Assessment of land cover on soil erosion in Lam Phra Phloeng watershed by USLE model

Soil loss due to surface erosion has been a global problem not just for developing countries but also for developed countries. One of the factors that have greatest impact on soil erosion is land cover. The purpose of this study is to estimate the long-term average annual soil erosion in the Lam Phra Phloeng watershed, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand with different source of land cover by using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and GIS (30 m grid cells) to calculate the six erosion factors (R, K, L, S, C, and P) of USLE. Land use data are from Land Development Department (LDD) and ESA Climate Change Initiative (ESA/CCI) in 2015. The result of this study show that mean soil erosion by using land cover from ESA/CCI is less than LDD (29.16 and 64.29 ton/ha/year respectively) because soil erosion mostly occurred in the agricultural field and LDD is a local department that survey land use in Thailand thus land cover data from this department have more details than ESA/CCI.

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Soil erosion by snow gliding – a first quantification attempt in a subalpine area in Switzerland

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-18-3763-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 3763-3775 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K. Meusburger ◽

G. Leitinger ◽

L. Mabit ◽

M. H. Mueller ◽

A. Walter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Sediment Yield ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Water Erosion ◽

Erosion Rates ◽

The Difference ◽

Snow Gliding

Abstract. Snow processes might be one important driver of soil erosion in Alpine grasslands and thus the unknown variable when erosion modelling is attempted. The aim of this study is to assess the importance of snow gliding as a soil erosion agent for four different land use/land cover types in a subalpine area in Switzerland. We used three different approaches to estimate soil erosion rates: sediment yield measurements in snow glide depositions, the fallout radionuclide 137Cs and modelling with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). RUSLE permits the evaluation of soil loss by water erosion, the 137Cs method integrates soil loss due to all erosion agents involved, and the measurement of snow glide deposition sediment yield can be directly related to snow-glide-induced erosion. Further, cumulative snow glide distance was measured for the sites in the winter of 2009/2010 and modelled for the surrounding area and long-term average winter precipitation (1959–2010) with the spatial snow glide model (SSGM). Measured snow glide distance confirmed the presence of snow gliding and ranged from 2 to 189 cm, with lower values on the north-facing slopes. We observed a reduction of snow glide distance with increasing surface roughness of the vegetation, which is an important information with respect to conservation planning and expected and ongoing land use changes in the Alps. Snow glide erosion estimated from the snow glide depositions was highly variable with values ranging from 0.03 to 22.9 t ha−1 yr−1 in the winter of 2012/2013. For sites affected by snow glide deposition, a mean erosion rate of 8.4 t ha−1 yr−1 was found. The difference in long-term erosion rates determined with RUSLE and 137Cs confirms the constant influence of snow-glide-induced erosion, since a large difference (lower proportion of water erosion compared to total net erosion) was observed for sites with high snow glide rates and vice versa. Moreover, the difference between RUSLE and 137Cs erosion rates was related to the measured snow glide distance (R2 = 0.64; p < 0.005) and to the snow deposition sediment yields (R2 = 0.39; p = 0.13). The SSGM reproduced the relative difference of the measured snow glide values under different land uses and land cover types. The resulting map highlighted the relevance of snow gliding for large parts of the investigated area. Based on these results, we conclude that snow gliding appears to be a crucial and non-negligible process impacting soil erosion patterns and magnitude in subalpine areas with similar topographic and climatic conditions.

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Estimating Human Impacts on Soil Erosion Considering Different Hillslope Inclinations and Land Uses in the Coastal Region of Syria

Water ◽

10.3390/w12102786 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 2786 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Safwan Mohammed ◽

Hazem G. Abdo ◽

Szilard Szabo ◽

Quoc Bao Pham ◽

Imre J. Holb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Human Impacts ◽

Coastal Region ◽

Water Erosion ◽

Land Uses ◽

Erosion Processes

Soils in the coastal region of Syria (CRoS) are one of the most fragile components of natural ecosystems. However, they are adversely affected by water erosion processes after extreme land cover modifications such as wildfires or intensive agricultural activities. The main goal of this research was to clarify the dynamic interaction between erosion processes and different ecosystem components (inclination, land cover/land use, and rainy storms) along with the vulnerable territory of the CRoS. Experiments were carried out in five different locations using a total of 15 erosion plots. Soil loss and runoff were quantified in each experimental plot, considering different inclinations and land uses (agricultural land (AG), burnt forest (BF), forest/control plot (F)). Observed runoff and soil loss varied greatly according to both inclination and land cover after 750 mm of rainfall (26 events). In the cultivated areas, the average soil water erosion ranged between 0.14 ± 0.07 and 0.74 ± 0.33 kg/m2; in the BF plots, mean soil erosion ranged between 0.03 ± 0.01 and 0.24 ± 0.10 kg/m2. The lowest amount of erosion was recorded in the F plots where the erosion ranged between 0.1 ± 0.001 and 0.07 ± 0.03 kg/m2. Interestingly, the General Linear Model revealed that all factors (i.e., inclination, rainfall and land use) had a significant (p < 0.001) effect on the soil loss. We concluded that human activities greatly influenced soil erosion rates, being higher in the AG lands, followed by BF and F. Therefore, the current study could be very useful to policymakers and planners for proposing immediate conservation or restoration plans in a less studied area which has been shown to be vulnerable to soil erosion processes.

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Effects of Climate and Land-Cover Changes on Soil Erosion in Brazilian Pantanal

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11247053 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (24) ◽

pp. 7053 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Carina Colman ◽

Paulo Oliveira ◽

André Almagro ◽

Britaldo Soares-Filho ◽

Dulce Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Ecosystem Service ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Land Cover Changes ◽

Rainfall Erosivity ◽

Comprehensive Planning ◽

Brazilian Pantanal

The Pantanal biome integrates the lowlands of the Upper Paraguay Basin (UPB), which is hydrologically connected to the biomes of the Cerrado and Amazon (the highlands of the UPB). The effects of recent land-cover and land-use (LCLU) changes in the highlands, combined with climate change, are still poorly understood in this region. Here, we investigate the effects of soil erosion in the Brazilian Pantanal under climate and LCLU changes by combining different scenarios of projected rainfall erosivity and land-cover management. We compute the average annual soil erosion for the baseline (2012) and projected scenarios for 2020, 2035, and 2050. For the worst scenario, we noted an increase in soil loss of up to 100% from 2012 to 2050, associated with cropland expansion in some parts of the highlands. Furthermore, for the same period, our results indicated an increase of 20 to 40% in soil loss in parts of the Pantanal biome, which was associated with farmland increase (mainly for livestock) in the lowlands. Therefore, to ensure water, food, energy, and ecosystem service security over the next decades in the whole UPB, robust and comprehensive planning measures need to be developed, especially for the most impacted areas found in our study.

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Land use/land cover change effect on Soil erosion and Sediment Delivery on Winike Watershed, Omo Gibe Basin, Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.2.19417/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Abreham Berta Aneseyee

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Land Cover Change ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Management Practices ◽

Delivery Ratio ◽

Land Use Land Cover ◽

Sediment Delivery ◽

Sediment Export

Abstract Background: Information on soil loss and sediment export is essential to identify hotspots of soil erosion for conservation interventions in a given watershed. This study aims at investigating the dynamic of soil loss and sediment export associated with land use/land cover change and identifies soil loss hotspot areas in Winike watershed of Omo-gibe basin of Ethiopia. Spatial data collected from satellite images, topographic maps, meteorological and soil data were analyzed. Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) of sediment delivery ratio (SDR) model was used based on analysis of land use/land cover maps and RUSLE factors. Result: The results showed that total soil loss increased from 774.86 thousand tons in 1988 to 951.21 thousand tons in 2018 while the corresponding sediment export increased by 3.85 thousand tons in the same period. These were subsequently investigated in each land-use type. Cultivated fields generated the highest soil erosion rate, which increased by 10.02 t/ha/year in 1988 to 43.48 t/ha/year in 2018. This corresponds with the expansion of the cultivated area that increased from 44.95 thousand ha in 1988 to 59.79 thousand ha in 2018. This is logical as the correlation between soil loss and sediment delivery and expansion of cultivated area is highly significant (p<0.01). Sub-watershed six (SW-6) generated the highest soil loss (62.77 t/ha/year) and sediment export 16.69 t/ha/year, followed by Sub-watershed ten (SW-10) that are situated in the upland plateau. Conversely, the lower reaches of the watershed are under dense vegetation cover and experiencing less erosion. Conclusion: Overall, the changes in land use/land cover affect significantly the soil erosion and sediment export dynamism. This research is used to identify an area to prioritize the watershed for immediate management practices. Thus, land use policy measures need to be enforced to protect the hydropower generation dams at downstream and the ecosystem at the watershed.

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Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Its Impact on Soil Erosion in Stung Sangkae Catchment of Cambodia

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13169276 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 9276

Author(s):

Nareth Nut ◽

Machito Mihara ◽

Jaehak Jeong ◽

Bunthan Ngo ◽

Gilbert Sigua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Control Measures ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Mekong River Commission ◽

The Impact

Agricultural expansion and urban development without proper soil erosion control measures have become major environmental problems in Cambodia. Due to a high population growth rate and increased economic activities, land use and land cover (LULC) changes will cause environmental disturbances, particularly soil erosion. This research aimed to estimate total amounts of soil loss using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model within a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. LULC maps of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 2002 and Mekong River Commission (MRC) 2015 were used to evaluate the impact of LULC on soil erosion loss in Stung Sangkae catchment. LULC dynamics for the study periods in Stung Sangkae catchment showed that the catchment experienced a rapid conversion of forests to paddy rice fields and other croplands. The results indicated that the average soil loss from the catchment was 3.1 and 7.6 t/ha/y for the 2002 and 2015 periods, respectively. The estimated total soil loss in the 2002 and 2015 periods was 1.9 million t/y and 4.5 million t/y, respectively. The soil erosion was accelerated by steep slopes combined with the high velocity and erosivity of stormwater runoff. The spatial distribution of soil loss showed that the highest value (14.3 to 62.9 t/ha/y) was recorded in the central, southwestern and upland parts of the catchment. It is recommended that priority should be given to erosion hot spot areas, and appropriate soil and water conservation practices should be adopted to restore degraded lands.

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Impact of land-use and land-cover change on soil erosion using the RUSLE model and the geographic information system: a case of Temeji watershed, Western Ethiopia

Journal of Water and Climate Change ◽

10.2166/wcc.2021.131 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mitiku Badasa Moisa ◽

Daniel Assefa Negash ◽

Biratu Bobo Merga ◽

Dessalegn Obsi Gemeda

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Information System ◽

Geographic Information System ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Lulc Change ◽

The Impact

Abstract The impact of land-use land-cover (LULC) change on soil resources is getting global attention. Soil erosion is one of the critical environmental problems worldwide with high severity in developing countries. This study integrates the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model with a geographic information system to estimate the impacts of LULC conversion on the mean annual soil loss in the Temeji watershed. In this study, LULC change of Temeji watershed was assessed from 2000 to 2020 by using 2000 Landsat ETM+ and 2020 Landsat OLI/TIRS images and classified using supervised maximum likelihood classification algorithms. Results indicate that the majority of the LULC in the study area is vulnerable to soil erosion. High soil loss is observed when grassland and forest land were converted into cultivated land with a mean soil loss of 88.8 and 86.9 t/ha/year in 2020. Results revealed that about 6,608.5 ha (42.8%) and 8,391.8 ha (54.4%) were categorized under severe classes in 2000 and 2020, respectively. Accordingly, the soil loss severity class is directly correlated with the over-exploitation of forest resources and grasslands for agricultural purposes. These results can be useful for advocacy to enhance local people and stakeholder's participation toward soil and water conservation practices.

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High natural erosion rates are the backdrop for present-day soil erosion in the agricultural Middle Hills of Nepal

Earth Surface Dynamics ◽

10.5194/esurf-3-363-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 363-387 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

A. J. West ◽

M. Arnold ◽

G. AumaÎtre ◽

D. L. Bourlès ◽

K. Keddadouche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Mass Wasting ◽

Catchment Scale ◽

Erosion Rates ◽

Denudation Rates ◽

Soil Production ◽

The Himalaya

Abstract. Although agriculturally accelerated soil erosion is implicated in the unsustainable environmental degradation of mountain environments, such as in the Himalaya, the effects of land use can be challenging to quantify in many mountain settings because of the high and variable natural background rates of erosion. In this study, we present new long-term denudation rates, derived from cosmogenic 10Be analysis of quartz in river sediment from the Likhu Khola, a small agricultural river basin in the Middle Hills of central Nepal. Calculated long-term denudation rates, which reflect background natural erosion processes over 1000+ years prior to agricultural intensification, are similar to present-day sediment yields and to soil loss rates from terraces that are well maintained. Similarity in short- and long-term catchment-wide erosion rates for the Likhu is consistent with data from elsewhere in the Nepal Middle Hills but contrasts with the very large increases in short-term erosion rates seen in agricultural catchments in other steep mountain settings. Our results suggest that the large sediment fluxes exported from the Likhu and other Middle Hills rivers in the Himalaya are derived in large part from natural processes, rather than from soil erosion as a result of agricultural activity. Catchment-scale erosional fluxes may be similar over short and long timescales if both are dominated by mass wasting sources such as gullies, landslides, and debris flows (e.g., as is evident in the landslide-dominated Khudi Khola of the Nepal High Himalaya, based on compiled data). As a consequence, simple comparison of catchment-scale fluxes will not necessarily pinpoint land use effects on soils where these are only a small part of the total erosion budget, unless rates of mass wasting are also considered. Estimates of the mass wasting contribution to erosion in the Likhu imply catchment-averaged soil production rates on the order of ~ 0.25–0.35 mm yr−1, though rates of mass wasting are poorly constrained. The deficit between our best estimates for soil production rates and measurements of soil loss rates supports conclusions from previous studies that terraced agriculture in the Likhu may not be associated with a large systematic soil deficit, at least when terraces are well maintained, but that poorly managed terraces, forest, and scrubland may lead to rapid depletion of soil resources.

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Enset-Based Land Use Land Cover Change Detection and Its Impact on Soil Erosion in Meki River Watershed for Sustainability of Lake Ziway, Western Lake Ziway Sub-Basin, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.3.rs-31939/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alemu Beyene Woldesenbet ◽

Sebsebe Demisew Wudmatas ◽

Mekuria Argaw Denboba ◽

Azage Gebreyohannes Gebremariam

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Land Cover Change ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Land Use Land Cover ◽

River Watershed ◽

Land Use Systems ◽

Management Interventions ◽

Land Use System

Abstract Background Water erosion, upland degradation and deforestation are the key environmental problems in Meki river watershed where this study was conducted. This study assessed the land use land cover change (LULCC) over the last 30 years, examined the contribution of Enset-Based land use system (EBLUS) to manage soil erosion problem for sustainability of Lake Ziway and suggested appropriate management interventions for the watershed ERDAS imagine 2014, Geo-statistical interpolation and RUSLE model was devised for LULCC detection and analysis, for different spatial inputs and soil loss modeling respectively. Result Meki river watershed covers 2110.39056 km² of area which is dominantly covered by cultivated land use system (41.5%), Enset-Based land use system (EBLUS)(10.65%), Bush and Chat land use system (25.6%), Forest and plantations land use system (14.14%), built up (7.4%) and water bodies (0.75%). Severity class of High to severe range (18-125tha-1yr-1) recorded in the sub-watersheds irrespective of the land use systems and facing sever degradation problem that increase in soil loss in all land use systems from 1987 to 2017. The average soil loss of 30.5tha-1yr-1 and 31.905tha-1yr-1 recorded from Enset growing zones and non-Enset growing zones of the watershed respectively.Conclusion Enset-Based land use system (EBLUS) saves significant amount of soil despite the steepness of the slopes of the Enset growing zones of the watershed. Hence, expansion of EBLUS can contribute in sustaining Lake Ziway by reducing soil loss rate and sedimentation problem for ecological sustainability of the watershed. Therefore, separate land use policy and awareness creation are mandatory for such EBLUS expansion, integrated watershed management and conservation of the natural environment.

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Effect of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Erer Sub-Basin, Northeast Wabi Shebelle Basin, Ethiopia

10.20944/preprints201908.0072.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Gezahegn Weldu ◽

Arus Edo

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Land Cover Change ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Erosion Risk ◽

Priority Areas ◽

Soil Erosion Risk ◽

Soil And Water ◽

Loss Rates

Land use and land cover change (LULCC) is a critical factor for enhancing the soil erosion risk and land degradation process in the Wabi Shebelle Basin. Up-to-date spatial and statistical data on basin-wide erosion rates can provide an important basis for planning and conservation of soil and water ecosystems. The objectives of this study were to examine the magnitude of LULCC and consequent changes in the spatial extent of soil erosion risk, and identify priority areas for Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) in the Erer Sub-Basin, Wabi Shebelle Basin, Ethiopia. The soil loss rates were estimated using an empirical prediction model of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) outlined in the ArcGIS environment. The estimated total annual actual soil loss at the sub-basin level was 1.01 million tons in 2000 and 1.52 million tons in 2018 with a mean erosion rate of 75.85 t ha–1 y–1 and 107.07 t ha–1 y–1, respectively. The most extensive soil loss rates were estimated in croplands and bare land cover, with a mean soil loss rate of 37.60 t ha–1 y–1 and 15.78 t ha−1 y−1, respectively. The soil erosion risk has increased by 18.28% of the total area, and decreased by 15.93%, showing that the overall soil erosion situation is worsening in the study area. We determined SWC priority areas using the Multi-Criteria Decision Rule (MCDR) approach, indicates that the top three levels identified for intense SWC account for about 2.50%, 2.38%, and 2.14%, respectively. These priority levels are typically situated along the steep slopes in Babile, Fedis, Fik, Gursum, Gola Oda, Haramaya, Jarso, and Kombolcha districts that need emergency SWC measures.

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SOIL EROSION RISK ASSESSMENT DUE TO LAND USE/LAND COVER CHANGES (LULC) IN HANGAR RIVER WATERSHED, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA

Journal of Sedimentary Environments ◽

10.12957/jse.2019.46538 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 379-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nasir Gebi Tukura ◽

Mahmud Mustefa Akalu

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Land Cover ◽

Soil Loss ◽

Management Practices ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Land Cover Changes ◽

River Watershed ◽

Management Interventions ◽

De Se

Soil erosion is a major environmental and economic concern affecting all continents around the world. Soil loss facilitates land degradation, threatening both agricultural and natural environments. This problem is severe in Ethiopia due to its topographic features. To evaluate the effect of land use and land cover changes on soil erosion, we studied land use changes of the Hanger River watershed, NW Ethiopia, from 2005 to 2017, using remote sensing and estimating soil erosion using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. The results of land-cover changes have revealed a decrease in open forest areas, grazing land, shrub land and grass land by 33.16%, 9.20 %, 3.22 %, and 7.62 %, respectively in a fourteen years period. In the same period, there was an increase in agricultural areas by 48.73 % and dense forest by 4.74 %. The estimated mean soil erosion potential in Hanger River watershed, between 2005 and 2017, was about 55.5 and 70.5 t ha-1 year-1, respectively. For the High and Very high classes, the values increased from 33.40% to 35.74% and 6.36% to 12.81%, respectively from 2005 to 2017.Therefore, it can be concluded that there is an increasing tendency for soil erosion in the area due to changes in land cover, particularly deforestation due to agricultural land expansion. This trend should receive attention aiming to keep the stability and sustainability of this ecosystem in the future. Management interventions are necessary to improve the status and utilization of watershed resources by applying sustainable land management practices for sustainable livelihood of the local people. AVALIAÇÃO DE RISCOS DE EROSÃO DO SOLO DEVIDO A ALTERAÇÕES DO USO DO SOLO/ COBERTURA DO SOLO (LULC), NA BACIA DO RIO HANGAR, NOROESTE DA ETIÓPIAResumoA erosão do solo suscita uma grande preocupação ambiental e econômica e afeta todos os continentes. A perda de solo facilita a degradação da terra, ameaçando ambientes agrícolas e naturais. Este problema é grave na Etiópia devido às suas características topográficas. Para avaliar o efeito das mudanças no uso e cobertura da terra na erosão do solo, estudamos as mudanças no uso da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Hanger, no noroeste da Etiópia, de 2005 a 2017, usando sensoriamento remoto e estimando a erosão do solo com a Equação Universal de Perda de Solo Revisada. Os resultados das mudanças na cobertura da terra revelaram uma diminuição nas áreas de florestas abertas, pastagens, arbustos e pastagens em 33,16%, 9,20%, 3,22% e 7,62%, respectivamente, em um período de catorze anos. No mesmo período, houve um aumento nas áreas agrícolas em 48,73% e na floresta densa em 4,74%. O potencial médio estimado de erosão do solo na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Hanger, entre 2005 e 2017, foi de cerca de 55,5 e 70,5 t ha-1 ano-1, respectivamente. Para as classes Alta e Muito Alta, os valores aumentaram de 33,40% para 35,74% e 6,36% para 12,81%, respectivamente, de 2005 a 2017.Portanto, pode-se concluir que há uma tendência crescente de erosão do solo na área de estudo devido a mudanças na cobertura da terra, particularmente desmatamento, na sequência da expansão da terra agrícola. A referida tendência deve ser acompanhada, com o objetivo de se tomarem medidas adequadas que permitam manter a estabilidade e a sustentabilidade do ecossistema no futuro. É, pois, necessário adotar medidas de gestão adequadas a fim de se poder melhorar o status e a utilização dos recursos da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Hanger, aplicando práticas sustentáveis de manejo da terra para a subsistência sustentável da população local. Palavras-chave: SIG. Bacia Hidrográfica. Mudanças no uso e cobertura da terra. RUSLE. Erosão do solo.

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