A combined GIS and remote sensing approach for monitoring climate change-related land degradation to support landscape preservation and planning tools: the Basilicata case study

Abstract Monitoring landscapes in times of climate change patterns is a crucial issue, moreover, the analyzed Mediterranean area, one major global candidates to develop land degradation stresses and consequential desertification phenomena. The research presented here developed Basin, specifically Basilicata Region (southern Italy). region characterized by very long history intensive anthropization endowed high diversity relatively geologically young soil types that consequentially created vastity spatial mosaics, which contributed composition its archeolandscapes endorsed some specific characteristics region, evolved respond human impact, including grazing, cultivation, fires. Those key elements lead issues investigated as erosion, salinization, loss organic carbon, biodiversity, landslides, together with deforestations, depopulation, wildfires, define exact framework marginality. evaluation sensitivity was performed (i) firstly at regional scale, through MEDALUS (Kosmas et al. 1999) approach, implementing 6 main indicators (Soil Quality Index, Climate Vegetation Management Landslide Risk Water Availability Index), (ii) secondly mid-regional remote sensing NDVI differencing thresholds time intervals, covering 20 years’ span going from 2000 2020. study helped in-progress trends scenarios must be evidence-based foundation integrated landscape planning strategies marginal territories, implemented Decision Support System (DSS) based both on ecological, climate-adaptive, environmental indicators, social, cultural, economic development co-creation strategies.