Abstract
Water erosion has negative effects on agricultural productivity in Africa. The cover management factor (C factor) related to vegetation is the most influential parameter in the estimation of water erosion and reflects key interrelated cover and management information on the soil retention service of water erosion. However, the estimations of C factor on a large-scale display large differences. The Nile River Basin has suffered severe water erosion for several decades, while the soil retention service of water erosion from vegetation is still unclear. This study assesses the spatiotemporal change in soil retention service in the Nile River Basin from 1982 to 2013, based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. The comparison of six kinds of estimation methods showed that four methods could be used, whereas the other two were inappropriate. The average annual soil retention service based on the C factor variance ranged from 934.08–1240.56 (t ha−1 y−1), and spatially increased from south to north. The area of significant increasing and decreasing tendencies were 1.31 × 104–1.94 × 105 km2 and 5.68 × 103–3.81 × 104 km2, respectively. These results provide a reference for the selection of C factor methods and spatiotemporal evidence of the soil retention service of water erosion in the Nile River Basin.
Highlights
The acceleration of water erosion has plagued human beings since the dawn of settled agriculture [1]
Water erosion is a serious threat in the Nile River Basin, and detailed spatiotemporal information of soil retention service is required
This study mapped the changes of water erosion and soil retention service based on the C factor variance estimated by land cover types and vegetation indices
Summary
The acceleration of water erosion has plagued human beings since the dawn of settled agriculture [1]. 50% of the population heavily relies on local agriculture for food in Africa, which has led to extreme water erosion with poor management [2]. Because water erosion is a growing threat that affects the livelihoods of humans in Africa and is a threat to any future agriculture, the spatiotemporal change in the soil retention service of water erosion requires detailed tracking [5,6]. Providing scientific guidance for the maintenance and management of the soil retention services of water erosion and, subsequently, enhancing this ecosystem service require a credible spatiotemporal assessment [7,8], which can help locate areas where water erosion is drastic and where the soil retention services need to be enhanced [9]
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