scholarly journals A review of soil erosion modeling by R/USLE in Morocco: Achievements and limits

2021 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 00067
Author(s):  
Mohamed Manaouch ◽  
Anis Zouagui ◽  
Imad Fenjiro
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Empirical Models ◽  
Universal Soil Loss Equation ◽  
Erosion Modeling ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Current Concerns ◽  
Soil Erosion Assessment ◽  
Soil Loss Equation

Soil erosion is a major cause of land degradation. It can be estimated with several models, such as empirical, conceptual and physical based. One of the empirical models used worldwide nowadays for soil erosion assessment is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its updated form, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). In Morocco, this model is being used to assess and quantify soil loss by water erosion. In spite of this, it was noted that limited studies employed correctly this important tool. The goal of this review paper was to identify potential usage of R/USLE models in Morocco. This was done by evaluating the conducted studies concerning these models and main gaps and challenges were determined accordingly. Improvement options and future requirements for using R/USLE models were recommended. In order to assess the statues of the R/USLE models applications, the 56 published documents related to R/USLE models conducted in Morocco during the first use till 2020 were collected and reviewed. These publications covered five main areas. The main benefits as well as gaps of the conducted studies were discussed for each area. Current concerns, need of future studies as well as related recommendations and suggestions were also presented.

scholarly journals Estimation of annual soil erosion dynamics (2005 - 2015) in Pakistan using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hammad Gilani ◽  
Adeel Ahmad ◽  
Isma Younes ◽  
Sawaid Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Universal Soil Loss Equation ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Slope Length ◽  
Conservation Practice ◽  
Administrative Units ◽  
Soil Loss Equation

Abrupt changes in climatic factors, exploitation of natural resources, and land degradation contribute to soil erosion. This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of annual soil erosion dynamics in Pakistan for 2005 and 2015 using publically available climatic, topographic, soil type, and land cover geospatial datasets at 1 km spatial resolution. A well-accepted and widely applied Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was implemented for the annual soil erosion estimations and mapping by incorporating six factors; rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope-length (L), slope-steepness (S), cover management (C) and conservation practice (P). We used a cross tabular or change matrix method to assess the annual soil erosion (ton/ha/year) changes (2005-2015) in terms of areas and spatial distriburtions in four soil erosion classes; i.e. Low (<1), Medium (1–5], High (5-20], and Very high (>20). Major findings of this paper indicated that, at the national scale, an estimated annual soil erosion of 1.79 ± 11.52 ton/ha/year (mean ± standard deviation) was observed in 2005, which increased to 2.47 ±18.14 ton/ha/year in 2015. Among seven administrative units of Pakistan, in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the average soil erosion doubled from 14.44 ± 35.70 ton/ha/year in 2005 to 28.03 ± 68.24 ton/ha/year in 2015. Spatially explicit and temporal annual analysis of soil erosion provided in this study is essential for various purposes, including the soil conservation and management practices, environmental impact assessment studies, among others.

scholarly journals Modeling Soil Erosion and Landscape Metric Analysis of River Catchments in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumayyah Aimi Mohd Najib
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Shannon Diversity Index ◽  
Universal Soil Loss Equation ◽  
Data Sampling ◽  
Shannon Diversity ◽  
Soil Loss Equation

To determine the soil erosion in ungauged catchments, the author used 2 methods: Universal Soil Loss Equation model and sampling data. Sampling data were used to verify and validate data from model. Changing land use due to human activities will affect soil erosion. Land use has changed significantly during the last century in Pulau Pinang. The main rapid changes are related to agriculture, settlement, and urbanization. Because soil erosion depends on surface runoff, which is regulated by the structure of land use and brought about through changes in slope length, land-use changes are one of many factors influencing land degradation caused by erosion. The Universal Soil Loss Equation was used to estimate past soil erosion based on land uses from 1974 to 2012. Results indicated a significant increase in three land-use categories: forestry, built-up areas, and agriculture. Another method to evaluate land use changes in this study was by using landscape metrics analysis. The mean patch size of built-up area and forest increased, while agriculture land use decreased from 48.82 patches in 1974 to 22.46 patches in 2012. Soil erosion increased from an estimated 110.18 ton/km2/year in 1974 to an estimated 122.44 ton/km2/year in 2012. Soil erosion is highly related (R2 = 0.97) to the Shannon Diversity Index, which describes the diversity in land-use composition in river basins. The Shannon Diversity Index also increased between 1974 and 2012. The findings from this study can be used for future reference and for ungauged catchment research studies.

scholarly journals Application of Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) Model to Assess Soil Erosion in “Kalu Ganga” River Basin in Sri Lanka

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. D. Panditharathne ◽  
N. S. Abeysingha ◽  
K. G. S. Nirmanee ◽  
Ananda Mallawatantri
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Universal Soil Loss Equation ◽  
Rusle Model ◽  
Soil Loss Equation

Soil erosion is one of the main forms of land degradation. Erosion contributes to loss of agricultural land productivity and ecological and esthetic values of natural environment, and it impairs the production of safe drinking water and hydroenergy production. Thus, assessment of soil erosion and identifying the lands more prone to erosion are vital for erosion management process. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) model supported by a GIS system was used to assess the spatial variability of erosion occurring at Kalu Ganga river basin in Sri Lanka. Digital Elevation Model (30 × 30 m), twenty years’ rainfall data measured at 11 rain gauge stations across the basin, land use and soil maps, and published literature were used as inputs to the model. The average annual soil loss in Kalu Ganga river basin varied from 0 to 134 t ha−1 year−1 and mean annual soil loss was estimated at 0.63 t ha−1 year−1. Based on erosion estimates, the basin landscape was divided into four different erosion severity classes: very low, low, moderate, and high. About 1.68% of the areas (4714 ha) in the river basin were identified with moderate to high erosion severity (>5 t ha−1 year−1) class which urgently need measures to control soil erosion. Lands with moderate to high soil erosion classes were mostly found in Bulathsinghala, Kuruwita, and Rathnapura divisional secretarial divisions. Use of the erosion severity information coupled with basin wide individual RUSLE parameters can help to design the appropriate land use management practices and improved management based on the observations to minimize soil erosion in the basin.

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