Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia
Soil erosion is a very critical form of land degradation resulting in the loss of soil nutrients and downstream sedimentation of water storages in the highlands of Ethiopia. As it is technically and financially impossible to conserve all landscapes affected by erosion, identification of priority are...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2017-09-01
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| Series: | International Soil and Water Conservation Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209563391630137X |
| _version_ | 1797282219759239168 |
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| author | Lulseged Tamene Zenebe Adimassu Ermias Aynekulu Tesfaye Yaekob |
| author_facet | Lulseged Tamene Zenebe Adimassu Ermias Aynekulu Tesfaye Yaekob |
| author_sort | Lulseged Tamene |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil erosion is a very critical form of land degradation resulting in the loss of soil nutrients and downstream sedimentation of water storages in the highlands of Ethiopia. As it is technically and financially impossible to conserve all landscapes affected by erosion, identification of priority areas of intervention is necessary. Spatially distributed erosion models can help map landscape susceptibility to erosion and identify high erosion risk areas. Integration of erosion models with geographic information systems (GIS) enables assessing evaluate the spatial variability of soil erosion and plan implementing conservation measures at landscape levels. In this study, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation adjusted for sediment delivery ratio was used in a GIS system to assess landscape sensitivity to erosion and identify hotspots. The approach was applied in three catchments with size being 10–20 km2 and results were compared against quantitative and semi-quantitative data. The model estimated mean soil loss rates of about 45 t ha−1 y−1 with an average variability of 30% between catchments. The estimated soil loss rate is above the tolerable limit of 10 t ha−1 y−1. The model predicted high soil loss rates at steep slopes and shoulder positions as well as along gullies. The results of the study demonstrate that knowledge of spatial patterns of high soil loss risk areas can help deploy site-specific conservation measures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T17:09:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f96443614e44168bcaa1a78f9157eaf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-6339 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T17:09:49Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Soil and Water Conservation Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f96443614e44168bcaa1a78f9157eaf2024-03-03T01:19:46ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.International Soil and Water Conservation Research2095-63392017-09-015322123010.1016/j.iswcr.2017.05.002Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern EthiopiaLulseged Tamene0Zenebe Adimassu1Ermias Aynekulu2Tesfaye Yaekob3International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Chitedze Agricultural Research Station, P.O. Box 158, Lilongwe, MalawiInternational Water Management Institute (IWMI), PO. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAgroforestry Center, UN Avenue, Gigiri, Nairobi, KenyaEthiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), P.O.Box 2003, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaSoil erosion is a very critical form of land degradation resulting in the loss of soil nutrients and downstream sedimentation of water storages in the highlands of Ethiopia. As it is technically and financially impossible to conserve all landscapes affected by erosion, identification of priority areas of intervention is necessary. Spatially distributed erosion models can help map landscape susceptibility to erosion and identify high erosion risk areas. Integration of erosion models with geographic information systems (GIS) enables assessing evaluate the spatial variability of soil erosion and plan implementing conservation measures at landscape levels. In this study, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation adjusted for sediment delivery ratio was used in a GIS system to assess landscape sensitivity to erosion and identify hotspots. The approach was applied in three catchments with size being 10–20 km2 and results were compared against quantitative and semi-quantitative data. The model estimated mean soil loss rates of about 45 t ha−1 y−1 with an average variability of 30% between catchments. The estimated soil loss rate is above the tolerable limit of 10 t ha−1 y−1. The model predicted high soil loss rates at steep slopes and shoulder positions as well as along gullies. The results of the study demonstrate that knowledge of spatial patterns of high soil loss risk areas can help deploy site-specific conservation measures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209563391630137XRevised universal soil loss equationSediment delivery ratioHot-spot areasWatershedSediment deposition |
| spellingShingle | Lulseged Tamene Zenebe Adimassu Ermias Aynekulu Tesfaye Yaekob Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia International Soil and Water Conservation Research Revised universal soil loss equation Sediment delivery ratio Hot-spot areas Watershed Sediment deposition |
| title | Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a GIS-based approach in Northern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | estimating landscape susceptibility to soil erosion using a gis based approach in northern ethiopia |
| topic | Revised universal soil loss equation Sediment delivery ratio Hot-spot areas Watershed Sediment deposition |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209563391630137X |
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