Monitoring surface alterations in the yamin plateau by spaceborne imaging and aerial photography during 1945 to 2009

This research studies the Yamin Plateau which is 100 km₂ and is a part of the Yamin-Rotem Syncline. The research objective was to document and characterize landform changes in the Yamin Plateau from 1945 when the area was closed (trampling and grazing were limited), until 2009. The study used space and air-borne images, corroborated by field measures that lead us to the following conclusions: 1. Soil stabilization processes took place earlier than the area closure. Despite decreasing precipitation measured during the past 50 years in Yamin Plateau, the vegetation cover nowadays constitutes 67% compared to 55% in 1945. This is caused by the area closure and the subsequent formation of biological soil crusts. 2. In the past there were active Zibar morphologies in the region. The most frequent grainsize is 0.35 mm which supports this. 3. Although the current geologic map of the Yamin Plateau is characterized by a sandy soil texture, nowadays the study area surface contains more than 40% of clay minerals, which were probably trapped by soil crusts during dust storms.