Determination of Land Degradation in the TR21 Thrace Region Based on Biophysical Indicators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i8.2202-2211.8904Keywords:
Land degradation, Sustainable land management , Erosion , TR21 Thrace Region , Soil organic carbonAbstract
Land degradation leads to significant environmental problems such as the weakening of ecosystem functions, decline in agricultural productivity, and threats to the sustainability of natural resources. This study aims to evaluate the degree of land degradation in the TR21 Thrace Region between 1990 and 2023 based on land productivity dynamics, soil organic carbon, and erosion indicators. In the analysis, land degradation was assessed using the One Out, All Out (1OAO) approach based on biophysical indicators. This method assumes that if one of the indicators shows degradation, the area is classified as degraded even if the other indicators do not indicate degradation. The results indicate that 23,56% (439.503 ha) of the total area in the TR21 Thrace Region is classified as degraded land, 33,81% (630.806 ha) as stable, and 42,63% (795.191 ha) as improving. When agricultural lands are evaluated specifically, 28,35% (377.846 ha) of the total 1.332.672 ha agricultural area is classified as degraded, 35,45% (472.436 ha) as stable, and 36,20% (482.396 ha) as improving. These findings suggest that land degradation is more pronounced in agricultural areas compared to the regional average. When land productivity, soil organic carbon, and erosion indicators are evaluated together, these factors play a significant role in determining the spatial distribution of land degradation processes. The findings highlight the importance of sustainable land management practices, particularly in agricultural areas. In this context, sustainable land management approaches recommended by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) such as erosion control, increasing soil organic matter, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices can contribute to reducing the risk of land degradation.
References
Alturk, B., & Konukcu, F. (2020). Modeling land use/land cover change and mapping morphological fragmentation of agricultural lands in Thrace Region/Turkey. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(7). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00485-3
Alturk, B., Konukcu, F., Akgoz, R., & Çağlar, F. (2026). Land degradation neutrality model and decision support system based on land use/land cover and climate change in the TR21 Thrace Region/Türkiye. Environment, Development and Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-026-07458-3
Altürk, B. (2023). Farklı Arazi Kullanım/Arazi Örtüsü Haritalarının Doğruluk Değerlendirmesi: TR21 Trakya Bölgesi Örneği, Türk Tarım - Gıda Bilim Ve Teknoloji Dergisi, 11(3), 505–512. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v11i3.505-512.5879
Batjes, N. H. (2016). Harmonized soil property values for broad-scale modelling (WISE30sec) with estimates of global soil carbon stocks. Geoderma, 269, 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.01.034
Cohen, J. (1960). A Coefficient of Agreement for Nominal Scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20(3), 37–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001316446002000104
Cowie, A. L., Orr, B. J., Castillo Sanchez, V. M., Chasek, P., Crossman, N. D., Erlewein, A., et al. (2018). Land in balance: The scientific conceptual framework for Land Degradation Neutrality. Environmental Science and Policy, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2017.10.011
ÇEM (Çölleşme ve Erozyonla Mücadele Genel Müdürlüğü). (2018). Toprak Veri Arşivi. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı, Ankara, Türkiye. https://webdosya.csb.gov.tr/db/cem/icerikler/tbsxbrosurx-ng-1-20211105113715.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 10 Kasım 2025]
ELD (The Economics of Land Degradation Initiative). (2015). The value of land: Prosperous lands and positive rewards through sustainable land management. https://www.eld-initiative.org/fileadmin/ELD_Filter_Tool/Publication_The_Value_of_Land__Reviewed_/ELD-main-report_en_10_web_72dpi.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 10 Şubat 2026]
FAO. (2017). Soil organic carbon: The hidden potential. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/b382a255-5bd5-4656-a8cd-e30fff1a8bfe/content. [Erişim tarihi: 20 Şubat 2026]
FAO & ITPS. (2015). Status of the World’s Soil Resources (SWSR) – Technical Summary. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, Rome, Italy. https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/newsroom/docs/FAO-world-soils-report-SUMMARY.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 1 Mart 2026]
GDCDE (General Diractorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion). (2015). Land Productivity Dynamic For Land Degradation Neutrality in Ilıcak and Kum Çayı Micro Catchments of The Gediz Basin CASE STUDY REPORT. https://webdosya.csb.gov.tr/db/cem/icerikler/gediz-16x23-ing-20211108095446.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 1 Şubat 2026]
GRFC. (2025). Food Security Information Network and Global Network Against Food Crises. 2025 Global Report on Food Crises. 255p. Rome, Italy. https://openknowledge.fao.org/bitstreams/b0e44917-daae-4db7-9597-fb2275a276f2/download. [Erişim tarihi: 10 Şubat 2026]
Lal, R. (2001). Soil degradation by erosion. Land Degradation & Development, 12, 519–539. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ldr.472
Lal, R. (2004). Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Science, 304(5677), 1623–1627. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1097396 Lal, R. (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability, 7(5), 5875–5895. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055875
MFWA (Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs, Republic of Turkey). (2016). Turkey Land Degradation Neutrality: National Report 2016-2030. Ankara, Türkiye. https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/tur175972.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 8 Şubat 2026]
Minasny, B., Malone, B. P., McBratney, A. B., Angers, D. A., Arrouays, D., Chambers, A., & Winowiecki, L. (2017). Soil carbon 4 per mille. Geoderma, 292, 59–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.01.002
Montanarella, L., Scholes, R., & Brainich, A. (2018). The IPBES assessment report on land degradation and restoration, summary for policymarkers. https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/spm_3bi_ldr_digital.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 15 Aralık 2025]
Montgomery, D. R. (2007). Soil erosion and agricultural sustainability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(33), 13268–13272. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0611508104
Okpara, U. T., Stringer, L. C., Akhtar-Schuster, M., Metternicht, G. I., Dallimer, M., & Requier-Desjardins, M. (2018). A social-ecological systems approach is necessary to achieve land degradation neutrality. Environmental Science & Policy, 89, 59–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.07.003
Pimentel, D., & Burgess, M. (2013). Soil erosion threatens food production. Agriculture, 3, 443–463. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture3030443
Renard, K., Foster, G., Weesies, G., McCool, D., & Yoder, D. (1997). Predicting soil erosion by water: a guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Agricultural Handbook No. 703. https://www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/unit/publications/PDFfiles/717.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 15 Şubat 2026].
Schulze, K., Malek, Ž., & Verburg, P. H. (2021). How will land degradation neutrality change future land system patterns? A scenario simulation study. Environmental Science and Policy, 124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.06.024
TBBP. (2023). TR 21 Trakya Bölgesi 2024-2028 Bölge Planı. https://www.trakyaka.org.tr/upload/Node/68660/xfiles/TR21BolgePlani2024-2028.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 15 Şubat 2026].
Tucker, C. J. (1979). Red and photographic infrared linear combinations for monitoring vegetation. Remote Sensing of Environment, 8(2), 127–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/0034-4257(79)90013-0
TÜİK (Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu). (2025). Nüfus ve Demografi İstatistikleri. https://www.tuik.gov.tr/Home/Index. [Erişim tarihi: 5 Şubat 2026].
UNCCD. (2016). Land Degradation Neutrality target setting programme: Technical guide for countries. https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2018-08/LDN%20TS%20Technical%20Guide_Draft_English.pdf. [Erişim tarihi: 15 Ocak 2026]
UNCCD. (2017). Global land outlook. Bonn: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/documents/2017-09/GLO_Full_Report_low_res.pdf [Erişim tarihi: 15 Ocak 2026]
UN. (2017). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision. https://www.un.org/sw/desa/world-population-projected-reach-98-billion-2050-and-112-billion-2100. [Erişim tarihi: 5 Şubat 2026].
Uzuner, Ç., & Dengiz, O. (2020). Desertification risk assessment in Turkey based on environmentally sensitive areas. Ecological Indicators, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106295
Wischmeier, W., & Smith, D. (1978). Predicting rainfall erosion losses: a guide to conservation planning. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook No. 537. https://doi.org/10.1029/TR039i002p00285
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
