You should focus on changes in the environment such as drought, desertification, wetland changes, deforestation, etc. You use climate data to determine these changes. You also use MODIS remote sensing data to determine the NDVI change for about 10years, which can help you measure the variables i have indicated

Hi Mohammed,

you might want to speak to my colleague Dr Richard Becker, University of Toledo. He has worked for many years in the Nile delta.

http://www.eeescience.utoledo.edu/Faculty/Becker/Data/Becker.html

http://www.eeescience.utoledo.edu/Faculty/Becker/Data/IOD.html

I work with sea level rise projections and wetlands. I would recommend you check out this website of the software I use: http://www.warrenpinnacle.com/prof/SLAMM/. It is free and stand alone but you need GIS software to prepare the data.

Hi Jonathan quaye-ballard

what is MODIS remote sensing data?

It is easy way to look earlier studieas, for example

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.2353/abstract , http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.2325/abstract

I agree with jonathan, You should start with remote sensing information provided by satelitte imaging (MODIS, ENVISAT etc) in order to investigate environmental changes (erosion, flooding patterns ets. You need a good baseline for the examination of CC related issues.

Modis is a satellite that takes images of the earth. Here is the website: http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/. Here also is a basic wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderate-Resolution_Imaging_Spectroradiometer

I would also consider investigating the existence, extent and severity of hypoxia (< 2 mg/L D.O.) in the delta estuarine waters.

Diaz et al. (2008) have shown increased hypoxic/anoxic zones in many estuaries globally . In Rhode Island (USA) we have seen hypoxia where there was no evidence of it 75 yrs ago. Part of the response is due to increased algae blooms / decay due to high nutrient levels from sewage + stormwater runoff, but this does not appear to be the whole story. Nixon et al ( 2005) note that nutrients have increased at a slower rate than when the watershed population had its greatest increase due to immigration during the industrial revolution in the early 20th century. Although it is not yet definitive, evidence locally is pointing towards climate change impacts such as heavier rainfalls / flashier storms adding freshwater to increase stratification in the water column, while warmer water increases microbial decomposition rates, along with possible changes in wind speeds during the "hypoxia season" of warm summer months (June-Sept), allowing for longer periods of stratification. Areas with slow flushing in Narragansett Bay RI (USA) are now exhibiting severe hypoxia on an intermittent basis in areas that have no record of low D.O. Benthic communities in these areas have seen a shift from macrobenthos to small opportunist-type benthic species due to hypoxia impacts. Fish species have shifted from demersal fish like flounder to pelagic species like anchovies and scup. This has led to a management response of requiring nitrogen removal at the wastewater treatment plants (in progress).

The Nile delta has a significant nutrient source in sewage , and may be experiencing similar changes in parts of your estuary. This would affect benthic communities, including bottom fish species., and I would expect losses of oxygen-sensitive shellfish and fish in areas impacted by intermittent hypoxia.

refs:

Diaz, R.J. and R. Rosenberg. 2008. Spreading dead zones and consequences for marine ecosystems. Science 321:926-9. ;

Scott Nixon, Betty Buckley, Stephen Granger, Lora Harris, Autumn Oczkowski, Luke Cole, and Robinson Fulweiler. 2005. ANTHROPOGENIC NUTRIENT INPUTS TO NARRAGANSETT BAY, A Twenty-five Year Perspective. A Report to The Narragansett Bay Commission and Rhode Island Sea Grant.

http://www.isocarp.net/data/case_studies/1456.pdf

Conference Paper NILE DELTA CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, A STATE OF THE ART REVIEW