Ariel Meroz Ph.D<\/h1>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.adssc.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9\u05d0\u05dc-\u05de\u05e8\u05d5\u05d6-\u05de\u05e6\u05e4\u05d4-\u05e8\u05de\u05d5\u05df1-300x200.jpg\")
<\/h1>Research Area: Geography<\/h4>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/adssc.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/email.png\")
ariel@adssc.org<\/a><\/p>As a researcher, I focus on developing tools to distinguish between direct human impact and climatic influence on the natural environment in arid regions, with an emphasis on natural vegetation and groundwater salinity. My primary research tools are remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), combined with artificial intelligence models to advance our understanding of complex spatial and environmental processes.<\/p>
Currently, I am an active partner in the Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform in the Central Negev.<\/p>
Academic Background<\/p>
I began my academic training in Earth Sciences, specializing in Geology, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I completed my MSc in Geography at Tel Aviv University, in the Geo-Information (Geo-Informatics) track. My thesis focused on the use of hyperspectral remote sensing to characterize brine water in Dead Sea sinkholes based on biological and chemical properties \u2014 with a case study in Einot Samar. The research was supervised by Prof. Eyal Ben-Dor and Prof. Yoav Avni (Geological Survey of Israel).<\/p>
I completed my PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in the Department of Geography (January 2025). My dissertation topic:
Disentangling Human and Climatic Impacts on Natural Vegetation in the Negev and Arava
Supervised by Prof. Noam Levin.<\/p>
Current Research Projects<\/p>
- Modeling Groundwater Salinity in Israel using spatial artificial intelligence (AI) methods<\/li>
- Evaluating the Quality of Mine Site Rehabilitation in Makhtesh Ramon<\/li>
- Studying the Effects of Climate Change on Natural Vegetation Cover in arid environments using AI-based remote sensing analysis<\/li><\/ul>
Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2025. Using remote sensing to assess vegetation dynamics\u00a0in a hyper-arid region: The Arava valley as a case study. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment 38, 101550.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rsase.2025.101550<\/a><\/p>Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Babad, A., Levin, N., 2024. Identifying the Climatic and Anthropogenic Impact on Vegetation Surrounding the Natural Springs of the Arava Valley Using Remote Sensing Methods. Land 13, 361.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/land13030361<\/a><\/p>Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2023. Unveiling the impact of traditional land practices onb natural vegetation using large-scale exclosures: National borders and military bases. Journal of Arid Environments 211, 104930.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jaridenv.2023.104930<\/a><\/p>Groner, E.; Berda Swiderski, N.; gantz, N.;\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>.; Babad, A.; Tikochinsky, M. Demonstration of eco-hydrological principles on Extreme arid desert at the Ramon Research Station Long-term ecological 2023.<\/p>\u00a0Finzi, Y., Avni, S.,\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>., Avriel-Avni, N., Ashckenazi-Polivoda, S., Ryvkin, I., 2019.\u00a0Extraordinary Geodiversity and Geoheritage Value of Erosional Craters of the Negev Craterland. Geoheritage 11, 875\u2013896.\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12371-018-0335-7<\/a><\/p>
<\/h1>Research Area: Geography<\/h4> ariel@adssc.org<\/a><\/p>As a researcher, I focus on developing tools to distinguish between direct human impact and climatic influence on the natural environment in arid regions, with an emphasis on natural vegetation and groundwater salinity. My primary research tools are remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), combined with artificial intelligence models to advance our understanding of complex spatial and environmental processes.<\/p>
Currently, I am an active partner in the Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform in the Central Negev.<\/p>
Academic Background<\/p>
I began my academic training in Earth Sciences, specializing in Geology, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I completed my MSc in Geography at Tel Aviv University, in the Geo-Information (Geo-Informatics) track. My thesis focused on the use of hyperspectral remote sensing to characterize brine water in Dead Sea sinkholes based on biological and chemical properties \u2014 with a case study in Einot Samar. The research was supervised by Prof. Eyal Ben-Dor and Prof. Yoav Avni (Geological Survey of Israel).<\/p>
I completed my PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in the Department of Geography (January 2025). My dissertation topic:
Disentangling Human and Climatic Impacts on Natural Vegetation in the Negev and Arava
Supervised by Prof. Noam Levin.<\/p>
Current Research Projects<\/p>
- Modeling Groundwater Salinity in Israel using spatial artificial intelligence (AI) methods<\/li>
- Evaluating the Quality of Mine Site Rehabilitation in Makhtesh Ramon<\/li>
- Studying the Effects of Climate Change on Natural Vegetation Cover in arid environments using AI-based remote sensing analysis<\/li><\/ul>
Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2025. Using remote sensing to assess vegetation dynamics\u00a0in a hyper-arid region: The Arava valley as a case study. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment 38, 101550.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rsase.2025.101550<\/a><\/p>Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Babad, A., Levin, N., 2024. Identifying the Climatic and Anthropogenic Impact on Vegetation Surrounding the Natural Springs of the Arava Valley Using Remote Sensing Methods. Land 13, 361.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/land13030361<\/a><\/p>Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2023. Unveiling the impact of traditional land practices onb natural vegetation using large-scale exclosures: National borders and military bases. Journal of Arid Environments 211, 104930.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jaridenv.2023.104930<\/a><\/p>Groner, E.; Berda Swiderski, N.; gantz, N.;\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>.; Babad, A.; Tikochinsky, M. Demonstration of eco-hydrological principles on Extreme arid desert at the Ramon Research Station Long-term ecological 2023.<\/p>\u00a0Finzi, Y., Avni, S.,\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>., Avriel-Avni, N., Ashckenazi-Polivoda, S., Ryvkin, I., 2019.\u00a0Extraordinary Geodiversity and Geoheritage Value of Erosional Craters of the Negev Craterland. Geoheritage 11, 875\u2013896.\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12371-018-0335-7<\/a><\/p>
As a researcher, I focus on developing tools to distinguish between direct human impact and climatic influence on the natural environment in arid regions, with an emphasis on natural vegetation and groundwater salinity. My primary research tools are remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), combined with artificial intelligence models to advance our understanding of complex spatial and environmental processes.<\/p> Currently, I am an active partner in the Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform in the Central Negev.<\/p> Academic Background<\/p> I began my academic training in Earth Sciences, specializing in Geology, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I completed my MSc in Geography at Tel Aviv University, in the Geo-Information (Geo-Informatics) track. My thesis focused on the use of hyperspectral remote sensing to characterize brine water in Dead Sea sinkholes based on biological and chemical properties \u2014 with a case study in Einot Samar. The research was supervised by Prof. Eyal Ben-Dor and Prof. Yoav Avni (Geological Survey of Israel).<\/p> I completed my PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in the Department of Geography (January 2025). My dissertation topic: Current Research Projects<\/p> Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2025. Using remote sensing to assess vegetation dynamics\u00a0in a hyper-arid region: The Arava valley as a case study. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment 38, 101550.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rsase.2025.101550<\/a><\/p> Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Babad, A., Levin, N., 2024. Identifying the Climatic and Anthropogenic Impact on Vegetation Surrounding the Natural Springs of the Arava Valley Using Remote Sensing Methods. Land 13, 361.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/land13030361<\/a><\/p> Meroz, A.M<\/strong>., Yin, H., Levin, N., 2023. Unveiling the impact of traditional land practices onb natural vegetation using large-scale exclosures: National borders and military bases. Journal of Arid Environments 211, 104930.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jaridenv.2023.104930<\/a><\/p> Groner, E.; Berda Swiderski, N.; gantz, N.;\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>.; Babad, A.; Tikochinsky, M. Demonstration of eco-hydrological principles on Extreme arid desert at the Ramon Research Station Long-term ecological 2023.<\/p> \u00a0Finzi, Y., Avni, S.,\u00a0Meroz, A<\/strong>., Avriel-Avni, N., Ashckenazi-Polivoda, S., Ryvkin, I., 2019.\u00a0Extraordinary Geodiversity and Geoheritage Value of Erosional Craters of the Negev Craterland. Geoheritage 11, 875\u2013896.\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12371-018-0335-7<\/a><\/p> ariel@adssc.org<\/a><\/p>
Disentangling Human and Climatic Impacts on Natural Vegetation in the Negev and Arava
Supervised by Prof. Noam Levin.<\/p>