil in relation to seasonal applications of sewage sludge and electrolyte producing compounds. Soil Technology, 1996; 9: 1–13.
Abu-Sharar, T. M. Nabataean Tradition of Soil Conservation and Water Harvesting. Nabataean House. Wadi Musa (Petra), 28–29/8/2001. 2001.
Abu-Sharar, T. M. and A. M. Battikhi. Water Resources management under competitive sectoral demand: A case study from Jordan. Water International, 2002; 27: 364–378.
Abu-Shriha, N. I. Assessment of local and traditional knowledge in combating desertification in Jordan. A document presented to NAP to Combat Desertification Project JOR/00/001/A/99. Ministry of Environment, Amman-Jordan. 2003.
Ad hoc Committee of the Irrigated Agriculture. A study submitted to His Majesty the King and to the Economic Consultative Council. The Royal Court-Amman, Jordan. 2001.
Cansult and Sigma “Jordan Valley Rural Sanitation Study”, Conceptual Report, 1995 and Feasibility Study 1997.
DOS, Department of Statistics (2001) Employment and Unemployment Survey, Amman- Jordan. 2001.
DOS, Department of Statistics (2002) Statistical Year Book. Amman-Jordan. 2002.
El-Naser, H. Water resources management policy reforms for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Amman-Jordan. 1999.
GCEP. Jordan Law of Environmental Protection. Law No 12, 1995.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Study of Brackish Groundwater desalination in Jordan. Amman-Jordan. 1995.
Ministry of Agriculture. National Rangeland Strategy of Jordan. Advisory Services to the Ministry of Agriculture Project. Amman-Jordan. 2001.
Ministry of Water and Irrigation. (MWI). Annual report, Amman- Jordan. 2000.
Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Water Sector Planning and Associated Investment Program (2002–2011). Amman, Jordan. 2002.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2006 Springer
About this paper
Cite this paper
Abu-Sharar, T. (2006). THE CHALLENGES OF LAND AND WATER RESOURCES DEGRADATION IN JORDAN: DIAGNOSIS AND SOLUTIONS. In: Kepner, W.G., Rubio, J.L., Mouat, D.A., Pedrazzini, F. (eds) Desertification in the Mediterranean Region. A Security Issue. NATO Security Through Science Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3760-0_08
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3760-0_08
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-3758-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-3760-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)