Overview of Study Area - Historical Land Use/Land Cover Classification Using Remote Sensing - page 46

as Juniperus excelsa, Kreuzdorn Rhamnus Palaestinae, Prunus, Pirus, Crataegus
and Amygdalus. Occasional old pistachio trees of up to 5 m in height can still be
found on many desert heights (e.g., Jabal Al-Bilaas, 500 m above sea level, near
Deir Azzour). They have been however, decimated at alarming rates by the fire-
wood needs of the camping nomads in winter. This wood steppe is traditionally the
habitat of sheep and camel nomads. The nomads have largely destroyed the ori-
ginal vegetation over the centuries. The establishment of additional water supplies
from deep wells and the transport of water by truck have also had disastrous
consequences on this fragile ecosystem. The steppe is also home to a variation of
groundwater and riparian natural vegetation, on the floodplains and low terraces of
the rivers which are not in use for agricultural purposes. In this region, this veg-
etation consists mainly of Euphratpappeln (Populus euphratica) and pastures
(Salix acmophyll), with an understory of tamarisk (Tamarix tigrensis) (after
German to English translation and modification from Wirth 1971 ).
For the human activities of land use in the ERB, we different between two
geographical-historical regions: (1) the Young-settled (Arraqqa- and Deir Azzour-
provinces) dominant winter cereals (wheat and barley) on dryland and cotton on
irrigated ground almost to the level of monoculture. These represent the major
growing crops in Syria. Much of the harvesting of these relative sparsely populated
areas goes to market or is readied for export. Tillage and harvest are increasingly
mechanized; and (2) the Old-settled (Aleppo Province) shows, in contrast a much
larger variety of crops. Wheat and cotton are also cultivated in large parts of the
fields in this region but not to the point of monoculture, as there are competitors
with many other crops. Less demanding summer plants can grow well here, even
without extra irrigation. Permanent crops, such as tree groves, as well as intensive,
irrigated vegetable crops are found almost solely in these old-settled areas. Only a
relatively small portion of the harvest is exported. Here, too, is find a juxtaposition
of rain- and irrigated- crops; both are cultivated at a much greater extent with more
traditional tools than in the Young-settled areas (after German to English trans-
lation and modification from Wirth 1971 ).
Cultivation of olive trees, which has a long tradition in Syria (oil presses such
as Ugarit were already in use around 2000 BC), is located almost exclusively in the
Old-settlement. Vineyards are located throughout this region, either on pure dry
land or at the edge of the irrigation areas. All other fruit trees are found only small
areas. The cultivation of pistachios is focused primarily on the perimeter of Aleppo
(after German to English translation and modification from Wirth 1971 ).
Field-irrigation is used in almost all of the agricultural areas of the ERB. In the
areas with more than 400-500 mm, only intensive crops which need a high water
demand are irrigated, e.g. vegetables, sugar beets, and peanuts. The irrigated land
here is embedded with little natural contrast to a rain-floor, and both winter and
summer crops flourish. In the areas with about 200-400 mm average annual
precipitation only winter crops can be grown without additional irrigation. During
the summer months, the irrigation fields are lush green islands, raised above the
dry yellow and brown rain-fed land. Between the two there is a clear division of
function: in analogy, the drying fields of wheat and barley were appointed/ordered,