Impact of Soil Temperature and Precipitation on Vegetation Cover Over Selected Stations in Iraq

Abstract

Records of precipitation and soil temperature, two of the most significant climatic elements impacting vegetation cover, were gathered as annual and monthly data over a period of 20 years from the European Center for Long-term Numerical Weather Forecasts. The goal of this study was to ascertain the impact of plant cover on climatic variations. The study’s final findings revealed that Mosul station had the greatest value of vegetation at 0.24 and Basra station had the lowest value at 0.15. The Mosul station recorded the maximum amount of precipitation, 1400 mm in the northern and central parts during the winter, and the lowest amount, 8 mm, during the fall and summer months in the districts west of the Rutba station. Using the Pearson test, it was discovered that the relationship between vegetation cover and soil temperature is inverse, and this, in turn, plays a significant role in the lack of vegetation cover in the southern regions because of nature. The desert of the region, as well as the lack of precipitation and high temperatures, is responsible for the region’s lack of vegetation. The highest value reached by the soil temperature was in the year 2018 at the Basra station.