Estimating Influential Factors for Halophyte Tree Distribution on Dried Seabed of the Aral Sea

Abstract

Shrinkage of the Aral Sea has advanced with development of irrigation. In order to minimize wind-blown sand, plans for afforestation of the dried seabed of the big Aral Sea were initiated. We classified the land cover using satellite image of Terra/MODIS based on truth data of 2006 and analyzed influential factors for halophyte trees distribution by developing a tree model. Halophyte distributed in 24% of the dried seabed while rest of the area was almost salty bare ground. Number of dried years and distance from the old coast contributed most to distribution pattern of them, and appeared to occur on there of over 15.5 years and near the seed source area. However, it did not appear on recently dried seabed. Thus, it would be difficult for the afforestation on the seabed.