Impact of Climate Change on Water Contains for Different Vegetation Cover Areas in Wasit Province During (1992-2024)

The impact of climate change on Soil water content across three contrasting environments in Wasit Province: a bare soil area, a salinized area, and a densely vegetated area. ERA5 monthly averaged climate data from 1992 to 2024 were used to analyze three key variables: soil water content, air temperature, and rainfall. The analysis included seasonal distributions and statistical evaluations using simple linear regression to estimate slope and intercept values, with the exclusion of 2010 due to its classification as a climatic outlier. The results revealed clear seasonal variation in Soil water content, with the highest values observed in winter and the lowest in summer. Environmental differences were evident: the vegetated area maintained the highest Soil water content levels, indicating the protective role of vegetation in enhancing water retention. The salinized zone had the lowest moisture due to the effects of salinity on soil permeability and increased evaporation, while the bare soil area showed fluctuating intermediate values, reflecting direct climatic influence in the absence of vegetation cover. The year 2012 stands out from the surrounding time periods, as the data reveal a clear deviation from both the preceding period (1992–2011) and the following period (2013–2024). This distinction is primarily due to the division of the academic year into two separate parts. Therefore, 2012 should be considered a transitional and exceptional case, rather than a continuous part of either period.Analysis showed a positive trend in the vegetated zone (β = +0.00083), indicating moisture stability, while the salinized zone declined (β = −0.00058), reflecting vulnerability. Bare soil showed slight improvement (β = +0.00058) with variability. Results underscore the role of vegetation in stabilizing soil moisture, and recommend revegetation, salinity control, and climate adaptation in at-risk areas.