The Role of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System in Analyzing Climate Change in the Mesopotamian Marchlands, Iraq

Abstract

The world's most essential natural environmental resources are the wetlands. Therefore, in Iraq, the Mesopotamia marshes are considered as the utmost significant swamplands worldwide. They are situated in the massive water meadow of Rivers Tigris and Euphrates in the lower basin of Mesopotamia. In this paper there will be a thoughtful study for the effect of climate and microclimate changing on these Marshes. Since, remote sensing tends to be the most effective approach as it is less costly and consumes fewer time, the Advanced, Very High-Resolution Radiometer is found in polar-orbiting ecological satellites to estimate NDVI the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. Essentially, two ethereal stations located on sensor NOAA was conducted on three different marshes in the study area. A time-series observation of the AVHRR/NDVI for the period 1982-2017 of the three marshes enumerated the vagaries in the ecosystem to help determine hydrology and vegetation. The water system in Iraq is experiencing significant challenges, thus increasing concerns about the Mesopotamian marshes that have been sustaining the region for thousands of years that are likely to disappear soon.