Introduction

Currently, desertification is accelerating at an alarming rate. The assessment of the extent of desertification is of prime importance for designing proper regimes for its control. The extent of desertification is categorized as light, moderate, strong, and extreme, in relation to 15 ecological parameters and their combination with measures of vegetation degradation, wind and water erosion and soil salinization1. It may be possible to use environmentally sensitive plants, or the ones that have unique requirements, as indicators that a certain area suffers some degree of desertification. The aim of this database is to identify the plant species as indicators for assessment of the extent of desertification.

 

Continent Country Site Degrees of desertification Representative plant
Asia China Horqin sandy lands Light Acer trimcatum, Arundinella hirta, Bassia dasyphylla, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Ephedra sinica, Lespedeza bicolor, Medicago falcate, Potentilla anserina, Prunus humilis, P.sibirica, Quercus mongolica, Rhamnus dahurica, Stipa bungeana, Ulmus macrocarpa, U.pumila
Moderate Artemisia arenaria, A. ordosica, A. sieversiana, Filifolium sibiracum, Lespedeza hedysaroides, Polygonum divaricatum, Populus simonii, Pugionium cornutum, Salsola collina, Thymus mongolicus.
Severe Chenopodium acuminatum, Corispermum declinatum, Ferula bungeana, Salix fravida, Xanthinm sibiricum.
Extreme Agriophyllum squarrosum
Mu Us sandy lands Light A. frigida, Astragalus melilotoides, Caragana korshinskii, Hedysarum mongolicum, Lespedeza dahurica, Prunus pumila, Rhamnus erythroxylon, Sabina vulgaris, Stipa bungeana.
Moderate Hedysarum leave
Severe C. stenophylla, Ceratoides latens, Corispermum declinatum, Ferula bungeana, O. ramosissima.
Extreme Agriophyllum squarrosum.
Africa Sudan Darfur area Light and moderate Andropogon gayanus, Aristida plumosa, Citrullus colocynthis, Cymbopogon proximus, Cyperus rotumdus, Eleusine indica, Hibiscus cannbinus, Leptadenia lancifolia, Maerua pseudopetalosa, Ocimum basilicum, Panicum turgidum, Rottboellia exallata, Sesamum alatum.
Severe Abutilon sp. Cassia absus, C. mimosoide, C. obtusifolia, Ocimum americanum, Solanum incanum.
Extreme Cissus quadrangularis, Ipomea carnea, Ricinus communis.
Tunisia Southern Tunisia Light Celsia ballii, Centaurea acaulis, Didesmus bipinnatus, Eragrostis papposa, Eryngium glomeratum, Globularia alypum, H. ruficomum, H. virgatum, Olea europaea, Oryzopsis coerulescens, O. miliacea, Pinus halepensis, Pistacia atlantica, P. lentiscus, Reseda duriaeana, Rosmarinus officinalis.
Moderate Ajuga iva, Coris monspeliensis, Genista microcephala, Herniaria fontanesii, Lavandula multifida, Ruta chalepensis, Salvia aegyptiaca, Stipagrostis ciliata, S.obtusa, Thymus capitatus.
Severe Astragalus armatus, Atractylis serratuloides, Echiochilon fruticosum, Hammada schmittianum, Helianthemum lippii, Koeleria pubescens, Launaea resedifolia, Linaria aegyptiaca, Lygeum spartum, Marrubium deserti, Nolletia chrysocomoides, Pituranthos chloranthus, Rhanterium suaveolens.
Extreme Cleome arabica, Hammada scoparia, Peganum harmala, Thapsia garganica.