Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco

Soil erosion, a land degradation process triggered by natural and anthropogenic factors, seriously impacts landscapes and water resources. The influence of vegetation cover and land use changes on intensity of soil erosion of two catchments in mountainous regions of Morocco is evident, as it alters...

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Main Authors: Nadia ENNAJI, Hasan OUAKHIR, Mohammed ABAHROUR, Velibor SPALEVIC, Branislav DUDIC
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AcademicPres 2024-03-01
Series:Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/13567
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author Nadia ENNAJI
Hasan OUAKHIR
Mohammed ABAHROUR
Velibor SPALEVIC
Branislav DUDIC
author_facet Nadia ENNAJI
Hasan OUAKHIR
Mohammed ABAHROUR
Velibor SPALEVIC
Branislav DUDIC
author_sort Nadia ENNAJI
collection DOAJ
description Soil erosion, a land degradation process triggered by natural and anthropogenic factors, seriously impacts landscapes and water resources. The influence of vegetation cover and land use changes on intensity of soil erosion of two catchments in mountainous regions of Morocco is evident, as it alters hydrologic response and sediment dynamics. This research aims to analyze the interactions among plants, soil, geology, meteorology, and orography, assessing soil erosion responses using the process-oriented IntErO model - Erosion Potential Method to determine erosion rates. The obtained results indicate that the Tiguert river basin experiences higher soil losses (Ggod = 5184.47 m³/god) and soil losses per square kilometre (Ggod/km² = 508.28 m³/km² god) compared to the Wanmroud catchment (Ggod = 2555.66 m³/god, Ggod/km² = 381.44 m³/km² god), confirming the theory that areas with denser and more effective vegetation cover experience lower soil erosion rates. Furthermore, the Wanmroud basin exhibits a more regular shape and lower watershed development coefficient, implying lower human impact. This study has shown the relationships between land use changes, vegetation cover, and soil erosion dynamics, offering valuable insights for sustainable land management practices in mountainous regions of Morocco.
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spelling doaj.art-3d59be54cfd8412b8ce24f4a011ce71c2024-04-01T18:46:27ZengAcademicPresNotulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca0255-965X1842-43092024-03-0152110.15835/nbha52113567Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, MoroccoNadia ENNAJI0Hasan OUAKHIR1Mohammed ABAHROUR2Velibor SPALEVIC3Branislav DUDIC4Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Faculty of Polydisciplinary, Laboratory of Space, History, Dynamic and Development, 35000 TazaSultan Moulay Slimane University, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, 23000 Beni MellalSidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Faculty of Polydisciplinary, Laboratory of Space, History, Dynamic and Development, 35000 TazaUniversity of Montenegro, Biotechnical Faculty, 81000 Podgorica; University of Montenegro, Philosophy, Geography Department, 81400 NiksicComenius University Bratislava, Faculty of Management, 81499 Bratislava; University Business Academy, Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, 21000 Novi Sad Soil erosion, a land degradation process triggered by natural and anthropogenic factors, seriously impacts landscapes and water resources. The influence of vegetation cover and land use changes on intensity of soil erosion of two catchments in mountainous regions of Morocco is evident, as it alters hydrologic response and sediment dynamics. This research aims to analyze the interactions among plants, soil, geology, meteorology, and orography, assessing soil erosion responses using the process-oriented IntErO model - Erosion Potential Method to determine erosion rates. The obtained results indicate that the Tiguert river basin experiences higher soil losses (Ggod = 5184.47 m³/god) and soil losses per square kilometre (Ggod/km² = 508.28 m³/km² god) compared to the Wanmroud catchment (Ggod = 2555.66 m³/god, Ggod/km² = 381.44 m³/km² god), confirming the theory that areas with denser and more effective vegetation cover experience lower soil erosion rates. Furthermore, the Wanmroud basin exhibits a more regular shape and lower watershed development coefficient, implying lower human impact. This study has shown the relationships between land use changes, vegetation cover, and soil erosion dynamics, offering valuable insights for sustainable land management practices in mountainous regions of Morocco. https://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/13567catchmentsIntErOland useMoroccosoil erosionvegetation cover
spellingShingle Nadia ENNAJI
Hasan OUAKHIR
Mohammed ABAHROUR
Velibor SPALEVIC
Branislav DUDIC
Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca
catchments
IntErO
land use
Morocco
soil erosion
vegetation cover
title Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
title_full Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
title_fullStr Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
title_full_unstemmed Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
title_short Impact of watershed management practices on vegetation, land use changes, and soil erosion in River Basins of the Atlas, Morocco
title_sort impact of watershed management practices on vegetation land use changes and soil erosion in river basins of the atlas morocco
topic catchments
IntErO
land use
Morocco
soil erosion
vegetation cover
url https://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/13567
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AT mohammedabahrour impactofwatershedmanagementpracticesonvegetationlandusechangesandsoilerosioninriverbasinsoftheatlasmorocco
AT veliborspalevic impactofwatershedmanagementpracticesonvegetationlandusechangesandsoilerosioninriverbasinsoftheatlasmorocco
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