Assessing pasture desertification recurrence in Kalmykia using remote sensing methods

A geoinformation analysis of the retrospective satellite images was performed to reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of changes in the area of the complex desertification sites and the recurrence of desertification processes in the Republic of Kalmykia (excluding arable lands). The recurrence rates were quantified using a layered assessment within a 100-ha regular grid. From the annual assessments of the area of the complex desertification sites (1984–2024), 17 key years were selected, all differing significantly in the overall area affected and the number of desertification hotspots. A total of 67 000 complex desertification sites (spanning over 24 million ha over 17 key years) were identified in order to find intersections, and the recurrence rates of desertification over this period were determined using the grid approach. The desertification sites with zero recurrence accounted for 0.5 % of the territory, while 21.4 % and 47.5 % of the territory had the recurrence of 1–5 and 6–10 times, respectively. The most persistent desertification hotspots with the recurrence of 16–17 times covered 3.6 % of the territory.