Soil Erosion Control Measures Research Articles

A GIS‐based approach to site vegetated buffer strips for erosion control within an agricultural catchment in southern England

AbstractAgricultural soil erosion is largely attributed to arable intensification and increased mechanization. Runoff from arable land and intensively managed grassland transports sediment and contaminants across the landscape and into watercourses, causing crop loss, land degradation, and water quality issues. One low‐cost and low‐maintenance nature‐based mitigation approach is the implementation of vegetated buffer strips (VBS): grassland sited along field margins to trap sediment and contaminants, reducing transportation and diffuse pollution rates. GIS modelling using remotely sensed landscape indices and land parcel data can provide an efficient means of identifying priority areas for intervention at sub‐catchment or farm system scales. We develop and test a scalable runoff risk model in the lower Rother catchment, West Sussex. The model uses the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) applied to satellite images as an erodibility proxy and identifies locations along pathways that are conceivably at greatest risk of sediment accumulation and transfer, guided by field observations. We assess current and historical field boundaries near high‐risk locations, evaluating the potential capacity of their margins to contribute to runoff risk reduction using an innovative ranking system. Recommendations are made for VBS implementation and the value of historical field boundary and margin restoration is discussed. Our method offers a rapid approach with minimal data requirements to identify high‐risk sediment runoff locations and priority sites for intervention. The tool has the potential to guide decision‐makers responsible for targeting and implementing soil erosion and runoff control measures such as VBS, while also maximizing agri‐environmental and cultural benefits.

Numerical simulation of shelter effect assessment for single-row windbreaks on the periphery of oasis farmland

Dust storms, resulting from aeolian erosion, pose significant environmental hazards, while farmland is one of the main sources of dust storm release. An effective strategy to mitigate surface wind speed and curb dust emissions involves the establishment of windbreaks on the periphery of oasis farmland. This study conducts a series of numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to explore the airflow fields around windbreaks with diverse systematic structural parameters, encompassing porosity, planting spacing, and fence effects. The main findings are as follows: (1) When the vegetation porosity is consistent (e.g., porosity α = 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9), exact geometry results can effectively reflect the distribution of wall shear stress, while the porous medium model overlooks these details. (2) The “Venturi effect” contributes to the acceleration of surface erosion and improper planting spacing results in an elevation of near-surface velocity. Planting spacing of 0.5 m demonstrates superior wind speed reduction performance, mitigating aeolian erosion and accumulation. (3) When the fence is positioned at l = 5h (h represents the height of the windbreaks), the flow field around the windbreaks is minimally influenced. The optimal placement distance for fences should be close to the windbreaks, featuring minimal porosity (l = 0 h, α = 0.1), extending the shelter distance from 3 to 4 h to 5–6 h. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the plant configuration of biological desertification control and soil erosion control measures.

Analyzing spatio-temporal changes and trade-offs/synergies of gross ecosystem product based on water-energy-food nexus.

The value of the ecosystem's ultimate goods and services for human welfare and long-term economic and social development is known as the gross ecosystem product (GEP). For the study of GEP accounting, the suggested water-energy-food (WEF) nexus offers a fresh viewpoint. This work aims to build a GEP accounting index system based on WEF, investigate its spatio-temporal evolution characteristics, and assess trade-offs and synergies between and within the water, energy, and food subsystems. Using the Three Gorges Reservoir area (TGRA) as an illustration, the findings revealed that, firstly, the comprehensive benefit of GEP based on WEF showed an upward trend in TGRA. Still, it was worth noting that the total production of the food ecosystem decreased. Secondly, the GEP based on WEF in five periods showed a spatial pattern of "high east and west, low middle." Thirdly, the Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that the GEP trade-off relationships based on WEF were dominant in TGRA, with the strongest trade-offs between AQV, SCV, APV, and LEV. In addition, in bivariate local spatial autocorrelation, the value of the six ecosystem service function relationships was dominated by the trade-off relationship, and the distribution of trade-offs and synergies showed significant heterogeneity at the county scale in the TGRA. Finally, hot spot analysis showed that the hot spots of the gross water and energy ecosystem products were scattered in the tail area of the study area. In contrast, the hot spots of the gross food ecosystem product were concentrated in the belly region. The findings of this study provided a basis for the scientific formulation of territorial spatial pattern optimization for water, energy, and agricultural resources in the TGRA and can more accurately reflect the status of the ecological environment and changes of WEF over time. Moreover, this paper also gives full play to the growth advantages of shipping and aquatic products, implements effective soil erosion prevention and control measures, and establishes water-saving mechanisms and other measures in terms of water resources. Subregional plans for industrial structure and strengthening of waste gas and wastewater treatment facilities regarding energy resources are developed. Implement the cultivated land protection system and promote the superiority of crop varieties and other measures in terms of food resources.

Performance And Adoptability Of Mulching Technology To Control Soil Erosion: Case Study Of The Sebeya Catchment In Rwanda

Soil erosion is a pressing environmental concern that poses significant threats to agricultural productivity, watershed health, and ecosystem stability. This research investigates the performance and adoptability of mulching technology as a Soil Erosion Control Measure (SECM) within the Sebeya catchment. This study employed various methods including a review of existing literature, on-site visits, structured interviews, and focus group discussions to evaluate the factors contributing to soil erosion, its impacts, and the variety of SECM within the Sebeya catchment. Among the 96 farmers surveyed in this research, it was evident that the natural reasons for soil erosion in the Sebeya drainage area were often attributed to the intense rainfall (23%) and steep slopes (22%). Also, the influence of lack of SECM and the continuous ploughing is significant with 22% and 22% respectively. The availability of mulching materials can vary significantly based on the geographic location, agricultural practices, and economic factors. In the Sebeya catchment, mulching materials often sourced from crop residues and vegetative residues. To address the risks associated with soil erosion, various site-specific measures were recommended. Using the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE) model, the suggested Soil Erosion Control measures (SECM) were simulated with a significant decrease in soil loss, dropping from 73.05 t/ha/y to 19.62 t/ha/y. By incorporating mulching technology into the recommended SECM to mitigate soil erosion, the soil erosion rates reduced to permissible soil loss from 19.62 t/ha/y to 11.26 t/ha/y. To effectively reduce the high rates of soil erosion to acceptable levels within the Sebeya drainage area, this study advocates for the implementation of the recommended site-specific soil erosion control measures combined with mulching, drainage channels, and the stabilizing grasses on the same farmland. Implementing SECM stands as the optimal choice for enhancing soil productivity while reducing sedimentation in downstream rivers and lakes.
 

Regional scale terrace mapping in fragmented mountainous areas using multi-source remote sensing data and sample purification strategy

As a stepped cross section of farmland built along the contour lines, terrace is widely distributed on hill-slopes. It changes the original surface slope and runoff coefficient, reduces soil nutrient loss, and has become the most important soil erosion control measure in China. Accurate terrace mapping at regional scale is crucial for soil conservation, agriculture sustainability and ecological planning. Due to the influence of cloudy and rainy weather, poor data availability makes it difficult to identify terrace distribution only using optical remote sensing images in mountainous areas. In this study, we incorporated multi-spectral optical and SAR data, features of terrain, texture and time sequence information, and proposed a pixel-based supervised classification method based on sample purification strategy to obtain a 10 m resolution terraced map in a plateau mountainous region. With 610 terrace/non-terrace validation sample data, 10-fold cross-validation was used to test the classification results. For identified terrace, the values of Overall Accuracy (OA), Producer's Accuracy (PA) and User's Accuracy (UA) stay stable above 90 %, the F1 score and Kappa coefficient show the smallest fluctuation and is stable in the range of 0.90–0.93 and 0.81–0.87, respectively. The accuracy evaluation of grid units show that the uncertainty of the terrace distribution is mainly concentrated in the north and south of the study area. Slope cultivated land, low-slope terrace and non-agricultural vegetation are easily mixed due to the heterogeneity of terrace features and the spectrum similarity among these land types. It should be noted that the features of time series and texture play a key role in the terrace recognition process, rather than terrain factors, which is different from previous studies. The sample purification strategy proposed provides a more reliable regional scale terrace distribution map compared to the existing product, and is potentially transferable to other mountainous areas as a robust approach for rapid identification of terrace.

Assessment of soil erosion in the Irga watershed on the eastern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, India

Human activities to improve the quality of life have accelerated the natural rate of soil erosion. In turn, these natural disasters have taken a great impact on humans. Human activities, particularly the conversion of vegetated land into agricultural land and built-up area, stand out as primary contributors to soil erosion. The present study investigated the risk of soil erosion in the Irga watershed located on the eastern fringe of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand, India, which is dominated by sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil with low soil organic carbon (SOC) content. The study used the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Geographical Information System (GIS) technique to determine the rate of soil erosion. The five parameters (rainfall-runoff erosivity (R) factor, soil erodibility (K) factor, slope length and steepness (LS) factor, cover-management (C) factor, and support practice (P) factor) of the RUSLE were applied to present a more accurate distribution characteristic of soil erosion in the Irga watershed. The result shows that the R factor is positively correlated with rainfall and follows the same distribution pattern as the rainfall. The K factor values in the northern part of the study area are relatively low, while they are relatively high in the southern part. The mean value of the LS factor is 2.74, which is low due to the flat terrain of the Irga watershed. There is a negative linear correlation between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the C factor, and the high values of the C factor are observed in places with low NDVI. The mean value of the P factor is 0.210, with a range from 0.000 to 1.000. After calculating all parameters, we obtained the average soil erosion rate of 1.43 t/(hm2•a), with the highest rate reaching as high as 32.71 t/(hm2•a). Therefore, the study area faces a low risk of soil erosion. However, preventative measures are essential to avoid future damage to productive and constructive activities caused by soil erosion. This study also identifies the spatial distribution of soil erosion rate, which will help policy-makers to implement targeted soil erosion control measures.

Soil Erosion Characteristics in Tropical Island Watersheds Based on CSLE Model: Discussion of Driving Mechanisms

Previous research has primarily focused on soil erosion issues in arid and semi-arid regions, with a limited understanding of soil erosion mechanisms in tropical areas. Additionally, there is a lack of a holistic perspective to determine the spatial attribution of soil erosion. The conversion of tropical rainforests into economically driven plantations, like rubber and pulpwood, has resulted in distinct soil erosion characteristics in specific regions. To enhance our knowledge of soil erosion patterns and mechanisms in tropical regions, it is necessary to examine soil erosion in the three major watersheds of Hainan Island from 1991 to 2021, which encompass significant geographical features such as tropical island water sources and tropical rainforest national parks. The study employed the China Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) model, slope trend analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, land-use transfer matrix, and spatial attribution analysis to examine soil erosion under different scenarios. The research results indicate that scenarios driven by the combination of natural and human factors have the greatest impact on soil erosion changes in the entire study area. Co-driven increases affected 53.56% of the area, while co-driven decreases affected 21.74%. The 31-year soil erosion showed an overall increasing trend. Human factors were identified as the primary drivers of increased soil erosion in the Nandu River basin, while a combination of climate and anthropogenic factors influenced the decrease in soil erosion. In the Changhua River basin, climate and human activities contributed to the soil erosion increase, while human activities primarily caused the decrease in soil erosion. In the Wanquan River basin, climate intensified soil erosion, whereas human activities mitigated it. This study underscores the significant combined impact of human activities and natural factors on soil erosion in tropical regions. It emphasizes the importance of considering human-induced factors when implementing soil erosion control measures in tropical regions.

Spatiotemporal change in vegetation cover in the Yellow River Basin between 2000 and 2022 and driving forces analysis

In this paper, we investigate the features of spatiotemporal change in fractional vegetation cover (FVC) throughout the Yellow River Basin between 2000 and 2022 and identify the driving factors behind the change using the MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a data source. On that basis, our research involves trend analysis and the center migration model to examine the correlation between vegetation cover changes and various factors, such as climates, topographies, soils, and human activities. In this way, we aim to uncover how such correlation contributed to the reduction in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in surface runoff. Results suggest that (1) the FVC of the Yellow River Basin has been trending upward over the past 23 years, and vegetation growth has been remarkably improved; (2) the center of medium-high and denser vegetation cover has progressively migrated from the upper reaches of the Yellow River down to its middle-lower segments; (3) soil erosion control measures are critical to improve vegetation cover, given the great impact of the shifting natural elements on vegetation cover changes on a local basis; (4) an improvement in vegetation cover leads to considerable positive change in the runoff and SSC of the Yellow River mainstem. This study has yielded noteworthy contributions in correctly understanding the current vegetation changes and related factors in the Yellow River Basin. Furthermore, it has laid the groundwork for further research in improving the accuracy of basic data and deepening the correlation between factors.

Settlement land management based on land capability in Batu City

Urban expansion occurs in big cities in Indonesia, including Batu City. An increase in the built-up area occurred in Batu City by 554.4 ha or 2.78%, and a decrease in agricultural land by 341.1 ha occurred in 2008-2018. If the Batu City government does not pay attention to the availability of environmental services or consider the geomorphological conditions of Batu City for developing settlements. In that case, it will have an environmental impact. The environmental problem in Batu City during the 2009-2019 period was an increase in greenhouse gases by 0.75% per year. Batu City is located in a hilly area. It is necessary to explore land capability in Batu City so that land use planning follows its environmental services and is sustainable. This study aimed to determine the land capability for settlements in Batu City based on the Regulation of the State Minister for the Environment Number 17 of 2009 concerning Guidelines for Determining Environmental Supporting Capacity in Regional Spatial Planning. This study used a geographic information system (GIS) and ArcGIS 10.8 software. The method used was overlapping soil texture, slope, drainage, effective soil depth, erosion, and flood potential maps. Batu City has a slope of 30-45% and a total area of 6,581.03 ha or 33% of the area of Batu City. The largest erosion rate reached 10,326.33 ha or 52% of the total area of Batu City. Erosion occurs on land used for agriculture or moorland. Soil protection and erosion control measures are strongly recommended. The area around Batu City, 1,174.28 ha, experienced considerable erosion, and 2,631.62 ha of land in Batu City is used for settlements. Land capability analysis can determine the starting point or basis for settlement land management in Batu City, which has a slope of more than 15%. There are only 461.9 ha of land management for settlement which follows the regional spatial planning and land capability in Batu City, spread over three different districts.<script type="text/javascript" src="chrome-extension://lopnbnfpjmgpbppclhclehhgafnifija/aiscripts/t.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="chrome-extension://lopnbnfpjmgpbppclhclehhgafnifija/aiscripts/script-main.js"></script>

Valuing soil erosion control investments in Nigerian agricultural lands: A hedonic pricing model

The effects of climate change are often writ large in the nexus of water and land. In Nigeria, predominantly rainfed agriculture is confronting the consequences of climate extremes in the form of excessive rainfall, especially in the southern region. Relatedly, the hazard of soil erosion represents one of the most pressing forms of land degradation, thereby threatening agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the economic value of investing in a climate change adaptation strategy, specifically soil erosion control measures on agricultural lands in Nigeria. The analysis employs a hedonic pricing model, using household-level self-reported land values from the Nigeria Living Standards Measurement Survey, 2015–2016 and 2018–2019. Results indicate that undertaking soil erosion control facilities is heavily capitalized into Nigerian agricultural land values. The estimated marginal implicit price (MIP) for undertaking soil erosion control is approximately 26% of mean land values. This value represents around half the annual nominal median income of a Nigerian agrarian household. The estimated MIP of soil erosion control adoption is positive in areas that experience moderate rainfall. Results are maintained across a variety of robustness checks. Our findings suggest that soil erosion control adoption can be an important source of wealth creation among smallholder farmers who are mainly engaged in subsistence farming. Results support wider adoption of erosion control by landowners in accordance with highly variable weather patterns, and more broadly suggest the need to recognize the long-term gains from climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and target investment aid towards sustainable agriculture.

Sustainability Analysis of Soil Erosion Control in Rwanda: Case Study of the Sebeya Watershed

Soil erosion is a complex process that results in soil and fertility losses from agricultural land and, ultimately, leads to river sedimentation. This study aimed to assess various influential factors and processes affecting soil erosion and to recommend suitable site-based Soil Erosion Control Measures (SECM) for sustainable agriculture while minimizing the downstream rivers and reservoir sedimentation in the Sebeya watershed of Rwanda. The present research used a literature review, site visits, and focus groups to assess various SECM within the Sebeya watershed. As a result, various site-based SECM were evaluated, recommended, and simulated to alleviate high soil loss rates in the Sebeya watershed using the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE) model. Simulating existing and proposed SECM, soil loss was reduced significantly from 73 t/ha/y to 29 t/ha/y. To highlight the implication of the site-based recommended SECM in improving agricultural productivity, this study suggests field investigations in soil erosion plots and prediction of crop yields from an established linear correlation model between soil loss and crop yields in the Sebeya watershed. For effective action in reducing high soil erosion rates to tolerable rates in the Sebeya watershed, the present research recommends implementing the site-based recommended SECM with mulching and drainage channels on the same farmland. However, lack of money and knowledge are the main limitations in implementing SECM in the Sebeya watershed. Therefore, governmental and non-governmental organizations should technically and financially help farmers in the Sebeya watershed.

Variability in mollic epipedon thickness in response to soil erosion–deposition rates along slopes in Northeast China

The Mollisol region of Northeast China is one of the most significant grain-producing areas. Intense soil erosion has led to a sharp decline in both the mollic epipedon (ME) thickness and soil quality, and these processes have in turn resulted in a serious threat to the national food security. Soil erosion–deposition processes influence the soil thickness. However, the quantitative relationship between the ME thickness and soil erosion–deposition rate along slopes remains unclear. In this study, the ME thickness and soil erosion–deposition rate along three typical long, gentle slopes in Heilongjiang Province were investigated by using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and 137Cs tracing technology. Variations in the spatial characteristics of the ME thickness and soil erosion–deposition rate on slopes were obtained. Wavelet analysis was employed to analyse the soil erosion–deposition rate on these slopes. The results indicated that the soil erosion rate along the three slopes was periodic and oscillated between high and low values. The range of primary cycle variation was 73–80 m, and the range of secondary cycle variation was 44–47 m. A negative correlation was found between the soil erosion–deposition rate and ME thickness within each cycle. The periodic variability in the soil erosion rate on these slopes also yielded a periodic variability in the ME thickness. Fitted equations were derived based on the ME thickness, slope length and soil erosion–deposition rate. The error range for soil thickness prediction was 0.30–9.40 %. This study could provide an efficient and accurate method to predict ME thickness change patterns along slopes and to help arrange soil erosion control measures at appropriate locations.

Can Agroecology Provide a Panacea for Sustaining the Adoption of Soil Erosion Control Measures? A Case of Smallholder Coffea arabica Production in the Rwenzori Mountain Region, Uganda

Agroecological approaches can provide context-specific and sustainable solutions to issues confronting farming communities, by enabling consorting of the socioeconomic and ecological constraints on the farm. This study is the first attempt to test this argument, based on the challenge of sustaining the adoption of soil erosion control measures among smallholder farmers producing Coffea arabica on the Rwenzori Mountain in Uganda. Here, the adoption of soil erosion control measures remains a challenge, despite the efforts of conventional agricultural advisory services in local governments. Using a qualitative research approach, we contrasted the elements of agroecology with the local discourses, to identify if they would provide a panacea for sustaining the adoption of soil erosion control measures. The results indicated that, generally, the agroecology elements harmonized with the local-context discourses on soil erosion control, in contrast to the conventional approach promoted through the agricultural advisory services. For example, the local discourse on a participatory process in developing soil erosion control measures linked with the Co-creation and Knowledge-Sharing element of agroecology; the discourse on concurrent and joint implementation of soil erosion control measures matched with the Synergy and Diversity elements of agroecology; and the argument for sustaining soil erosion control adoption through rewarding adopters and penalizing non-adopters, in line with the Responsible Governance and the Circular and Solidarity Economy elements of agroecology. Drawing conclusions on the implications of these findings, we argue that consideration of the Agroecology Elements at all stages in the process of soil erosion control would foster the sustained adoption of soil erosion control measures.

Analyzing Various Factors Affecting Farmers’ Willingness to Adopt Soil Erosion Control Measures in the Sebeya Catchment, Rwanda

Soil erosion is a worldwide environmental problem leading to low agricultural productivity and water quality degradation. Improving soil erosion control measures is essential. This study reports the results of a survey of 75 farmers, using structured interviews, field observations, and focus groups to analyze farmers’ perceptions concerning current and future efforts to adopt Soil Erosion Control (SEC) measures in the Sebeya catchment located in the Western Province of Rwanda. Various factors influencing farmers’ perceptions of soil erosion causes, effects, and willingness to adopt SEC measures were analyzed using descriptive statistics and SPSS (Version 20), including t-tests, chi-square tests, and a binary logistic regression model. Chi-square test results indicate that gender, farmer age, land ownership, farmland size, social media access, and credit access were strongly associated (p < 0.05) with the adoption of SEC measures, while marital status and education were not. A binary logistic regression model showed that among farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, farming experience (B = 0.749; p = 0.020) and access to socio media (B = 2.107; p = 0.027) were positively correlated, while age (B = −0.642; p = 0.035) and gender (B = −2.034; p = 0.032) were negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the adoption of SEC measures. In order to mitigate high soil erosion rates and increase food production, there is a need for the government to support farmers, and train them. A highly skilled technical team should be mobilized to assist in implementing SEC measures in the Sebeya catchment.

Dynamic Changes and Precision Governance of Soil Erosion in Chengde City Using the GIS Techniques and RUSLE Model

Soil erosion is one of the major environmental problems facing the world. The multi-scale characteristics of soil erosion and the complexity of its influencing factors put forward higher requirements for soil erosion prevention and control. Based on GIS technology and the RUSLE model, this paper quantitatively studies the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of soil erosion intensity in Chengde City(CC) from 2003 to 2018 and analyzes the temporal and spatial characteristics of R, K, LS, C, P factors according to the model calculation results, and analyzes the formation mechanism of key units of soil erosion in CC. The results show that: The area of tolerable erosion in CC in 2018 was 35152.19 km2 (accounting for 90.22% of the total area), which was at the level of tolerable erosion on the whole. The average soil erosion modulus of CC in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 were 41.38, 45.06, 46.58, 83.66, 27.67, and 73.34 t.km-2.y-1, reaching the maximum value of 83.66 t.km-2.y-1 in 2012, showing a rising trend and then declining trend in the research period. Soil erosion deteriorated in some areas of CC and regional differences increased, which caused serious environmental problems. Fitting results showed that the R factor was one of the important factors for the increase of regional differences and average erosion modulus. According to the characteristics of the problem, a precise governance model of soil erosion prevention based on the intensity and causes of soil erosion was put forward, and a “landing” scheme of soil erosion prevention and control measures was put forward. Furthermore, the control of soil and water loss in key areas should be strengthened in the future.

Soil erodibility mapping using watershed prioritization and morphometric parameters in conjunction with WSA, SPR and AHP-TOPSIS models in Mandakini basin, India

ABSTRACT The Himalayan region is the most sensitive due to its fragility, especially in soil erosion; therefore, it is a growing concern for environmentalists and natural resource planners. The study river basin Mandakini is situated in the central part of the Garhwal Himalayan region (Uttarakhand, India), which is highly prone to soil erosion due to various hydro-geomorphological factors. The factors include precipitous slope, geology, rugged terrain, land use and drainage pattern. Therefore, to identify the erosion-prone areas of the study basin, employed watershed prioritization technique using geographical information system and remote sensing integrated with weighted sum analysis (WSA), sediment production rate (SPR) and Technique of Order Preference Similarity to the Ideal Solution with Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP-TOPSIS) models. It is calculated by taking different parameters indicating linear, landscape, and shape parameters. All the sub-watersheds (SW) of the basin were prioritized in different categories for all models with model performance for the Mandakini river basin in the central Himalaya. The results are showing almost similar results except for high erosion-prone regions. The results of the SPR model indicate that vary large areas (43.47%) of the basin suffering from severe erosion limited in the north-central (WS11, WS12, WS21), eastern (WS2), and southern (WS22 and WS23) parts of the basin among 23 sub-watersheds. The result of model evaluation indicates AHP-TOPSIS is the efficient model in assessing soil erodibility. The study can help to undertake the precise decisions to propose an effective framework for soil erosion control measures and encourage soil conservation priorities of the region. The findings have implications for defining sustainable land resource management and conservation, which are critical to attaining the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's societal goals.

Weekly rainfall analysis using the Markov chain model in the Dharmapuri region of Tamil Nadu

During a rainy season, dry and wet spells tend to persist and can be represented using a Markov process. Knowing the succession of dry and wet periods is necessary to plant crops and carry out agricultural operations. This study aimed to analyze the probability of dry/wet spell rainfall using the Markov chain model in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, India. In estimating the chance of dry and wet spells, the model used rainfall of below 20 mm in a week as a dry calendar week and rainfall of 20 mm or more as a wet calendar week from the years 1980 to 2019. From the 1st through the 32nd Standard Meteorological Week (SMW), a continuous dry week probability was 75-100%. The likelihood of a dry week trailed by another dry week was more up to the 32nd standard week, while the chance of a dry week followed by a wet week was more up to the 31st standard week, ranging from 75 to 100%. During the 37th to 45th weeks, the conditional likelihood of a rainy week followed by another rainy week ranged from 43.8 to 68%. According to a review of consecutive dry and wet spells, two consecutive dry weeks had a 55 to 97.5% chance of occurring within the first 32 weeks of the year. In the first 32nd week of the year, the chance of three successive dry weeks ranged from 32.6 to 92.6%. Consecutive dry weeks suggest the need for additional irrigation and proper moisture management practices. In contrast, consecutive wet calendar weeks indicate an abundance of extra water available for rainwater collection and the necessity for proper soil erosion control measures.

Farmers' knowledge and Practices of Soil Conservation Techniques in Smallholder Farming Systems of Northern Kabare, East of D.R. Congo

Understanding local knowledge and practices of soil and water conservation is essential for designing and implementing cost-effective and sustainable erosion control programs, and thus reducing soil erosion's adverse impacts on agricultural lands. This study investigated the farmers' perceptions of soil erosion challenges, knowledge on erosion management, and practices implemented in smallholder farms in northern Kabare, South-Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Data was collected through individual interviews with 257 randomly selected farmers, coupled with focus group discussions. Results showed that soil erosion was a common phenomenon in more than three-quarters (76%) of surveyed farms. Eleven soil conservation techniques (SCTs) were known by farmers, of which, only six were routinely implemented on farms: mulching (36% farms), continuous or tied ridges (26% farms), hedges (19% farms), channels and drains (10% farms), infiltration ditches (4% farms), and terraces (2% farms). The effectiveness of each soil conservation strategy at the farm level depended on the number of techniques simultaneously practiced by a farmer, the farm location along the slope, the integration of livestock into farming systems, the farmer's main activity and income level, and more importantly, the farmer knowledge on soil erosion control measures. Farmer participation in farmers' associations (or cooperatives) was instrumental in his/her ability to control erosion at the farm level in the study area. This study was one of the few that tackled the role played by farmers’ perceptions on the adoption of SCTs in eastern DRC and opens an avenue in developing programs associating scientific and indigenous knowledge for sustainable soil erosion control.

Estimation of soil erosion in loess plateau based on geographic information system

One of the core problems in soil erosion research is the estimation of soil erosion. It is a feasible method and technical approach to estimate soil erosion in Loess Plateau region by using USLE model, GIS and RS technology and using DEM data, meteorological data and land-use type data. With the support of GIS and RS technology, the USLE factors and soil erosion in Loess Plateau region were estimated, and the soil erosion intensity was classified according to the Chinese soil erosion intensity classification standard. The results can provide reference for the development of soil erosion control measures in the Loess Plateau.

Development of the forest strip network in the territory of the Volokonovsky district by carrying out an adaptive landscape agriculture system

In the last decade of the twentieth century, there have been significant negative transformations of arable land in the main agricultural regions of Russia. Traditional and zonal farming systems were disrupted, extensive agricultural technologies began to prevail with low doses of mineral fertilizers, a sharp reduction in the number of soil treatments and the use of organic fertilizers and ameliorants, disruption of crop rotation, and burning of stubble. Under these conditions, degradation processes have developed extremely strongly: erosion and plowing, dehumification and acidification, alkalization, and salinization. Many lands turned out to be abandoned, the weediness of crops increased sharply. With a decrease in the real (effective) land fertility and the level of technological culture of agriculture, the profitability of crop production fell sharply. The volume of soil protection and erosion control measures has sharply decreased. Traditional recommendations on soil-protective crop rotations and agrotechnics in the new economic conditions turned out to be practically inaccessible for most farms and cooperative farms, the necessary condition for the survival of which is a quick return on financial investments. The development of agricultural production in the current environmental and economic conditions (the vital need to increase the profitability of production, on the one hand, and a serious aggravation of the agroecological situation and, as a consequence, the increase in environmental and economic risks of production, on the other) requires a transition to adaptive landscape farming systems, which are the next stage of landscape-ecological detailing and economic and economic adaptation of previously developed zonal farming systems.