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Algerian Mzab traditional houses, using passive techniques since the eleventh century (from 1012 to 1882), have seen recent modifications. Analysis of 612 questionnaires and interviews with Mzab residents reveals 81.2% of these houses have been modified. Modifications include adding floors, thinning walls, and replacing lime with cement, driven by the need for space, ventilation, and modernisation. However, such modifications often increase energy consumption, with residents requiring more heating in winter and air conditioning in summer. This reliance on fossil fuels exacerbates regional climate insecurity. Planting roof terraces and using high-insulation building materials can reduce energy consumption in modified Mzab houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The El Haouz and El Kelaa Des Sraghna region is renowned for its agriculture, but is facing problems of salinisation due to its arid climate and unfavourable weather conditions. To remedy this, localised irrigation systems have been introduced to provide water for crops and improve yields. This study examines the impact of these irrigation systems on soil salinity in the region by comparing upstream and downstream areas. Using remote sensing techniques, we identify areas at risk of high salinity and collect soil samples for physical and chemical analysis in the field. These analyses enable us to monitor changes in salinisation and assess the effectiveness of localised irrigation in the areas concerned. Our results reveal two distinct zones in the region: an upstream zone with low salinity, with electrical conductivity ranging from 66 µS/cm to 345 µS/cm, and a downstream zone with higher salinity, with electrical conductivity ranging from 228 µS/cm to 1.075 µS/cm, attributed to the use of localised irrigation for crops. The remote sensing maps anticipated this difference, which was confirmed by the field analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Today, one of the global challenges is climate change caused by fossil fuels, which needs to be reduced by using renewable energies. In this regard, solar energy has been considered by many countries of the world due to its availability and high annual capacity, and researchers have also turned to use strategies to benefit from it in reducing energy consumption, including in buildings. These strategies can be considered an efficient strategy in the process of sustainable development, especially in rural areas. In addition to solar energy, tourism can significantly accelerate sustainable development in rural areas. Utilizing renewable energy within the tourism industry not only mitigates the sector’s environmental impact but also reduces operational costs for eco-tourism accommodations. This approach fosters the expansion of rural tourism while catalyzing sustainable development. Today, one of the global challenges is climate change caused by fossil fuels, which needs to be reduced by using renewable energies. In this regard, solar energy has received attention in many countries of the world, due to its availability and high renewable capacity. Researchers have also focused on using strategies to apply it for reducing energy consumption, including in buildings. This study aims to define practical strategies for eco-lodges, as an effective source of tourism and one of the main bases of sustainable development in rural areas. Reducing the costs of energy consumption, these strategies increase the economic justification of building eco-lodges and expand rural tourism, and consequently, provide new opportunities such as employment, reducing migration in these areas. Material and Methods: This paper is an applied research in terms of purpose and concerning the subject nature is "descriptive-analytical development". The area studied in this research is Dehsalam village in Nehbandan, east of Iran. In addition to describing the types of solar devices and their importance in xerothermic climates, this study has discussed the effective role of eco-lodge in the development of tourism in this climate and described the region's characteristics. Afterwards, it analyzed the climatic conditions of this region, using the software "Climate Consultant", and provided strategies to apply passive solar energy for the region and in general for regions with xerothermic climates. Results and Discussion: With the current trend of energy consumption and population growth, extraction from finite resources is continuously increasing. Considering the environmental debates surrounding the use of these resources and their pollution, moving towards renewable resources is considered essential. Among all the renewable sources, the use of solar energy has a suitable acceptance among different countries With the knowledge of the effective role of rural tourism in development in the light of providing energy needs if using the method presented in this research and providing conditions for sustainable development, especially in villages and deprived areas, reducing the operating costs of ecotourism residences by using systems Passive solar (static) to provide temperature comfort, reduce fossil fuel consumption, prevent air pollution, Destruction of the environment and its protection will lead to the prevention of climate change on a large scale if these strategies are developed and expanded. Conclusion: According to the results of this research, it was possible to provide strategies for the use of passive solar energy in reducing the consumption of fossil fuels in eco-lodges in a xerothermic climate. This will be a step towards limiting the contribution of the tourism industry to environmental problems, helping to reduce the costs of eco-lodges, creating economic attractiveness of this business, and facilitating the growth and expansion of rural tourism in xerothermic climate, as a driver for the sustainable development of these areas.

Groundwater recharge zone identification is vital for managing water resources, particularly in semi-arid and dry climates. Accurate and quantifiable assessment is necessary for the sustainable management of groundwater resources, and it is possible to carry this method out using modern techniques and technical standards. To identify likely groundwater locations in the Diyala River Catchment, Iraq, which serves as an example study basin, the current research examines a new methodology that employs a geographic information system, and an Analytical Hierarchy Process connected with remote sensing data. The technique of ArcGIS was employed to generate spatially distributed thematic layers of rainfall, lithology, slope, drainage density, land use/land cover, relief and soil. The raster data from these layers were then converted and categorized. The weights assigned to thematic strata depended on their significance relative to groundwater occurrence. A pairwise judgement matrix for the Analytical Hierarchy Process was used, with the categorized ranking, to assess the standardized weights of the layers under consideration. The layers for the formation of groundwater zones have then been placed using the overlay-weighted summation approach. Three regions, which are classed as excellent, good and moderate, have been identified on the resulting groundwater potential zones map, representing roughly 29, 69 and 2% of the basin's total area, respectively. The study's conclusions indicate that, in such a climate, the adopted strategy would produce favourable results to promote the organizing of opinions and the sustainable use of groundwater resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaporation is considered to be one of the most influential hydrological processes, contributing significantly to water loss within the hydrological cycle. This study aimed to address the challenge of modeling daily pan evaporation in arid climates, where harsh hydroclimatic conditions hinder modeling efficacy. In such climates, annual pan evaporation rates exceed 3,500 mm, exacerbating water scarcity in agricultural basins. Three machine-learning techniques: regression trees, Gaussian processes, and support vector machine regression were employed to model daily pan evaporation rates at two meteorological stations in Kuwait. Various meteorological variables, including average diurnal temperature, average wind speed, and average relative humidity, were utilized to formulate different modeling scenarios. The three modeling methods demonstrated robust efficiency in simulating historical pan evaporation under varied input formulations. In addition, the data-driven models were shown to outperform physically and statistically based conventional evaporation modeling methods. The mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of determination (R2) ranged from 2.04 to 2.84 mm/day and 0.73–0.85, respectively. Notably, a bias in model predictions was observed for daily pan evaporation rates exceeding 25 mm/day. A probabilistic assessment of model skill for operational forecasts on a weekly time scale affirmed the suitability of the selected data-driven models for operational and water management decision-making. This study sought to equip water managers in arid regions with powerful tools to formulate resilient water strategies mitigating the detrimental effects of water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-mounted photovoltaic (GMPV) systems are a crucial component of photovoltaic (PV) applications, and their environmental impacts during large-scale development require thorough attention. This study conducted continuous observations at a GMPV plant in an arid region, employing a three-site comparative monitoring system to assess the environmental impact of both shaded and non-shaded areas within GMPV systems. The parameters measured included atmospheric temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), soil temperature (ST), soil water content (SWC), and wind speed. The results revealed significant diurnal and seasonal variations in AT, with daytime warming and nighttime cooling ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 °C, with particularly large variations observed during high-temperature seasons. Shaded areas under the PV panels exhibited increased RH at night and decreased RH during the day, along with a cooling effect on ST, with a maximum reduction of 7 °C. SWC was higher in shaded areas during dry seasons but exhibited complex redistribution patterns during rainy seasons. Wind speed and direction were notably altered, demonstrating a corridor effect. These findings contrast with previous studies that only focused on the environmental assessment of non-shaded areas within PV systems and external areas using two-site monitoring. This study highlights the critical role of shaded areas in understanding the local environmental impacts of PV systems. This comprehensive approach offers deeper insights into how PV systems influence local meteorological and environmental conditions, suggesting that optimized design and placement of PV systems can enhance their ecological benefits and mitigate adverse environmental impacts in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers in the high desert are challenged by a short growing season and slow crop establishment of warm-season vegetables. Yet an increasing demand for local produce in nearby urban areas presents an opportunity to diversify farms while adapting to climate uncertainty. Vegetable rootstocks can confer advantages under biotic and abiotic stress conditions, but information on which and how melon rootstocks can improve management does not exist for high desert and short-season regions. Commercial, squash-hybrid rootstocks (i.e., Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata) were grafted with a common scion (Cucumis melo cv. Sarah's choice). Nine rootstocks in 2021 and four selected rootstocks in 2022 were evaluated in four field trials (two per year) in northern Nevada at two distinct locations. Melon grafting did not consistently increase crop performance in the high desert, and it was influenced by location and year. Throughout the initial half of the harvesting period, grafted plants tended to produce more melons, irrespective of location or year, offering a potential appeal for melon growers operating in shorter growing seasons. However, a slight reduction in fruit quality (i.e., -Brix) was observed in some grafted plants compared with the ungrafted control. The benefits of grafting melons onto squash hybrids in high desert conditions remain uncertain and may depend on microenvironment and farming practices that affect crop establishment, such as mulching effects on soil temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of regolith-hosted REE occurrences have recently been discovered in the Esperance region in southern Western Australia. This paper summarizes major characteristics of REE mineralization and discusses contributing factors and potential controls. The main aim is to explain why there is a lack of highly sought-after ion-adsorption-clay-type REE deposits across the region despite the presence of the regolith-hosted REE mineralization on a regional scale. Local mineralization mostly occurs as continuous flat-lying enrichment "blankets" within the residual regolith developed over Archaean–Proterozoic granite gneisses and granitoids with elevated REE content. The enriched horizon is commonly located in the lower saprolite and saprock and is accompanied by an overlying REE-depleted zone. This distribution pattern, together with the data on HREE fractionation and the presence of the supergene REE minerals, indicates chemogenic type enrichment formed by supergene REE mobilization into groundwater, downward transport, and accumulation in the lower part of the weathering profile. Residual REE accumulation processes due to bulk rock volume and mass reduction during weathering also contribute to mineralization. It is proposed that climate and groundwater chemistry are the critical regional controls on the distribution of REEs in the weathering profile and on their speciation in the enrichment zone. Cenozoic aridification of climate in southwest Australia heavily overprinted pre-existing REE distributions in the weathering profile. Acidic (pH < 4), highly saline groundwaters intensely leached away any relatively weakly bound, adsorbed or colloidal REE forms, moving them downward. Dissolved REEs precipitated as secondary phosphates in neutral to alkaline environment at lower Eh near the base of the weathering profile forming the supergene enrichment zone. Low denudation rates, characteristic of areas of low relief under the arid climate, are favourable for the preservation of the existing weathering profiles with REE mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate soil-to-plant transfer of natural radionuclides in some vegetables planted in arid region, and to evaluate the radiological hazards due to their intake. 40K was found to be the most bio-accessible radionuclides for the examined vegetables with soil-to-plant transfer factor (TF) of 1.57–5.56, followed by 226Ra and 232Th with TF factors ranging from 0.02 to 0.23. The radiological risk models revealed that the tested vegetables pose a negligible radiological hazard. The obtained results are very useful for understanding the behavior and transfer of radionuclides in the environment to ensure the safe and sustainable planning and operation of nuclear facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of meteorological factors on electricity consumption in arid regions, characterized by extreme temperatures and high humidity. Statistical approaches such as multiple linear regression (MLR) and multiplicative time series (MTS), alongside the advanced machine learning method Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were utilized to analyze historical consumption data. The models developed were rigorously evaluated using established measures such as the Coefficient of Determination ( R 2 ), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The performance of the models was highly accurate, with regression-type models consistently achieving an R 2 greater than 0.9. Additionally, other metrics such as RMSE and MAPE demonstrated exceptionally low values relative to the overall data scale, reinforcing the models' precision and reliability. The analysis not only highlights the significant meteorological drivers of electricity consumption but also assesses the models' effectiveness in managing seasonal and irregular variations. These findings offer crucial insights for improving energy management and promoting sustainability in similar climatic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing population, food demands and climatic stressors pose an imminent threat to groundwater sustainability in regional aquifer systems globally. Limited availability of surface water and erratic/uncertain rainfall necessitates preservation of groundwater resources, which form reliable fresh water reserves in most of the arid regions. Bhuj Sandstone aquifer is one such fresh groundwater systems in Western India catering the domestic/irrigational needs for over 2 million population. Rapid groundwater depletion in this area warranted a mandatory conservation of groundwater resources for future sustainability. Nuclear techniques using 3H and 14C provide estimates of groundwater age that help in planning sustainable groundwater management. In this study, sustainability of deep groundwater was assessed using environmental radioactive isotopes (3H, 14C). Results indicate that 14C activity of the groundwater samples varies from 26 to 73.6 pMC (percent modern carbon). Considering the various biases and uncertainties present, multiple correction models were applied to obtain representative groundwater ages by incorporating stable (13C) isotope and hydrogeochemical data. The corrected and representative ages are found to range from 5.8 to 8.6 ka BP (thousand years before present). From the study it can be inferred that central Bhuj aquifer hosts paleo-groundwater while the western part is recently recharged. Therefore, over-exploitation of deep groundwater in central Bhuj aquifer may further lower the water levels and this would have long-term impact on the socio-economic development of Kutch region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecosistemas y Recursos Agropecuarios is the property of Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study assessed the physiological parameters in leaves and the morphological/pomological traits in fruits of six fig cultivars (Ficus carica L.) – Sawoudi, Bayoudhi, Mlouki, Assal, Zidi, and Mozai – which grow in the arid climate of the Gafsa oasis (in the center of Tunisia). These cultivars are distinguished by different peel colors ranging from greenish, yellowish-brown, up to dark purple.Experiments measured chlorophyll and gas exchange in the plant leaves and various morphological, pomological, and chemical parameters, including phenolic compounds and antioxidant enzyme activities of the peel and pulp.The results showed that the Mlouki and Assal cultivars had the highest rates of photosynthesis (Pn) (10.17 and 10.44 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively). In addition, the fruits of these cultivars showed the highest concentration of sugar in the peel and flesh, as well as the highest values of solid soluble content (22.23 and 20.83 °Bx, respectively). Mlouki had the highest fruit weight (66 g) compared to the other cultivars studied. As for the acidity of the fruit, Bayoudhi showed the highest values (6.56 g MAE 100 mL−1), while the fruits of Assal and Zidi had the lowest acidity values. Biochemical determinations showed that Sawoudi had important enzymatic activity assessed by catalase (10.64 and 12.08 U min−1 g−1 in flesh and peel, respectively) and peroxidase, while Mlouki and Assal fruits showed the lowest values. The results also confirmed that the fig peel had higher antioxidant enzyme activity than the flesh. It can be concluded that the Mlouki cultivar exhibits superior overall quality with the highest weight and sugar content, while the dark-peeled cultivars (Sawoudi and Zidi) show the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and antioxidant enzyme activities.The characteristics of these cultivars are in line with consumer demands, and therefore farmers can be encouraged to devote themselves to multiplying their cultivation.

The formation of continental red beds is generally considered to be related to an arid climate. Heating experiments (performed by L.J. and G.C.) using dried black mud sediment also demonstrate that the reddening may be caused by the transformation of goethite to haematite that begins at approximately 150 °C under anhydrous conditions, and increasing the temperature to 450 °C is positively correlated with the red colour and peak value of haematite. If this process applies to continental red beds, it implies a thermal origin of red beds as a result of high diagenetic temperatures rather than as the cause of their deposition under an arid climate. Namely, subsiding red-bed basins are heated from below rather than warmed from above. Here, we further strengthen this idea by new evidence from borehole cores drilled from red beds in SE China, showing a clear geological section from the surface soil to red beds to bottom granite. The data reveal that the continental red beds formed at least at a temperature within 150–400 °C, and the underlying granite usually formed at temperatures greater than 600 °C. Our results imply a possible relationship between continental red bed events and Earth's thermal cycles.

The typology and classification of rivers are highly relevant concepts in the field of limnology and freshwater ecology. Water body typology systematically categorizes water bodies based on their natural attributes, while water body classification groups them based on specific criteria or purposes for management, regulatory, or administrative reasons. Both concepts play important roles in understanding and managing water resources effectively. This scientific article focuses on the ZAT River in Morocco as a model for studying low-flow and intermittent rivers. The objective is to develop an accurate model for the typology and classification of small, low-flow rivers into homogeneous classes based on natural and anthropogenic factors. The study also investigates the impact of human activities on altering the uniformity and reference nature of the water body. The typology of water bodies is carried out according to the European methodology specified in The European Commission’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2000. The classification of water bodies is conducted by assessing their chemical and biological quality using the weighted index (WI), the Iberian Biological Monitoring Working Group (IBMWP) index, and multivariate statistical methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) for confirming water quality assessment. The results indicate the possibility of dividing the basin into four water bodies. Water bodies show homogeneity in terms of chemical quality when human influence is minimal or during periods of high river flow. However, increased human influence and decreased river flows lead to heterogeneity in chemical quality, indicating an unstable state. This study is the first of its kind in arid and semi-arid intermittent rivers, where such an approach could be suggested to determine their typology and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arid Land Geography is the property of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One promising solution for mitigating CO2 emissions in arid regions is to use Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems in cooling and heating systems. However, ATES systems need to be subjected to geohydrological investigations before their installation to ensure high performance. Two geohydrological properties are considered: regional groundwater flow and the influence of neighbouring rivers. This study considers a hypothetical ATES system within the city of Hilla, Iraq. MODFLOW 6.1 software was used to simulate the influence of the two properties. The simulation tested two locations situated at 75 m and 300 m from the river. Each location was explored using three flow rates: 10 m3/d, 50 m3/d, and 100 m3/d. The results indicate that the temperature change in the warm and cold wells increases proportionally with time of operation and rate of flow. For example, the temperature of the middle layer (for 10 m3/d operation) changes from 29 °C (after one year) to 34 °C (after twenty years operation), while it changes from 34 °C (one year) to 35 °C (twenty years) under 100 m3/d operation. Another result is that the available regional groundwater flow has a negligible influence on the storage system, while the neighbouring river has a high influence on the stored energy when the distance between them is 75 m or less. The paper recommends the installation of ATES systems at least 300 m from the bank of a river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying tomato genotypes that can thrive and produce abundantly under arid climatic conditions and addressing the growing food demand caused by population growth are pressing concerns for food security. This research aimed to assess the growth, physiological, phenological, fruit yield, and postharvest quality of tomato genotypes cultivated in an organic hydroponic system in Qatar, where abiotic stress conditions prevail. Ten different tomato genotypes were carefully evaluated, and comprehensive data regarding their growth and development were collected and analyzed. The performance of these tomato genotypes across all traits related to yield and quality showed significant variations. Notably, the 'Velocity' and 'Sigma' genotypes consistently exhibited robust vegetative growth and improved phenological characteristics compared with the other tomato cultivars. Specifically, 'Velocity' and 'Sigma' displayed increased leaf assimilation rates (35% and 32%), stomatal conductance (14% and 11%), and reduced transpiration loss (50% and 44%) compared with 'SV4129TH'. These genotypes also showed lower electrolyte leakage (32% and 28%) and maintained higher intercellular CO2 concentrations. Furthermore, 'Velocity' exhibited an accelerated flowering pattern, with the first flowering occurring 4 days sooner and 50% flowering occurring 5 days sooner than that of 'SV4129TH'. 'Velocity' also demonstrated superior fruit set (14%), pollen viability (24%), and fewer incidences of flower drops (36%) compared with 'SV4129TH'. Notably, 'Velocity' outperformed 'SV4129TH' in terms of marketable fruit yields, with a 32% higher yield. In addition to its impressive yield, 'Velocity' exhibited superior postharvest quality, including firmness, Brix level, acidity, and color. Therefore, overall, 'Velocity' and 'Sigma' emerged as promising genotypes with strong abiotic stress tolerance capabilities. The correlation analysis of these traits provided valuable insights into the selection and breeding of genotypes that can withstand abiotic stress conditions, laying the foundation for effective comparisons and selections of genotypes suitable for organic hydroponic cultivation in stressful environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers in the high desert are challenged by a short growing season and slow crop establishment of warm-season vegetables. Yet an increasing demand for local produce in nearby urban areas presents an opportunity to diversify farms while adapting to climate uncertainty. Vegetable rootstocks can confer advantages under biotic and abiotic stress conditions, but information on which and how melon rootstocks can improve management does not exist for high desert and short-season regions. Commercial, squash-hybrid rootstocks (i.e., Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata) were grafted with a common scion (Cucumis melo cv. Sarah’s choice). Nine rootstocks in 2021 and four selected rootstocks in 2022 were evaluated in four field trials (two per year) in northern Nevada at two distinct locations. Melon grafting did not consistently increase crop performance in the high desert, and it was influenced by location and year. Throughout the initial half of the harvesting period, grafted plants tended to produce more melons, irrespective of location or year, offering a potential appeal for melon growers operating in shorter growing seasons. However, a slight reduction in fruit quality (i.e., °Brix) was observed in some grafted plants compared with the ungrafted control. The benefits of grafting melons onto squash hybrids in high desert conditions remain uncertain and may depend on microenvironment and farming practices that affect crop establishment, such as mulching effects on soil temperature.

Ground-mounted photovoltaic (GMPV) systems are a crucial component of photovoltaic (PV) applications, and their environmental impacts during large-scale development require thorough attention. This study conducted continuous observations at a GMPV plant in an arid region, employing a three-site comparative monitoring system to assess the environmental impact of both shaded and non-shaded areas within GMPV systems. The parameters measured included atmospheric temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), soil temperature (ST), soil water content (SWC), and wind speed. The results revealed significant diurnal and seasonal variations in AT, with daytime warming and nighttime cooling ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 °C, with particularly large variations observed during high-temperature seasons. Shaded areas under the PV panels exhibited increased RH at night and decreased RH during the day, along with a cooling effect on ST, with a maximum reduction of 7 °C. SWC was higher in shaded areas during dry seasons but exhibited complex redistribution patterns during rainy seasons. Wind speed and direction were notably altered, demonstrating a corridor effect. These findings contrast with previous studies that only focused on the environmental assessment of non-shaded areas within PV systems and external areas using two-site monitoring. This study highlights the critical role of shaded areas in understanding the local environmental impacts of PV systems. This comprehensive approach offers deeper insights into how PV systems influence local meteorological and environmental conditions, suggesting that optimized design and placement of PV systems can enhance their ecological benefits and mitigate adverse environmental impacts in arid regions.

Abstract Water scarcity is a major challenge for irrigated agriculture, particularly in developing countries where access to meteorological data for calculating reference evapotranspiration (ET o ) is limited. Thus, this study explores the potential of two machine learning models (random forest (RF) and long short-term memory (LSTM)) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) to forecast ET o . The investigation was conducted for four weather stations in Egypt, from 1982 to 2020. The machine learning models were evaluated using four combinations of inputs: maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The best results for both RF and LSTM models were achieved with the first set of inputs that included all four variables at both regional and local scales. For the regional scale, RF and LSTM models achieved R 2 values of 0.85 and 0.86, respectively, with RMSE values of 0.69 and 0.68 mm/day. At the local scale, RF and LSTM models exhibited R 2 values ranging from 0.92 to 0.95 and 0.93 to 0.95, respectively, while RMSE ranged between 0.38 and 0.46 mm/day and 0.37–0.43 mm/day, respectively. Additionally, ARIMA models were employed for tim series analysis of the same ET o data. ARIMA (2,1,4) and ARIMA (2,1,3) were found to be the most suitable models for the local-scale analysis while ARIMA (2,1,4) was identified as the optimal model for the regional-scale analysis. For the local-scale analysis, R 2 values ranged from 0.86 to 0.91 and RMSE values ranged from 0.26 to 0.38. The regional scale analysis yielded an R 2 value of 0.89 and an RMSE value of 0.58 mm/day. The developed models can be used in places where meteorological data for forecasting ET o are limited.

HVAC systems consume up to 50% of the total energy demanded by buildings. This paper aims to provide quantitative assessment of the HVAC solutions used on the highly efficient houses competing in the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2021. This international competition challenges university students to design, build, and operate sustainable zero-energy houses. The analysis includes the system selection, capacity, and coefficient of performance (COP), as well as the monitored indoor temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 levels. The university teams’ selection capacity (systems availability) and budget were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they designed their houses to respond appropriately to arid climates and reduce HVAC consumption. The study evaluates the HVAC solutions of all eight projects, providing more information about the four top-ranked teams. Most homes use air-to-air, decentralized, and multizone air-conditioners. The teams made the best effort to select systems that significantly exceed the COP required by the local regulations. Some also exceed the local energy codes regarding refrigerants’ global warming potential. The average COP (at T1 i.e., Moderate Climate Conditions) of air-to-air systems was 3.71 kW/kW, and the air-to-water system was 3.42 kW/kW. The lower installed cooling capacity per area of air-to-water HVAC systems was 57 W/m2 and 122 W/m2 in the air-to-air ones. In several cases, the HVAC systems’ consumption was affected by the short assembly period (15 days), nonprofessional student construction, and the lack of a testing period before starting the competition. Nevertheless, these houses exhibited excellent performance, and their analysis brought relevant lessons for buildings in arid climates.

Abstract Buildings can generate heat from a variety of sources, including building occupants, the sun, lighting and radiance, and cooling equipment, the energy consumed by which results in heat. Egypt is experiencing rapid economic growth, improvements in urban spaces, and a reduction in green space, all of which contribute to the occurrence of environmental problems such as pollutants, increased CO2 emissions, and increased energy consumption. Furthermore, the study focuses on the cases of architectural buildings that have been combined with living green facade as an innovative facade in order to address the energy crisis and climate change. The study on live greening techniques on building facades has raised a lot of interest. The primary purpose of this research is to utilize simulation software to manage the energy consumption usage of a green facade and compare energy demand levels to the basic scenario. Living green façades can offer zone-sensitive cooling on building facades, which is especially important during summer sessions in hot areas. Green facade cooling loads have an effect on interior air quality by keeping the façade from warming up. The research investigates the cooling impact of three types of living green walls in Egypt using Design-Builder simulation software. To estimate the energy consumption rates of the base case building, the Design-Builder simulation program was used in conjunction with the Energy Plus engine. According to the findings, the indirect green façade with planter boxes of green walls has reduced the high energy consumption compared to the buildings with direct and indirect green façade, increased thermal comfort, and reduced CO2 emissions. As a result of the estimation, it was determined that the energy demand standards of the living wall were lower than the energy demand standards of buildings without the living wall of the same measurement, saving 75% of the energy.

Solar desalination is a promising sustainable solution to overcome the scarcity of fresh water in the deserts of arid regions. The productivity of a solar still depends mainly on its design parameters and the meteorological conditions of its location (longitude and latitude angles). Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the main design parameters of a single-slope solar still for freshwater production in the arid climate of the central region of Saudi Arabia (24°4′ N, 32.89° E). Experiments were conducted on four identical solar stills, with the same basin surface area and air gap distances (d) of 14, 16, 18, and 20 cm, respectively. The stills operated using three basin water depths (h) of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 cm on clear sunny days. The performance and productivity of the four stills were evaluated. The results showed that reducing the air gap distance (d) and water depth (h) significantly enhanced the distillate freshwater yield, and the optimum ratio of the length/width is 2 and of the back/front wall height is 3.65. Specifically, at a low water depth (h) of 0.5 cm, the daily distillate yield of the solar still increased by about 11% when the air gap distance (d) decreased from 20 to 14 cm. For the lowest air gap distance (d) of 14 cm, the distillate yield increased by about 23% when h decreased from 1.5 to 0.5 cm. Using the measured parameters, several numerical correlations have been developed to estimate the desalination rate (mc) as a function of the solar irradiance (Is) and ambient temperature (Tam). The developed correlations can be used successfully to estimate the values of mc instead of the prohibitive experimental measurements. The stills showed excellent performance in the arid climate and reduced water salinity from 31,250 to 495 ppm. This should encourage decision-makers to expand investment in solar desalination to sustainably develop the deserts of arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid climates, a significant portion of the urban peak energy demand is dedicated to cooling and air-conditioning during the summer. The rapid urbanization rates in developing countries, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have intensified the pressure on energy resources to meet the indoor comfort needs of residents. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in energy demand, with a 2.3% rise recorded in 2018. Electricity consumption in residential buildings accounted for over 48.6% of the total electricity consumption. The choice of building fabrics used in a residential building can significantly impact the building's passive performance and carbon footprint. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of how specific fabric details influence cooling energy usage in arid climates. To achieve this, a validation simulation model was initially created as a base case for a residential housing typology in Al Ain, UAE. This was followed by a parametric energy evaluation of various building envelope features. The evaluation was based on the reduction of yearly cooling load energy. The simulation results indicate that incorporating 50 mm of expanded polystyrene insulation into the outside walls significantly reduced energy consumption for cooling requirements in the arid UAE climate. Furthermore, no substantial difference was observed in the various roofing choices, including cool and green roofs, gravels, and sand roofs. Additionally, we concluded that the total solar energy transmittance (g-value) of windows played a more significant role than thermal transmittance (U-value) in reducing solar heat gain within the spaces. These findings should guide strategic decisions on building envelope upgrading for sustainable societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable management of water resources requires a good command of the quantitative assessment of the terms of the hydrological balance, such as evapotranspiration, which is a relatively difficult parameter to estimate, especially in the presence of several empirical expressions, making the choice a delicate one. In the arid region of Béchar (south-west Algeria), which suffers from a lack of rainfall and an ever-increasing demand for water as a result of demographic pressure and agricultural activity, evapotranspiration is the main factor of water loss. The aim of this work is to select the most appropriate method for calculating evapotranspiration by comparing several methods. Evapotranspiration is estimated using different methods (Turc, Thornthwaite, Blaney-Criddle, Penman, Penman-FAO and ANRH) over a series from 1978 to 2010 (32 years) based on climatic data (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, sunshine duration and wind speed). The results indicate that on a monthly scale for the Béchar station, the TURC model provides the best quantitative estimate of potential evapotranspiration (ETP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress has a significant challenge to crop growth, reproduction, and yield in arid regions. Microbes associated with desert plants offer a promising solution by enhancing moisture and nutrient uptake, mitigating water stress, and ultimately boosting crop growth and yield. In this study, the bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of native plant Aerva javanica, found in the Cholistan desert, were assessed for their effectiveness to promote chickpea seedlings growth. A total of 21 drought-tolerant rhizobacterial strains were isolated and characterized, with a focus on their ability to produce exopolysaccharide (EPS) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid-deaminase (ACC-deaminase) under water-deficit conditions. These conditions were simulated using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 in the growth medium. Notably, strains CD23 and CD21 exhibited the highest EPS production ability, yielding 10.9 and 10.4 mg L-1 of EPS, respectively, under PEG-induced drought stress however, a minute reduction in EPS production was observed under normal conditions. Similarly, ACC-deaminase activity was significant, measuring 3.2 and 3.2 µM mg-1 protein for strains CD23 and CD21, respectively. Further assessments were conducted to evaluate the drought tolerance of these strains at various PEG-6000 levels in jar trials. The strains CD23 and CD21 demonstrated promising results in enhancing chickpea growth. Subsequently, through partial gene sequencing of the 16S rRNA, these strains were identified as Acinetobacter sp. strain CD21 (accession number: MW829536) and Klebsiella sp. strain CD23 (accession number MW829537). The production of ACC-deaminase and EPS by these desert rhizobacteria may serve as crucial indicator for the development of inoculants that can promote chickpea growth under water-deficit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in an arid climate zone with low rainfall, relies on shallow aquifers for freshwater. Understanding the depth and extent of such aquifers is crucial for meeting water supply needs. The UAE's hydrogeology is influenced by neighboring mountains in Oman. The Al‐Jaww Plain in southeast of Al‐Ain city is an essential groundwater source, characterized by a large, flat area of gravel and sand deposits from the Oman Mountains. This study aims to map groundwater aquifers in the Al‐Jaww Plain by integrating the audio‐magnetotelluric (AMT) method, seismic reflection profiling, and borehole data. AMT data were collected along an 11‐km ENE–WSW profile and a 2D resistivity model was generated. The resulting model delineates three distinct geo‐electrical zones from the surface to a depth of 5 km. First, a shallow layer with low resistivity (0–15 Ωm) represents the Quaternary and Pliocene aquifers, in addition to the Upper Cretaceous Simsima and Tertiary groundwater aquifer zone, extending to a depth of 1.5 km. Second, a moderately resistive layer (15–250 Ωm) is recorded beneath the first layer, corresponding to the Upper Cretaceous Aruma foreland basin sequence. Finally, a high‐resistivity region (>250 Ωm) at depths exceeding 3 km is attributed to the allochthonous Hawasina thrust sheet, which is associated with Late Cretaceous obduction of the Semail ophiolite. These findings have practical implications for managing groundwater resources in Al‐Ain. Plain Language Summary: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a limited freshwater supply due to its arid climate and low rainfall. Understanding the location and depth of groundwater aquifers is crucial for meeting the country's water needs. This study focuses on mapping the aquifers in the Al‐Jaww Plain, an important potential groundwater source in the Al‐Ain region of the UAE. The researchers used a combination of audio‐magnetotelluric surveys, seismic reflection profiling, and borehole data to create a hydrogeological model of the subsurface. The model revealed three distinct layers at different depths. The shallow layer, with low resistivity, represents the Quaternary, Pliocene, and Upper Cretaceous groundwater aquifers. Below that, a moderately resistive layer corresponds to the Upper Cretaceous Aruma foreland basin sequence. Finally, a high‐resistivity region at greater depths is associated with the allochthonous Hawasina thrust sheet, formed during the Late Cretaceous obduction of the Semail ophiolite. This information is valuable for managing groundwater resources, selecting drilling sites, and estimating groundwater reserves in the Al‐Ain region. Key Points: Groundwater resources investigated using audio‐magnetotelluric (AMT) measurements in Al‐Jaww Plain, United Arab EmiratesIntegration of AMT, seismic, and borehole data revealed hydrogeological insightsQuaternary and Pliocene aquifers identified with resistivity values 0–15 Ωm, extending 1.5 km deep [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Water scarcity is a major challenge for irrigated agriculture, particularly in developing countries where access to meteorological data for calculating reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is limited. Thus, this study explores the potential of two machine learning models (random forest (RF) and long short-term memory (LSTM)) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) to forecast ETo. The investigation was conducted for four weather stations in Egypt, from 1982 to 2020. The machine learning models were evaluated using four combinations of inputs: maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The best results for both RF and LSTM models were achieved with the first set of inputs that included all four variables at both regional and local scales. For the regional scale, RF and LSTM models achieved R2 values of 0.85 and 0.86, respectively, with RMSE values of 0.69 and 0.68 mm/day. At the local scale, RF and LSTM models exhibited R2 values ranging from 0.92 to 0.95 and 0.93 to 0.95, respectively, while RMSE ranged between 0.38 and 0.46 mm/day and 0.37–0.43 mm/day, respectively. Additionally, ARIMA models were employed for tim series analysis of the same ETo data. ARIMA (2,1,4) and ARIMA (2,1,3) were found to be the most suitable models for the local-scale analysis while ARIMA (2,1,4) was identified as the optimal model for the regional-scale analysis. For the local-scale analysis, R2 values ranged from 0.86 to 0.91 and RMSE values ranged from 0.26 to 0.38. The regional scale analysis yielded an R2 value of 0.89 and an RMSE value of 0.58 mm/day. The developed models can be used in places where meteorological data for forecasting ETo are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Analyses and climate forecasts indicate significant changes in climate elements, particularly the global mean temperature, and variations in rainfall patterns, which can have profound effects on ecosystems and agriculture. This study aims to assess the impacts of climate change on the Brazilian territory using the Köppen-Geiger (1936) climate classification. Climate data were analyzed at 4,942 locations, encompassing municipalities in Brazil from 1989 to 2019. These data were obtained from the NASA/POWER platform and complemented with monthly temperature and rainfall projections from the BCC-CSM1-1 model, part of the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5), under four emission scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0, and RCP 8.5) for the periods 2041-2060 and 2061-2080. The findings reveal a temperature increase across all scenarios, with RCP 8.5 indicating the most significant rise, reaching 4.30 and 5.42 °C for the periods 2041-2060 and 2061-2080, respectively. Additionally, the least rainy month of the year exhibits precipitation values exceeding 60 mm, leading to the dominance of the tropical climate typology “A” in 82.94% of the current climate assessment. In contrast, under climate change scenarios, reductions in areas with typical temperate climate “C” and expansions in arid climate “B” and tropical climate classes were observed compared to the present climate pattern. Notably, the BSh class has a prevalence of 6.09% and 8.16% for the periods 2041-2060 and 2061-2080, respectively. The observed climate changes signal potential challenges for the preservation of species in Brazil, as higher temperatures may hinder their adaptability to drier and warmer conditions. As a result, careful measures and strategies are needed to address the implications of these changes in the coming decades.

Identifying tomato genotypes that can thrive and produce abundantly under arid climatic conditions and addressing the growing food demand caused by population growth are pressing concerns for food security. This research aimed to assess the growth, physiological, phenological, fruit yield, and postharvest quality of tomato genotypes cultivated in an organic hydroponic system in Qatar, where abiotic stress conditions prevail. Ten different tomato genotypes were carefully evaluated, and comprehensive data regarding their growth and development were collected and analyzed. The performance of these tomato genotypes across all traits related to yield and quality showed significant variations. Notably, the ‘Velocity’ and ‘Sigma’ genotypes consistently exhibited robust vegetative growth and improved phenological characteristics compared with the other tomato cultivars. Specifically, ‘Velocity’ and ‘Sigma’ displayed increased leaf assimilation rates (35% and 32%), stomatal conductance (14% and 11%), and reduced transpiration loss (50% and 44%) compared with ‘SV4129TH’. These genotypes also showed lower electrolyte leakage (32% and 28%) and maintained higher intercellular CO2 concentrations. Furthermore, ‘Velocity’ exhibited an accelerated flowering pattern, with the first flowering occurring 4 days sooner and 50% flowering occurring 5 days sooner than that of ‘SV4129TH’. ‘Velocity’ also demonstrated superior fruit set (14%), pollen viability (24%), and fewer incidences of flower drops (36%) compared with ‘SV4129TH’. Notably, ‘Velocity’ outperformed ‘SV4129TH’ in terms of marketable fruit yields, with a 32% higher yield. In addition to its impressive yield, ‘Velocity’ exhibited superior postharvest quality, including firmness, Brix level, acidity, and color. Therefore, overall, ‘Velocity’ and ‘Sigma’ emerged as promising genotypes with strong abiotic stress tolerance capabilities. The correlation analysis of these traits provided valuable insights into the selection and breeding of genotypes that can withstand abiotic stress conditions, laying the foundation for effective comparisons and selections of genotypes suitable for organic hydroponic cultivation in stressful environments.

Abstract The United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in an arid climate zone with low rainfall, relies on shallow aquifers for freshwater. Understanding the depth and extent of such aquifers is crucial for meeting water supply needs. The UAE's hydrogeology is influenced by neighboring mountains in Oman. The Al‐Jaww Plain in southeast of Al‐Ain city is an essential groundwater source, characterized by a large, flat area of gravel and sand deposits from the Oman Mountains. This study aims to map groundwater aquifers in the Al‐Jaww Plain by integrating the audio‐magnetotelluric (AMT) method, seismic reflection profiling, and borehole data. AMT data were collected along an 11‐km ENE–WSW profile and a 2D resistivity model was generated. The resulting model delineates three distinct geo‐electrical zones from the surface to a depth of 5 km. First, a shallow layer with low resistivity (0–15 Ωm) represents the Quaternary and Pliocene aquifers, in addition to the Upper Cretaceous Simsima and Tertiary groundwater aquifer zone, extending to a depth of 1.5 km. Second, a moderately resistive layer (15–250 Ωm) is recorded beneath the first layer, corresponding to the Upper Cretaceous Aruma foreland basin sequence. Finally, a high‐resistivity region (>250 Ωm) at depths exceeding 3 km is attributed to the allochthonous Hawasina thrust sheet, which is associated with Late Cretaceous obduction of the Semail ophiolite. These findings have practical implications for managing groundwater resources in Al‐Ain.

Wind erosion is a worldwide phenomenon for which several recent studies have shown that the intensity is expected to evolve because of climate and land use changes. Identifying the areas where wind erosion is the most active and its associated drivers may help to define efficient solutions to protect the environment from this hazard. The south of Tunisia is a region highly prone to wind erosion and presents a variety of landscapes and land uses in a relatively small area. Thus, from November 2012 to June 2016, six sites were instrumented to monitor wind erosion in the most extended land uses existing in southern Tunisia. The main results are that wind erosion: (i) is nil in the oasis, (ii) is weak (<120 kg m−1 yr−1) in the olive grove even if the surface is be ploughed up to eight times a year, (iii) is moderate (~1000 kg m−1 yr−1) in the barley field, for which the sowing date is a driving parameter of wind erosion seasonality, (iv) can occur in the Chott El Jerid except when it is flooded, (v) is the most intense in rangelands on sand (~2500 kg m−1 yr−1) and on flatbeds (>3000 kg m−1 yr−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the arid zone, one of the ways to provide animals with feed is the organization of forested pastures, the productivity of which largely depends on weather conditions. Our study analyzes changes in meteorological conditions and hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) during the growing season April-October from 2018 to 2022 and their impact, on natural and forest-reclaimed pastures of the sandy Bazhigan massif of Northwestern Caspian Sea. Pasture productively was negatively correlated with the temperature and positively correlated with the precipitation. The relationship between hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) and productivity of different types of pastures has been established with coefficient of determination of R² of 0.765 under pasture with different density and R² of 0.879 under natural pasture. Results showed that the atmospheric humidification is the determining factor of stable pasture productivity in the conditions of climate change in the arid zone of Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Argentinian Horticulture / Horticultura Argentina is the property of Revista Horticultura Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Buildings can generate heat from a variety of sources, including building occupants, the sun, lighting and radiance, and cooling equipment, the energy consumed by which results in heat. Egypt is experiencing rapid economic growth, improvements in urban spaces, and a reduction in green space, all of which contribute to the occurrence of environmental problems such as pollutants, increased CO2 emissions, and increased energy consumption. Furthermore, the study focuses on the cases of architectural buildings that have been combined with living green facade as an innovative facade in order to address the energy crisis and climate change. The study on live greening techniques on building facades has raised a lot of interest. The primary purpose of this research is to utilize simulation software to manage the energy consumption usage of a green facade and compare energy demand levels to the basic scenario. Living green façades can offer zone-sensitive cooling on building facades, which is especially important during summer sessions in hot areas. Green facade cooling loads have an effect on interior air quality by keeping the façade from warming up. The research investigates the cooling impact of three types of living green walls in Egypt using Design-Builder simulation software. To estimate the energy consumption rates of the base case building, the Design-Builder simulation program was used in conjunction with the Energy Plus engine. According to the findings, the indirect green façade with planter boxes of green walls has reduced the high energy consumption compared to the buildings with direct and indirect green façade, increased thermal comfort, and reduced CO2 emissions. As a result of the estimation, it was determined that the energy demand standards of the living wall were lower than the energy demand standards of buildings without the living wall of the same measurement, saving 75% of the energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency in the building sector has attracted a great deal of interest in recent years; because it is seen as a potential solution to minimize the high energy consumption caused by the acceleration of the urbanization process. Several methodologies have been developed to assess the energy performance of buildings, including the energy signature, which is an empirical tool used to represent the real energy performance of buildings. Synthetic data of energy consumption of buildings are generated by ECOTECT simulation program, which is a class of energy models that uses characteristic data (dimensional, physical and location) of the building to predict energy consumption. The primary goal of this research is to examine how solar rays and occupants affect a residential building's energy signature in Errachidia, a city in the southeast of Morocco characterized by its arid climate. The results show that when solar radiation was taken into account, the outcomes of the building's intrinsic characteristics (a and b) enhanced the signature. The distinct response in energy use serves as justification. In fact, the solar radiation provides a significant improvement with an important R2 accuracy of about 0.999. Moreover, the introduction of the occupancy factor has a significant impact on energy savings and temperature fluctuations in energy consumption. The importance of parameter b related to the fixed loads of the building is more influenced by the occupancy factor. This opens up a new possibility for energy-saving studies in the case of an arid climate.

This work investigates three laboratory-scale vertical flow-constructed wetlands (VFCWs) for treating a secondary effluent of wastewater under arid conditions to investigate the efficiency of two plants Canna indica and Typha latifolia in mono and mixed culture. The VFCWs were operated under hydraulic load (0.057 m3/m2d) and 5 days retention time. The results indicated no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the mono and mixed cultures. The C. indica gives the best efficiency of pollutant removal as COD (71.34%), NO2− (69.34%), and PO43− (69.67%). The uptake of TSS (83.98%) was best in the case of mixed culture. The mean percentages of BOD5 were convergent for mono and mixed culture, and it exceeds 89.80% in mixed culture. The mean percentages in NH4+ (98.69%) in mixed culture, elimination of NO2−, and the increase in the concentration of NO3− in the treated effluent showed the presence of nitrification in the VFCWs units. The two plant species exhibit high efficiency in the elimination of pollution compared to the unplanted control, with a slight superiority in the mixed culture. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of these plants can be effective in arid conditions. HIGHLIGHTS Study of some plant species (comparison) in the field of water treatment in arid regions.; Comparison of monoculture and mixed.; Helps in the prevention of pollution.; Low-cost treatment solution for the rural areas.; Helps to optimize the design of the treatment units in arid regions.;

The objectives of this study were i) to characterize the water and soils under different managements, ii) to evaluate the sustainability of using hypersaline soils and water, and iii) to assess possible solutions to prevent more degradation of soil and water resources. Field and laboratory analysis of the samples using eight pedons and 128 surface samples taken from grid in four pre-determined land uses; pistachio orchard abandoned, pistachio orchard with furrow irrigation, wheat and maize cropping with furrow irrigation, pistachio orchard with drip irrigation. The study area, 170 ha, comprised two distinct soil parent materials including marls (max. ECe >100 dS/m) and alluviums (max. ECe >60 dS/m). Abandoning lands caused salinity increasing due to lack of leaching by irrigation water. The maximum increase of soil salinity was in the abandoned land use (EC e =98 dS/m), where trees had been removed and there is no irrigation, followed by pistachio plantation land use (EC=11 to 34 dS/m), and wheat and maize cropping land use (EC=11-19 dS/m). The minimum rise in soil salinity was in the drip irrigation due to mixing freshwater with saline water and therefore better water quality (EC=3 dS/m at surface layer and 17 dS/m in next layer). Land use change to agriculture increased the need for irrigation and because of arid climate it mainly supplied by groundwater from deep wells. Using deep groundwater due to rock-water reaction and increasing salinity, decreased water quality in furrow irrigation and therefore it had more significant effect on soil salinity compare to drip. Comparison of the mean values of soil salinity indicators in 2018 showed that salinity has increased by 3-6 times in the furrow irrigation and at least two-fold in the drip irrigation, compared to 2002. The calculated salinity indicators also proved the soil and water resources had been degraded and present land use types are not sustainable. Possible solutions could be to minimize land use change to agriculture, to use drip irrigation with mixed saline and freshwater, and to remove salt crusts from the soil surface.