Assessment of Biotope Suitability of Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) in the Region of Hoggar (Southern Algerian Sahara)

Upsurges of desert locusts can cause heavy economic and agricultural losses and threaten the food security of millions of people over dozens of countries. Therefore, monitoring and spatial delimitation of their habitats are necessary for biological control studies and sampling, especially on large surfaces. This study aimed to assess and map suitable biotopes for desert locusts in southern Algeria, through a GIS tool, by integrating multicriteria analysis (Analytical Hierarchy Process) as a decision-making tool for preventive methods, biological control and research. The result is a resolution map, classified into four different zones according to pixel values. The results revealed that 28.51% of the study area is an unsuitable biotope for desert locusts, 35.92% is a survival biotope, 19.5% is a suitable biotope mainly for breeding and eggs lying and 16.05% is highly suitable for desert locust gregarization and concentration. This study offers a simplified mapping procedure to assess locust habitats for decision-making and studies in large areas.