A PhD dissertation at the University of Basra examines (Estimating the extent of erosion in the Wadi Al-Majrur basin and its environmental risks in southern Al-Muthanna Governorate)
A PhD dissertation at the College of Education for Human Sciences, University of Basra, examined (Estimating the extent of erosion in the Wadi Al-Majrur basin and its environmental risks in southern Al-Muthanna Governorate). The dissertation, submitted by researcher Mohammed Adnan Abdul Zahra, aimed to estimate the extent of erosion in the Wadi Al-Majrur basin by employing geomorphological and morphometric indicators and analyzing the natural factors influencing its activity. It also aimed to identify the resulting environmental risks, thus contributing to a scientific basis for managing natural resources and mitigating the negative impacts of erosion processes in the region.
The dissertation comprised five main chapters. The first chapter addressed the general framework of the study, including the introduction, the research problem, its objectives, hypotheses, methodology, and spatial and temporal limitations, as well as the theoretical and conceptual framework related to erosion and relevant geomorphological processes.
The dissertation also included a section on erosion and its associated geomorphological processes. The second chapter was dedicated to studying the geographical factors affecting the basin by analyzing its geological, topographical, climatic, hydrological, soil, and vegetation characteristics, and demonstrating the extent to which these factors contribute to creating conditions conducive to weathering and erosion processes.
The third chapter addressed the prevailing geomorphological and morphometric processes in the basin by studying weathering processes of various types, as well as water and wind erosion, transport, and deposition, and revealing their role in the evolution of landforms and the variation in the basin's geomorphological environment.
The fourth chapter formed the core of the study, as it included the application of a set of geomorphological and morphometric indicators to estimate the extent of weathering and erosion in the Wadi Al-Majrur basin, analyzing their intensity levels and spatial distribution, and ultimately identifying the areas most vulnerable to geomorphological degradation. Chapter Five dealt with the environmental risks resulting from water and wind erosion in the basin, by diagnosing their effects on the soil, vegetation cover, land uses and the ecological structure of the basin, while presenting a set of conclusions and recommendations that can contribute to reducing those risks and promoting sustainable environmental management methods.
