Note: Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Part IIntroduction -- 1 Introduction to "Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS in Tunisia" -- 1.1 Background -- 1.2 Themes of the Book -- 1.3 Chapters' Summary -- 1.3.1 Remote Sensing and GIS for Urban and Rural Applications -- 1.3.2 Remote Sensing and GIS for Mapping and Modeling -- 1.3.3 Remote Sensing and GIS for Natural Risks Applications -- 1.3.4 Soil Degradation and Drought -- 1.3.5 Remote Sensing and GIS to Assess and Monitor Dry, Arid and Wetlands -- References -- Part IIRS and GIS for Urban and Rural Applications -- 2 Approaching the Tunisian Human Environment by Using RS and the Dasymetric Method -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Portraying the Density of Population: An Overview of the Methods in Use -- 2.3 The Dasymetric Method -- 2.4 Related Cartographic Literature -- 2.5 Advantages of the Dasymetric Method Applied to the Tunisian Territory -- 2.6 Methodology and Methods Implementation -- 2.7 Results and Discussion -- 2.8 Conclusion -- 2.9 Recommendations -- References -- 3 The Role of GIS as a Planning Tool in a Tunisian Urban Landscape, Sfax City -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 GIS and Planning of Green Spaces -- 3.3 GIS Assessement of Natural Space Planning in Sfax City -- 3.3.1 GIS Assessement of Urban Sprawl and Consumption of Agricultural Spaces in Sfax City -- 3.3.2 GIS Assessment of Green Space Consideration in the Sustainable Development Context -- 3.4 Green Spaces Issues in the Actors' Discourses -- 3.4.1 Complicated Mission of Local Authorities -- 3.4.2 An Active and Influential Civil Society -- 3.5 Conclusion -- 3.6 Recommandations -- References -- 4 Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of the Meskat System Distribution in the Tunisian Sahel Region Using TM Landsat Images -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Meskat System. , 4.3 Recognition of the Meskat System Processing in Tunisian Sahel Region: Thematic Focus and Methodology -- 4.3.1 Study Area -- 4.3.2 Exploitation of Satellite Images -- 4.3.3 Methodology -- 4.4 Results and Discussion -- 4.4.1 Land Use Mapping -- 4.4.2 Spatio-Temporal Evolution of the Meskat System -- 4.4.3 Rate of Change of the Meskat System -- 4.5 Conclusion -- 4.6 Recommendations -- References -- 5 Spatial Distribution of Solanum elaeagnifolium in the Tunisian Arid Region Using GIS Tools -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Introducing Concepts and Terms -- 5.2.1 Definitions -- 5.2.2 Biological Invasion Process -- 5.3 Mapping Is an Effective Approach to Manage Invasive Alien Plants -- 5.4 Solanum elaeagnifolium Mapping Using GIS -- 5.4.1 Methodological Approach -- 5.5 Results and Discussion -- 5.5.1 EL Alam Land Cover Mapping in 2014-2015 -- 5.5.2 Solanum elaeagnifolium Spatial Distribution -- 5.6 Conclusions -- 5.7 Recommendations -- References -- 6 PROMETHEE and Geospatial Analysis to Rank Suitable Sites for Grombalia Aquifer Recharge with Reclaimed Water -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Method -- 6.2.1 Description of the Study Area -- 6.2.2 Methodology -- 6.2.3 Calculation of Surface Needed for Aquifer Recharge -- 6.3 Results and Discussions -- 6.3.1 Spatial Datasets Used -- 6.3.2 Constraints Layer -- 6.3.3 Suitable Sites Ranking -- 6.4 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Part IIIRS and GIS for Mapping and Modeling -- 7 Using RS and GIS to Mapping Land Cover of the Cap Bon (Tunisia) -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Objectives of the Present Study -- 7.3 Methodology -- 7.4 Documents Used -- 7.5 The Cap Bon as an Application Field -- 7.5.1 Overview of the Study Area -- 7.5.2 Model Space for a Better Understanding -- 7.5.3 The Conceptual, Logical and Physical Data Model -- 7.6 Creation of the Geodatabase -- 7.6.1 The Structure of the Geodatabase. , 7.6.2 The Image Processing and Loading of Datasets -- 7.6.3 The Implementation of the Geodatabase -- 7.7 Multiscalar Mapping of Land Cover and Land Use -- 7.7.1 Level 1 Mapping of the Land Cover and Land Use: Across the Cap Bon -- 7.7.2 Mapping Level 2 of the Land Cover and Land Use: Across the Plain of Grombalia -- 7.7.3 Mapping Level 3 of the Land Cover and Land Use: Local Delegation of Soliman -- 7.8 Conclusion -- 7.9 Recommendations -- References -- 8 A GIS Based DRASTIC, Pesticide DRASTIC and SI Methods to Assess Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution: Case Study of Oued Laya (Central Tunisia) -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Assessment of Vulnerability of Shallow Aquifer to Pollution and Methodology -- 8.2.1 Study Area -- 8.2.2 Methodology -- 8.3 Results and Discussion -- 8.3.1 Thematic Maps Presentation -- 8.4 Standard DRASTIC Vulnerability Assessment -- 8.5 Pesticide DRASTIC Vulnerability Assessment -- 8.6 SI Vulnerability Assessment -- 8.7 Standard DRASTIC, Pesticide DRASTIC and SI Vulnerability Assessment -- 8.8 Conclusion -- 8.9 Recommendations -- References -- Part IVRS and GIS for Natural Risks Applications -- 9 Mapping Environmental Risk Degradation Under Climate Stress and Anthropogenic Pressure: Case Study of Abdeladim Watershed, Tunisia -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Methodological Framework -- 9.2.1 GIS: The Study's Relevance to Agricultural Productivity -- 9.2.2 The Steps of the Work -- 9.3 Conceptual and Methodological Framework -- 9.3.1 Sensitivity and Potential Sensitivity to Degradation: The Study's Interest in Preserving Agricultural Productivity -- 9.4 Abdeladim Watershed: A Fragile Natural Balanced Environment Undergoing Significant Anthropic Pressure -- 9.5 Trends in the Evolution of the River System/Hydrographic Network -- 9.5.1 Linear Erosion -- 9.5.2 Regressive Erosion -- 9.5.3 Lateral Erosion. , 9.6 Potential Sensitivity to Degradation -- 9.6.1 Potential Sensitivity to Agricultural Land Degradation to Soil Quality Degradation -- 9.6.2 Sensitivity of Sloping Agricultural Land to Degradation by Soil Loss -- 9.6.3 Sensitivity to Watercourse Erosion Degradation -- 9.7 Measures to Combat the  Degradation of Agricultural Lands -- 9.7.1 The Extension of Information -- 9.7.2 Control of Potential Soil Quality Degradation -- 9.7.3 Control of Potential Degradation by Loss of Soil -- 9.7.4 Control of Potential Degradation by Stormwater -- 9.8 Discussions -- 9.9 Conclusion -- 9.10 Recommendations -- References -- 10 Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for Risk Assessment in Monastir, Tunisia -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Case Study: Monastir, Tunisia -- 10.3 Methodology -- 10.3.1 Conceptual Risk Framework -- 10.3.2 Workflow -- 10.3.3 Data Acquisition and Development of a Geodatabase -- 10.3.4 Land Use/Land Cover Analysis Based on the Urban Atlas Standard -- 10.3.5 Hazard Analysis -- 10.3.6 Exposure Analysis -- 10.3.7 Vulnerability and Integrated Risk Assessment -- 10.4 Results -- 10.4.1 Flash Floods and Coastal Erosion in Monastir -- 10.4.2 Exposure to Flash Floods -- 10.4.3 Social Vulnerability and Flash Flood Risk -- 10.4.4 Web-Based Information System -- 10.5 Discussion and Lessons Learned -- 10.6 Conclusions -- References -- Part VSoil Degradation and Drought -- 11 Monitoring of Land Use-Land Cover Changes and Assessment of Soil Degradation Using Landsat TM and OLI Data in Zarzis Arid Region -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Materials and Methods -- 11.2.1 Study Area -- 11.2.2 Land Degradation Constraints -- 11.2.3 Landsat Image Processing -- 11.3 Results and Discussion -- 11.3.1 ISOCLUST Classification -- 11.3.2 Land Use and Land Cover Maps of 2007 -- 11.3.3 Land Use and Land Cover of 2014 -- 11.3.4 Change Analysis Using the Land Change Modeler Tool. , 11.4 Conclusions -- 11.5 Recommendations -- References -- 12 Drought Assessment in Tunisia by Time-Series Satellite Images: An Ecohydrologic Approach -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 Principles of the Ecohydrology -- 12.3 Remote Sensing Integration in Ecohydrological Approaches -- 12.3.1 Overview of Remote Sensing Principles -- 12.3.2 Concepts of Remote Sensing Uses in Ecohydrology -- 12.4 Humidity Canopy Assessment at the Ecoregion Level -- 12.5 Ecohydrology Equilibrium Assessment by Remote Sensing -- 12.5.1 Water Balance Modelling with Times-Series LAI-MODIS -- 12.5.2 Water Stress Index Effect on Ecohydrologic Equilibrium -- 12.6 Data Quality of MODIS -- 12.6.1 Calibration of LAI-MODIS -- 12.6.2 Quality Assessment of MODIS Time-Series Images -- 12.7 Conclusions and Perspectives -- References -- Part VIRS and GIS to Assess and Monitor Dry, Arid and Wetlands -- 13 Monitoring of Dryland Vulnerability by Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Processing: Case of Wadi Bouhamed Watershed (Southern Tunisia) -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Global Overview of Dryland Degradation -- 13.2.1 Erosion -- 13.2.2 Desertification -- 13.2.3 Factors Affecting Land Degradation -- 13.3 Modeling and Mapping Land Degradation -- 13.3.1 Image Transformations -- 13.3.2 Image Classifications -- 13.4 Study Area: The Wadi Bouhamed Watershed -- 13.4.1 Climate Context of the Studied Area -- 13.4.2 Vegetation Cover -- 13.4.3 Slope -- 13.4.4 Human Issues -- 13.4.5 Soil Conservation Management -- 13.5 Land Degradation Over the Watershed of Wadi Bouhamed -- 13.5.1 Methods and Multi-sources Data -- 13.5.2 Land Uses Changes in Wadi Bouhamed Watershed as Inferred by Image Classification -- 13.5.3 Vegetation Cover in Wadi Bouhamed Watershed as Inferred by NDVI -- 13.5.4 Soils Distribution in Wadi Bouhamed Watershed as Inferred by Brightness Index -- 13.6 Conclusions -- 13.7 Recommendations. , References.

Note: Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Land Degradation -- Land Use Land Cover Mapping in Support of Land Degradation Mapping Using Tree-Based Classifiers -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Study Area -- 3 Methodology -- 4 Land Cover Land Use Maps -- 5 Evaluation of the Results -- 6 Discussions -- 7 Conclusions -- 8 Recommendations -- References -- Detection of Anthropogenic and Environmental Degradation in Mongolia Using Multi-Sources Remotely Sensed Time Series Data and Machine Learning Techniques -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Study Area -- 3 Data and Methods -- 3.1 Remotely Sensed Data -- 3.2 Meteorological Data -- 3.3 Training Samples -- 3.4 Methods -- 4 Results -- 4.1 Meteorological Data Time Series Analysis -- 4.2 Land Cover Classification Derived from Landsat Data -- 4.3 Change Detection Analysis -- 5 Discussions -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- Assessment of Land Degradation Vulnerability Using GIS-Based Multicriteria Decision Analysis in Zakho District, Kurdistan Region of Iraq -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Material and Methods -- 2.1 Case Study -- 2.2 Data Collection and Preparation -- 2.3 Weighting Criteria -- 2.4 Aggregating Criteria -- 3 Results and Discussion -- 3.1 Physical Land Degradation Vulnerability -- 3.2 Chemical Degradation Vulnerability -- 3.3 Land Degradation Vulnerability -- 4 Conclusions -- 5 Recommendations -- References -- Evaluation of Geo-hazard Induced by Zarand Earthquake in Central Iran Using Thermal Remote Sensing Data and GIS -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Study Area -- 3 Materials and Method -- 3.1 Satellite Data Acquisition -- 3.2 Satellite Data Analysis -- 3.3 Detection of LST Variation -- 4 Results and Discussion -- 4.1 LST Variation Prior to Earthquake for 2005 -- 4.2 Correlation Between MODIS LST and In-Situ Air Temperature -- 4.3 Comparisons of 2005 LST with 2004 and 2007 LSTs -- 4.4 Air Temperature Anomaly. , 5 Conclusions -- 6 Recommendations -- References -- Environmental Control of the Sand Dunes in Iraq -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Aeolian Hazards -- 3 Migration of Sand Dunes -- 4 Hazards of Sand Dunes in Iraq -- 5 Methodology -- 5.1 Field Work -- 5.2 Geological Maps of Iraq -- 5.3 Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- Amu Darya Dynamics in Afghanistan Using Remote Sensing Data -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 River Channel Dynamics -- 1.2 Remote Sensing and River Dynamics -- 2 Study Area -- 3 Google Earth Engine Classification -- 4 Results -- 5 Discussion -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- A New Method for Land Degradation Assessment in the Arid Zone of Republic of Kazakhstan -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Study Area -- 2.1 Physiography of the Arid Zone of Kazakhstan -- 3 Material and Methods -- 3.1 Field Data -- 3.2 Remote Sensing Data -- 4 Results -- 5 Discussion -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- Land Degradation Issues in Uzbekistan -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Climatic Condition of the Country -- 3 Land Degradation in Uzbekistan -- 4 Effects of Climate Change Phenomena -- 5 Short Overview on the Aral Sea -- 6 Main Priorities of the Soil Science Development in Uzbekistan -- 7 Innovative Technologies for the Prevention of Soil Degradation -- 8 Conclusions -- 9 Recommendations -- References -- Soil Degradation and Environmental Contamination -- Soil Erosion Catastrophe in Iraq-Preview, Causes and Study Cases -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Preview of Soil Erosion in Iraq -- 3 The Climate of Iraq -- 4 Soil Erosion Concepts -- 4.1 Water Erosion -- 4.2 Types of Water Erosion -- 4.3 Quantifying Water Erosion -- 4.4 Solving Water Erosion Equation (USLE) -- 4.5 Study Cases of Soil Erosion by Water in Iraq -- 5 Wind Erosion -- 5.1 Prediction of Soil Loss by Wind Erosion. , 5.2 Study Cases of Wind Erosion in Iraq -- 5.3 The Need for a Soil Conservation Foresight in Iraq -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- Assessment of Aircraft Noise Pollution on Students' Performance -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Methods -- 2.1 Data Collection -- 2.2 Statistical Analysis and Model Development -- 2.3 Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Samples -- 3 Data Analysis and Discussion -- 4 Conclusion and Limitations -- References -- Role of Effective Factors on Soil Erosion and Land Degradation: A Review -- 1 Introduction to Land Degradation -- 2 Environmental Destruction -- 3 Soil Erosion -- 3.1 The Importance of Erosion -- 3.2 Types of Erosion -- 4 Land Degradation Sources -- 4.1 Natural: Geography, Topography, and Climate -- 4.2 Anthropogenic -- 5 Conclusions and Recommendation -- References -- Cadmium Fractionation Technique as a Chemical Degradation Indicator for Some Soils Near Diyala River in Iraqi Center -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Materials and Methods -- 2.1 Study Area -- 2.2 Samples Preparation and Analysis -- 2.3 Physio-chemical Properties of Soils -- 2.4 Extraction of Cadmium -- 3 Results and Discussion -- 3.1 Physio-chemical Properties of Soils -- 3.2 Available Phase-Soluble and Exchangeable -- 3.3 Bound to Carbonates -- 3.4 Bound to Oxides -- 3.5 Bound to Organic Matter -- 3.6 Bound to Residue -- 3.7 Total Concentration of Cadmium Ions -- 3.8 Physio-chemical Pathway of Cadmium Ions in Soil -- 4 Conclusions -- 5 Recommendations -- References -- Land Degradation Due to MSW Dumping and Sanitary Landfilling: Iraq as a Case Study -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Sanitary Landfill -- 2.1 Identifications -- 2.2 Comparison Between Open Dumping and Sanitary Landfilling -- 2.3 Types of Sanitary Landfills -- 2.4 Waste Stabilization in Landfills -- 2.5 Planning and Operation. , 2.6 Design and Site Selection of Sanitary Landfilling -- 2.7 Estimation of Capacity, Volume, Area and Decomposition Rate -- 2.8 Estimation of Required Land Areas for Existing and Proposed Landfills in Iraq -- 2.9 Analysis of Estimated Areas Used for Existing and Future Landfills in Iraq -- 2.10 Landfills Impacts -- 3 Published Literature and Research Works on Landfilling -- 4 Up-to-Date Technologies of Waste Management and Treatment -- 5 Conclusions -- 6 Recommendations -- References -- RUSLE Model in the Northwest Part of the Zagros Mountain Belt -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Case Study -- 3 Methodology -- 3.1 Data and Software -- 3.2 RUSLE Model Description -- 4 Estimation of RUSLE and Its Parameters -- 4.1 R Factor -- 4.2 K Factor -- 4.3 LS Factor -- 4.4 C Factor -- 4.5 P Factor -- 4.6 Prediction of Soil Erosion -- 5 Conclusions -- 6 Recommendations -- References -- Changes in the Water Quality of Large Rivers in the Asian Part of Russia from the Standpoint of Achieving Sustainable Development Goals -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Global and National Approaches to Water Quality Evaluation Within the Context of Sustainable Development Goals Achievement -- 2 Materials and Methods -- 3 Results -- 4 Discussion -- 5 Conclusions -- 6 Recommendation -- References -- A Sustainable Way for Fish Health Management by Replacement of Chemical and Drugs by Earthworm -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Causative Agent for Fish Diseases -- 2.1 Bacterial Diseases -- 2.2 Fungal Diseases of Fish -- 2.3 Viral Diseases of Fish -- 2.4 Parasitic Diseases of Fish -- 3 Drugs or Chemicals Used to Cure Fish Diseases -- 4 Impact of Drugs/Chemicals -- 4.1 Bio-Magnification -- 4.2 Adverse Effects of Antibiotics -- 5 Therapeutic Properties of Earthworms -- 5.1 Earthworms as a Source of Biologically Active Molecules -- 5.2 Anticarcinogenic Property -- 5.3 Skin Wound Healing -- 5.4 Antipyretic Property. , 5.5 Antioxidative Property -- 5.6 Antiulcer Property -- 5.7 Anti-Inflammatory Property -- 5.8 Hepato-Protective Property -- 5.9 Analgesic Properties -- 6 Immune System of Earthworm -- 6.1 First Line of Defense -- 6.2 Cellular Defense Mechanism -- 6.3 Humoral Defense Mechanism -- 7 Role of Earthworm to Control Fish Diseases -- 8 Different Method/Strategies to Use Earthworm -- 9 Comparative Study of Treated and Untreated Fish -- 10 Conclusions -- 11 Future Prospective -- References -- Climate Change and Human Activities in Nine Chapters -- Integration of Field Investigation and Geoinformatics for Urban Environmental Quality Appraisal of Bankura Town, West Bengal, India -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Study Area -- 3 Materials and Methods -- 4 Results and Discussion -- 5 Conclusions -- 6 Recommendations -- References -- Urban Heat Island Under the Background of Urbanization: A Case Study in Nan Jing City, China -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Surface Heat Island -- 3 Materials and Methods -- 3.1 Study Area -- 3.2 Materials and Preprocessing -- 3.3 Study Methods -- 4 Results -- 4.1 Urbanization Process and Land Cover Changes in Nanjing -- 4.2 The Variation of LST Zones -- 4.3 Spatial Autocorrelation of LST Zones -- 4.4 Driving Factors Analysis -- 5 Discussions -- 6 Conclusions -- 7 Recommendations -- References -- Optimization of Ecological Environment Sensor Network Sites with Multiple Monitoring Targets -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Study Area and Data -- 2.1 Study Area -- 2.2 Data Description -- 3 Methodology -- 3.1 Trend Modeling -- 3.2 Optimize the Target -- 3.3 Sampling Method -- 3.4 Optimization Algorithm -- 3.5 Entropy -- 3.6 Distribution Adjustment -- 4 Results and Discussion -- 4.1 Number of Optimization Sites -- 4.2 Spatial Trend Optimization -- 4.3 Combine Objective Optimization Result -- 4.4 Sampling Comparison of SRS, SCS and UCK -- 4.5 Discussion. , 5 Conclusions.