Geographical Analyses of Natural Conditions Limiting the Vegetation cover in Oheideh Basin – Southern Jordan
Ali Hamdi Abu Saleem، Faculty of Education Sciences،Al-Hussean Bin Talal University، Ma’an، Jordan.
Abstract
This study deals with the natural condition limiting the vegetation cover in Oheideh Basin. It aims at showing their role in determining the characteristics of vegetation in the basin. The study، in its methodology، depended on the analysis of field measurements related to the characteristics of vegetation in relation to density، cover percentage، and productivity; the analysis of the data which was collected about the vegetation including aerial photographs for two different periods (1997 and 2008); as well as the analysis of soil samples and showing its importance in determining the characteristics of the vegetation in the Basin.
The study reached the following conclusions: firstly، the statistic analysis of the stepwise regression showed the importance of the rainfall in explaining the variance in vegetation in the basin، hence، explaining 65% of the variance which is statistically significant (0.001).
Secondly، the study showed that there was a negative relation between the percentage of vegetation، density and slope degree in the basin. Thirdly، there was a backdrop in the percentage of vegetation in all of the parts of the basin which is a logical outcome of the degradation in vegetation after 1997. This degradation is evident in the upper basin as the percentage of vegetation dropped from (8.9-9.8%) in 1997 to (5.6-7.5%) in 2008.