Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Desert Management and Control, Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
2
Department of Desert Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University
3
Department of Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
4
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
10.22052/deej.2026.257812.1123
Abstract
Quantitative analysis of landform types and geomorphic facies is of particular importance in geomorphological and natural resource studies. In this research, the quantitative characteristics of three pediment landform types—bare pediment, aggradational (appendage) pediment, and covered pediment—were analyzed in the Yazd–Ardakan Plain. The main objective of the study was to elucidate the relationship between these landforms and the geometry and density of the regional hydrographic network. A range of datasets and analytical tools was employed, including Google Earth imagery, a digital elevation model derived from the ALOS PALSAR sensor, and specialized software such as ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro, and Fractalys. Initially, calculations were performed on randomly selected samples with areas of 1, 4, 9, 16, and 64 km². Based on data analysis in Fractalys software using the box-counting method and variance comparison, a plot size of 9 km² was identified as the optimal sampling unit for calculating the fractal dimension of the hydrographic network in the studied pediment types. Analysis of standard deviation plots indicated that the optimal numbers of sampling plots for bare, aggradational, and covered pediments are 15, 17, and 18, respectively. To validate the results, fractal dimension values from 10 estimated plots were compared with observed values using 9 km² plots for each pediment type. The findings are applicable in quantitative geomorphology, sustainable land management, land use planning, and geomorphic classification of pediment landforms. Future studies are recommended to investigate relationships between pediment fractal dimensions and hydrological parameters in other Central Iranian plains.
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