Assessment of the land degradation neutrality in the Samara region by global and regional indicators

Abstract

Th e assessment of land degradation neutrality (LDN) is used to characterize the achievement of the UN Sustainable
Development Goal 15 (SDG), Target 15.3 — «to combat desertifi cation, restore degraded lands and soils» by
individual countries and regions. Th e article presents the calculation of land degradation neutrality for agricultural
territories of the Samara region using global indicators (dynamics of land productivity, dynamics of land cover,
dynamics of soil organic carbon) and regional ones, such as yield, erosion, content of mobile forms of potassium
and phosphorus in the soil. Th e Trends.Earth tool presented on the QuantumGIS was used to calculate the fi rst
two global indicators platform. Th e evaluation of the remaining indicators was carried out using stock data and
data from the agrochemical service. According to the results land degradation neutrality was not achieved in the
agricultural territories of the Samara region. Th e indicator of SDG 15.3.1 («the proportion of land that is degraded
over total land area») is 78,61%, and the LDN index is –57,22%. Th e main process leading to a negative LDN index
is water erosion, which leads to a decrease in the levels of indicators such as land productivity and humus content.