Student Research Reports
study the causes of desertification in Dhofar Governorate
Organization(s):Khalid ibn alwalid basic school
Country:Oman
Student(s):1- Mohamed Ahmed Kamal
2 - Mohamed Farag Mohamed
3 - Said Khalid AlOufi
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
GLOBE Member(s):Hany Makram Basheer
Contributors:1- Dr. Ahmed bin Bakheet Al-Shanfar Director of the Department of Agricultural and Animal Research in Dhofar
2- Engineer / Mohammed Abed Al-Masheli
3- Mr. Ali Salem Beit Saeed Director General of the Environment Authority in Dhofar
4- Dr. Salem Ahmed Salem Environmental expert – Environment Authority Dhofar
5- Mr. Salem Abdullah Salem Mufleh Environmental Authority Laboratory Technician
Report Type(s):Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Air Temperature, Clouds, Precipitation, Relative Humidity, Surface Temperature, Biometry (including Tree Height), Land Cover Classification, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Salinity, Water Temperature, Water Transparency, Soil Characterization, Soil pH, Soil Temperature
Presentation Poster:
View Document
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:2026-01-26
This research aims to study the causes of desertification
in Dhofar. The research team's first hypothesis, which strongly suggests the
cause, is climate change (Including rising temperatures, decreasing rainfall,
increased evaporation and transpiration, and increased wind speeds resulting
in dust storms and sand dunes). The second hypothesis is human intervention
(including negative or incorrect land use and management practices that lead to
the degradation of vegetation cover, increased salinity, and water and wind
erosion, as well as overgrazing and premature grazing).
These hypotheses led to the following research questions:
Q1 What climate changes are the region experiencing?
Q2 How have climate changes affected the environment?
Q3What human activities are taking place in the region?
Q4 What is the impact of human activities on the environment?
We developed a work timeline, beginning with identifying the study site. The
team then conducted a field visit to the site to study the problem, understand its
causes, and develop hypotheses and potential solutions.
The research team contacted the Environment Authority and the Directorate
General of Agriculture in Dhofar to assess the monitoring and response.
processes for this problem and requested their cooperation in the study.
Fieldwork commenced, and the relevant program protocols were implemented.
The results were as follows:
Climate change has had a significant impact on the environment in terms of
increased temperatures, decreased rainfall, wind, soil salinization, and a
decrease in the quantity and quality of groundwater and surface water
(Supporting the first hypothesis).
The protocols and tests applied by the research team indicated that climate
change has a clear impact on soil properties, specifically increasing soil
alkalinity and salinity (supporting the first hypothesis).
Negative human interventions have an impact on the environment in terms of
overgrazing, waste and its disposal methods, industrial facilities and their by
products, repetitive farming and traditional farming methods, and the use of
pesticides and chemical fertilizers (supporting the second hypothesis). Conclusion: Climate change and negative human interventions negatively
affect soil and its quality. Recommendations: Monitor groundwater quality, improve water
management and irrigation, work to protect and increase vegetation cover in
the region, limit urban expansion In agricultural areas, stabilize sand
dunes, develop mechanisms to regulate grazing in areas prone to desertification
and support local research