The Phenomenon of Climatic Drought and its Spatial Impacts in the Algerian Sahara Regions - Tidikelt Region, in Salah Province, for the Period 2000-2020

Tina Ben Ferhat, Ali Saidou

Abstract


Climate change is a global phenomenon that threatens natural regions and represents a vital environmental challenge for life on the surface. Algeria, like other countries, has suffered and continues to suffer from this phenomenon, especially in the regions of the Sahara Desert, which are characterized by a dry climate and natural environment, where its effects are strongly felt at all levels. This research paper, examining climate drought in the Tidekilte region for the period 2000-2020, aims to address the phenomenon's effects on fragile ecosystems. It also aims to analyse the severity, manifestations, and impacts of this drought, highlighting adaptation methods for the region's population. The study's results conclude that the impact of climate drought has affected several vital sectors, most notably: A large deficit in the water balance, estimated at 500 mm during the summer, has caused a drop in the groundwater level and the disappearance of the underground water channel (foggara), with salinity and poor soil fertility, as the ion exchange capacity of the sample taken does not exceed 12.5 mg/100 g. In addition, there is an increasing deterioration of oases agriculture due to high temperatures (exceeding 60 degrees Celsius in the summer) with an increased rate of evaporation due to wind erosion, which threatens agricultural systems with desertification.

Keywords: climate change, Algeria, ecosystems, oases agriculture, desertification

© 2025 Serbian Geographical Society, Belgrade, Serbia.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Serbia.


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