A Review of Environmental Monitoring for Land Desertification Using Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing

Studying and evaluating desertification is essential due to its potential occurrence as a result of both natural and anthropogenic processes. Precise forecasting of forthcoming climate change perils is crucial for devising policies, action strategies, and mitigation measures at both the local and global scales. Remote sensing facilitates the examination, monitoring, and forecasting of several aspects of desertification. Throughout the years, many methodologies have been employed to investigate desertification through the utilization of Remote Sensing (RS). This study investigated the worldwide prevalence and temporal sequence of research that utilized remote sensing (RS) to investigate desertification. In addition, the study assessed the primary approaches and factors employed in the examination of desertification through the analysis of remote sensing data. The application of remote sensing (RS) in the investigation of desertification can be traced back to 1991. Between 2015 and 2020, an annual average of over 40 publications were published, indicating a substantial rise in the utilization and accessibility of remote sensing (RS) technology to monitor desertification. However, there is a significant disparity in the amount of research conducted in different fields. Asia demonstrates a substantially higher quantity of studies in contrast to America or Africa. China has conducted the highest number of research on desertification using remote sensing (RS) techniques. The Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor is the principal source of satellite data, specifically Landsat pictures. The primary techniques utilized for studying desertification are classification and monitoring of alterations. Furthermore, remote sensing methods commonly employ land cover/land use change and vegetation, together with its attributes such as the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), as the primary factors for studying desertification.