General Water Authority (2014) Water and Energy for Life in Libya
(WELL), Project funded by the European Commission No. 295143,
FP7, Libya. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/295143/reporting.
Accessed 2 Sept 2020
LIB/00/004 (2009) Atlas of Natural Resources for Agricultural use in
Libya.
https://www.fao.org/geospatial/resources/detail/en/c/
1024739/. Accessed 2 Sept 2020
Mlitan AB, Alajtal AI, Alsadawy AM (2013) Toxicity of heavy metals
and microbial analysis of soil samples collected from the area
around Zliten cement factory. Open J Air Pollut 2(01):25. https://
www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=29015
Nwer B, Ali A, Zurqani H (2013) Soil salinity mapping model
developed using RS and GIS in Libya. In: Global science &
technology forum. https://www.geosp.net/?research=soil-salinitymapping-model-developed-using-rs-and-gis-in-libya
Nwer B, Zurqani H, Rhoma E (2014) The use of remote sensing and
geographic information system for soil salinity monitoring in Libya.
GSTF J Geol Sci 1:1. https://doi.org/10.5176/2335-6774_1.1.5
Saad AMA, Shariff NM, Gairola S (2011) Nature and causes of land
degradation and desertification in Libya: need for sustainable land
management. Afr J Biotechnol 10(63): 13680–13687. https://www.
ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/96799
Streche C, Cocârţă DM, Istrate IA, Badea AA (2018) Decontamination
of petroleum-contaminated soils using the electrochemical technique: remediation degree and energy consumption. Sci Rep 8
(1):3272
Sweet WV, Kopp RE, Weaver CP, Obeysekera J, Horton RM,
Thieler ER, Zervas C (2017) Global and regional sea level rise
scenarios for the United States. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=
20180001857
Wang XT, Miao Y, Zhang Y, Li YC, Wu MH, Yu G (2013) Polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils of the megacity
Shanghai: occurrence, source apportionment and potential human
health risk. Sci Total Environ 447:80–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
scitotenv.2012.12.086
World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations (UN), Libya - Market
Analysis Report, October 2018. https://www.wfp.org/content/libyamarket-analysis-report-october-2018. Accessed 13 March 2019
World Population Review (2020) Libya population live. https://
worldpopulationreview.com/countries/libya-population. Accessed
2 Sept 2020
Wuana RA, Okieimen FE (2011) Heavy metals in contaminated soils: a
review of sources, chemistry, risks and best available strategies for
remediation. ISRN Ecol. https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/402647
Yigini Y, Panagos P, Montanarella L (2013) Soil resources of
Mediterranean and Caucasus countries. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, p 237. https://
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC80174/lb-na25-988-en-n.pdf
Zurqani HA, Mikhailova EA, Post CJ, Schlautman MA, Elhawej AR
(2019) A review of Libyan soil databases for use within an
ecosystem services framework. Land 8(5):82
Zurqani HA, Mikhailova EA, Post CJ, Schlautman MA, Sharp JL
(2018) Predicting the classes and distribution of salt-affected soils in
Northwest Libya. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 49(6):689–700.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2018.1432637
Zurqani HA, Nwer BA, Rhoma AR (2012) Assessment of spatial and
temporal variations of soil salinity using remote sensing and
geographic information system in Libya. In: Conference proceedings on 1st annual international conference on geological & earth
sciences. https://doi.org/10.5176/22513361_geos12.64 https://dl4.
variations-of-soil-salinity-usingremote-sensing-and-geographicinformationsystem-in-libya
Dr. Hamdi A. Zurqani is one of the faculty members at the Department of
Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli,
Tripoli, Libya. Dr. Zurqani is a recognized expert as a result of his internationally acclaimed work in the areas of environmental information science, remote sensing, land evaluation, sustainability, pedology, and soil
science education. He has conducted research across the world, including
the United States of America and Africa. Dr. Zurqani is a distinguished soil
scientist with a wide range of scientific and working experiences in Libya
and abroad. He received his M.Sc. (2010) from the University of Tripoli,
Tripoli, Libya and Ph.D. (2019) from Clemson University, Clemson, SC,
USA. His major research and teaching activities at the University of Tripoli
have focused mainly on soil genesis and classification and the environmental information sciences (Remote Sensing and Geographic Information
System). He has published broadly in many journals (e.g., Nature “Scientific
Reports”, Geoderma; International Journal of Applied Earth Observation
and Geoinformation; Journal of Geological Sciences; Land; Frontiers in
Environmental Science; Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis; and others). Dr. Zurqani is a member of the Editorial Board for Remote
Sensing (MDPI) Journal, counseling outcome and research evaluation. He
also was appointed to serve as a Guest Editor for the Special Issue
“Applications of Remote Sensing in Earth Observation and Geo-Information
Science”. In addition, Dr. Zurqani conducted peer-review for many journals
including Journal of Environmental Informatics, Applied Sciences, SN
Applied Sciences, Remote Sensing, Heliyon, Geosciences, Land, Water,
Agronomy, Agriculture, Sustainability, Arid Land Research and Management, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Natural Hazards, and Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences. He
is also one of the authors of the lab manual entitled, “GIS Exercises for
Natural Resource Management”. Dr. Zurqani has been the recipient of
numerous awards and honors: Recipient of Douglas R. Phillips Award for
Graduate Students, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, April 12, 2019; the First Place Best Judged Poster
(CAFLS) at the GRADS 2019: Clemson Student Research Forum on April
4, 2019; the Second Place Poster at the 11th Clemson Biological Sciences
Annual Student Symposium, April 6, 2019; the Second Place Best Judged
Poster at the Clemson Student Research Forum on April 4, 2018; and the
Third Place Poster at the 9th Clemson Biological Sciences Annual Student
Symposium, February 25, 2017. Dr. Zurqani conducts cutting-edge research
in the field of environmental information science, remote sensing, land use
management/planning, change detection of landscape degradation, and
geographic information system (GIS) models. He has focused on his
research efforts on the development of new technologies in the field of
environmental information sciences, geo-intelligence (advanced
geo-information science and earth observation, machine and deep learning,
and big data analytics), remote sensing, land evaluation, pedology, land use
management/ planning, monitoring and evaluating sustainable land management, change detection of landscape degradation, and geographic
information system models.
1 Introduction
11
(WELL), Project funded by the European Commission No. 295143,
FP7, Libya. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/295143/reporting.
Accessed 2 Sept 2020
LIB/00/004 (2009) Atlas of Natural Resources for Agricultural use in
Libya.
https://www.fao.org/geospatial/resources/detail/en/c/
1024739/. Accessed 2 Sept 2020
Mlitan AB, Alajtal AI, Alsadawy AM (2013) Toxicity of heavy metals
and microbial analysis of soil samples collected from the area
around Zliten cement factory. Open J Air Pollut 2(01):25. https://
www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=29015
Nwer B, Ali A, Zurqani H (2013) Soil salinity mapping model
developed using RS and GIS in Libya. In: Global science &
technology forum. https://www.geosp.net/?research=soil-salinitymapping-model-developed-using-rs-and-gis-in-libya
Nwer B, Zurqani H, Rhoma E (2014) The use of remote sensing and
geographic information system for soil salinity monitoring in Libya.
GSTF J Geol Sci 1:1. https://doi.org/10.5176/2335-6774_1.1.5
Saad AMA, Shariff NM, Gairola S (2011) Nature and causes of land
degradation and desertification in Libya: need for sustainable land
management. Afr J Biotechnol 10(63): 13680–13687. https://www.
ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/96799
Streche C, Cocârţă DM, Istrate IA, Badea AA (2018) Decontamination
of petroleum-contaminated soils using the electrochemical technique: remediation degree and energy consumption. Sci Rep 8
(1):3272
Sweet WV, Kopp RE, Weaver CP, Obeysekera J, Horton RM,
Thieler ER, Zervas C (2017) Global and regional sea level rise
scenarios for the United States. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=
20180001857
Wang XT, Miao Y, Zhang Y, Li YC, Wu MH, Yu G (2013) Polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils of the megacity
Shanghai: occurrence, source apportionment and potential human
health risk. Sci Total Environ 447:80–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
scitotenv.2012.12.086
World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations (UN), Libya - Market
Analysis Report, October 2018. https://www.wfp.org/content/libyamarket-analysis-report-october-2018. Accessed 13 March 2019
World Population Review (2020) Libya population live. https://
worldpopulationreview.com/countries/libya-population. Accessed
2 Sept 2020
Wuana RA, Okieimen FE (2011) Heavy metals in contaminated soils: a
review of sources, chemistry, risks and best available strategies for
remediation. ISRN Ecol. https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/402647
Yigini Y, Panagos P, Montanarella L (2013) Soil resources of
Mediterranean and Caucasus countries. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, p 237. https://
publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC80174/lb-na25-988-en-n.pdf
Zurqani HA, Mikhailova EA, Post CJ, Schlautman MA, Elhawej AR
(2019) A review of Libyan soil databases for use within an
ecosystem services framework. Land 8(5):82
Zurqani HA, Mikhailova EA, Post CJ, Schlautman MA, Sharp JL
(2018) Predicting the classes and distribution of salt-affected soils in
Northwest Libya. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 49(6):689–700.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2018.1432637
Zurqani HA, Nwer BA, Rhoma AR (2012) Assessment of spatial and
temporal variations of soil salinity using remote sensing and
geographic information system in Libya. In: Conference proceedings on 1st annual international conference on geological & earth
sciences. https://doi.org/10.5176/22513361_geos12.64 https://dl4.
variations-of-soil-salinity-usingremote-sensing-and-geographicinformationsystem-in-libya
Dr. Hamdi A. Zurqani is one of the faculty members at the Department of
Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli,
Tripoli, Libya. Dr. Zurqani is a recognized expert as a result of his internationally acclaimed work in the areas of environmental information science, remote sensing, land evaluation, sustainability, pedology, and soil
science education. He has conducted research across the world, including
the United States of America and Africa. Dr. Zurqani is a distinguished soil
scientist with a wide range of scientific and working experiences in Libya
and abroad. He received his M.Sc. (2010) from the University of Tripoli,
Tripoli, Libya and Ph.D. (2019) from Clemson University, Clemson, SC,
USA. His major research and teaching activities at the University of Tripoli
have focused mainly on soil genesis and classification and the environmental information sciences (Remote Sensing and Geographic Information
System). He has published broadly in many journals (e.g., Nature “Scientific
Reports”, Geoderma; International Journal of Applied Earth Observation
and Geoinformation; Journal of Geological Sciences; Land; Frontiers in
Environmental Science; Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis; and others). Dr. Zurqani is a member of the Editorial Board for Remote
Sensing (MDPI) Journal, counseling outcome and research evaluation. He
also was appointed to serve as a Guest Editor for the Special Issue
“Applications of Remote Sensing in Earth Observation and Geo-Information
Science”. In addition, Dr. Zurqani conducted peer-review for many journals
including Journal of Environmental Informatics, Applied Sciences, SN
Applied Sciences, Remote Sensing, Heliyon, Geosciences, Land, Water,
Agronomy, Agriculture, Sustainability, Arid Land Research and Management, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Natural Hazards, and Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences. He
is also one of the authors of the lab manual entitled, “GIS Exercises for
Natural Resource Management”. Dr. Zurqani has been the recipient of
numerous awards and honors: Recipient of Douglas R. Phillips Award for
Graduate Students, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, April 12, 2019; the First Place Best Judged Poster
(CAFLS) at the GRADS 2019: Clemson Student Research Forum on April
4, 2019; the Second Place Poster at the 11th Clemson Biological Sciences
Annual Student Symposium, April 6, 2019; the Second Place Best Judged
Poster at the Clemson Student Research Forum on April 4, 2018; and the
Third Place Poster at the 9th Clemson Biological Sciences Annual Student
Symposium, February 25, 2017. Dr. Zurqani conducts cutting-edge research
in the field of environmental information science, remote sensing, land use
management/planning, change detection of landscape degradation, and
geographic information system (GIS) models. He has focused on his
research efforts on the development of new technologies in the field of
environmental information sciences, geo-intelligence (advanced
geo-information science and earth observation, machine and deep learning,
and big data analytics), remote sensing, land evaluation, pedology, land use
management/ planning, monitoring and evaluating sustainable land management, change detection of landscape degradation, and geographic
information system models.
1 Introduction
11